• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2018

We investigated the effects of environmental variations on the growth and survival rate of Stichopus japonicus to determine the optimum environmental conditions for its growth. Literature studies and a 12 month-long diver survey were carried out to understand the habitat, ecology and size of the surveyed area. Based on the collected data, we suggested optimum habitat conditions for releasing S. japonicus. Experiments on releasing S. japonicus were conducted in the breakwater of the Hwagye fishing cooperative in Hwagey-ri, Namhae-un, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. To implement the experiments, we divided the surveyed area into 4 sub-areas with different characteristics: (1) sand and silt zone; (2) artificial sea cucumber bank zone; (3) artificial rock bank zone; and (4) marine algae zone. The experiment lasted for 12 months. We released 32,000 sea cucumbers over $120m^2$ of each of the sand and silt zone, artificial rock bank zone and marine algae zone and released 6,000 sea cucumbers over $120m^2$ of the artificial sea cucumber bank zone. The average density of the released sea cucumbers from day 30 to day 360 after the releasing was conducted was the highest in the artificial sea cucumber bank zone ($23.7animal/m^2$), which was followed by artificial rock bank zone ($2.0animal/m^2$), marine algae zone ($1.9animal/m^2$) and sand and silt zone ($0.8animal/m^2$). The analysis on growth showed that the initial average weight of 2.3 g increased on day 360 after the releasing to 12.5 g in the artificial sea cucumber rank zone, 20.2 g in the sand and silt zone, 23.3 g in the artificial rock bank zone and 22.9 g in the marine algae zone. Results from the experiment along with the literature analysis suggest the following optimum habitat conditions: $10-15^{\circ}C$ water temperature; 28-34 psu salinity; 5-10 m water depth; 0.2-0.5 m/s velocity; rock, stone and muddy sand as substrate; and less than 20% mud in the substrate.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.284-295
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• 2021

Red sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus is an invertebrate animal inhabiting in coasts of Korea, China, and Japan. They are traditionally used for food and medicine and well known for their distinctive biologically and pharmacologically important compounds. We investigated the effect of amyloglucosidase (AMG) enzymatic extracts of S. japonicus (AESJ) on the proliferation and cytokine secretion of murine splenocytes stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A). AESJ enhanced the proliferation of splenocytes and the production of IL-2 (Th1 cytokine), IL-1β (Th1 promoting cytokine), and IL-4, IL-10 (Th2 type cytokines) when treated alone. However, under Con A stimulation, AESJ suppressed the proliferation of splenocytes, attenuated the secretion of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and enhanced IL-1β secretion. These results suggest that AESJ exhibits immunomodulatory effect by moderating the proliferation of splenocytes and the secretion of IL-2, IL-1β, IL-4, and IL-10 differently depending on the absence and presence of Con A stimulation. These data evidence the immunomodulatory potential of AESJ, which can be further developed into a functional food mediating homeostasis.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2007

Resources of the sea cucumber, Stichopus japonicus in the west coast of Korea are decreasing sharply due to overfishing and severe marine pollutions. Artificial seed production and release of this species need to be conducted to maintain sea cucumber stock in the region. In this study, to provide basic information for such works, reproductive cycle of sea cucumber collected from Anmyondo in the region was histologically studied for a year from October 2004 to September 2005. This species was dioecious, and its gonads was composed of a number of gametogenic follicles. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) was reached the maximum in June (7.91), and the minimum in October (0.42). The main spawning occurs between June and August. The reproductive cycle of the sea cucumber could be divided into five stages: multiplicative stage (January to March), growing stage (March to April), mature stage (April to July), spawning.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2008

We investigated the proper dietary protein and lipid levels for growth and body composition of juvenile sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus. Three replicate groups of the sea cucumber(average weight of 1.1 g) were fed the experimental diets containing different levels of protein(10, 20, 30 and 40%) and lipid(3, 7 and 11%) for 10 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, survival of each group was over 87%, and there was no significant difference among the groups. Weight gain and specific growth rate(SGR) of sea cucumber were significantly affected by dietary protein(P<0.005) and lipid levels(P<0.001). The highest weight gain and SGR were observed when sea cucumber fed the diet containing 30% protein with 3% lipid(P<0.05). Weight gain and SGR of the sea cucumber fed the diet containing 3% lipid were higher than the other groups at the same protein level except for 40% protein group(P<0.05). Protein content of the sea cucumber fed the diet containing 30% protein with 3% lipid was significantly (P<0.05) higher than those fed 20% protein diets with 7% or 11% lipids and 10% protein diet with 7% lipid. Moisture, lipid and ash contents of the whole body were not significantly different among the groups. Fatty acid compositions such as linoleic acid, EPA(20:5n-3) and DHA(22:6n-3) of the whole body were affected by those of dietary lipid sources. The results of this study indicate that the diet containing 30% protein and 3% lipid is optimal for growth of juvenile sea cucumber.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2020

Stichopus japonicas (red sea cucumbers) inhabit the coastal sea surrounding Jeju Island, South Korea, and are thought to have various medicinal properties. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of a red sea cucumber (S. japonicus) collected from Jeju Island. We obtained the red sea cucumber extract (RSCE), and observed that it inhibited the tumor cell growth and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production associated with the induction of apoptosis through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in murine colon carcinoma cells (CT-26). Treatment with RSCE and N-acetylcysteine, which is a ROS scavenger, increased ROS production and apoptosis via the regulation by the MAPK pathway on the ERK and JNK compared with the nontreated group. Therefore, RSCE promotes ROS-mediated suppression of the ERK and JNK activation, and subsequently inhibits cancer progression, suggesting that RSCE may be beneficial in treating colon carcinoma.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 1999

The anititumor and immunologic activities of the glycoproteins extracted from sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) on mice bearing sarcoma 180 cells were investigated . Maximum tumor suppression (64%) occurred at the dose of 100mg glycoprotein/kg. The highest prolongation ratio was achieved at the level of 100mg/kg an dincreased by 395 more than that of control. Glycoproteins from sea cucumber exhibited direct cytotoxic effect on the tumor cells. Dose dependent increase of leucocyte, peritoneal exudate cell and weights of immunoorgans revealed the improvement of immunity. When the glycoportein-administered group was compared with the control, a significant difference was not noted in the clinico-chemical values such as S-GOT, S-GPT , alkaline phoshatse activity, total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea nitrogen and glucose levels in blood. These results suggests that the antitumor activity of sea cucumber glycoprotein is associated with activation of cells in the immune system.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.707-716
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• 2020

Red sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus, was dried using three methods-far-infrared ray, vacuum, and freeze drying and then enzymatically hydrolyzed using nine proteases: Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Kojizyme, Neutrase, Protamex, trypsin, α-chymotrypsin, and papain. In addition, the potential ability of hydrolysates to inhibit lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was evaluated. The yield of hydrolysates from red sea cucumbers dried using each method was higher than that of the distilled water extract, and protein contents were either similar or higher. The hydrolysates that exhibited inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation, as demonstrated via Oil red O staining, were those obtained by far-infrared ray drying coupled with Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Kojizyme, or Neutrase treatment. In addition to the advantages of far-infrared drying and the characteristics of Flavourzyme, the Flavourzyme hydrolysate of far-infrared-dried red sea cucumber showed the highest inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation. In addition, this hydrolysate significantly decreased the expression of the protein factor fatty acid-binding protein 4, which is related to the late differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that Flavourzyme hydrolysates from farinfrared-dried red sea cucumber may be used as a functional food and/or a pharmaceutical ingredient for the inhibition of lipid accumulation.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.331-336
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• 2011

The present study investigated survival and growth of the abalone, Haliotis discus hannai and sea cucumber, Stichopus japonicus co-cultured and supplied with abalone formula feed (AFF) and dry sea tangle (DST) in indoor tank. During the experimental period from April 20 to July 15 in 2011, we used abalone with shell length of $28.54{\pm}1.23mm$ and total weight of $2.92{\pm}0.26g$. The sea cucumber used in the experiment weighed $3.0{\pm}0.2g$ in wet weight. For the experiment, 3 types of feeds including AFF, DST and AFF-DST mixed (1:1) group were supplied to abalone and sea cucumber. During the experiment, survival of abalone reached over 97.0% and 87.0% for sea cucumber in three experimental tanks. Survival of the abalone was found to be higher in DST group, while it was lower among sea cucumber, although the survival was not significantly different among three experimental group. Growth of abalone fed with AFF was significantly higher, while the growth rate of sea cucumber was highest in the tank fed with AFF+DST mixed diet (P < 0.05).

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.115-124
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• 1995

Twenty-two species of Echinodermata collected from 11 localities in Chindo Island, Korea in September, 1990 and July, 1994 are recorded. One asteroids, Luidia quinaria, five ophiudoids such as Astrocladus coniferus coniferus, A.c.dofleini, Ophicatis affinis, Stegophiura sladeni, Amphipholis sp., four echinoids such as Temnopleurus toreumaticus, T. hardwicki, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus, anthoicidaris crassispina and two holothuroids such as Protankyra bidentata, Stichopus japonicus are unrecorded species by this time in Chindo Is. One asteroid species, Asterina minor is newly recorded in Korea water and its taxonomic characteristics are redescribed.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.62-72
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• 2018

An active ingredient with hyaluronidase (HAse) inhibitory effect is one of the anti-aging approaches in cosmeceuticals. Here, red sea cucumbers (RSCs), Stichopus japonicus, from Jeju Island were evaluated to examine their HAse inhibitory and antioxidant activity effect. In this study, RSCs were extracted by six enzymatic hydrolysis (Alcalase; Al, Trypsin; Try, Neutrase; Neu, Pepsin; Pep, Alpha-chymotrypsin; Chy and Protamex; Pro). Alcalase hydrolysate (AlH) showed the highest antioxidant capacities for both of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) methods, compared to those of other hydrolysates, at $66.59{\pm}0.78{\mu}M\;TE/mg$ and $135.78{\pm}3.24{\mu}M\;TE/mg$, respectively. Furthermore, AlH performed the highest capacity of HAse inhibitory with $IC_{50}$ value of 3.21 mg/ml. Thus, RSCs hydrolyzed by Al were chosen to determine the cellular antioxidant activity and hyaluronic acid (HA) production effect on Human immortalized keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). The results showed that AlH improved the cell viabilities and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by 2,2'-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) were significantly decreased. In addition, AlH increased HA amount by regulating HYAL2 and HAS2 expressions in the HaCaT cells. Taken together, AlH of RSCs collected from Jeju Island showed HAse inhibitory and antioxidant activities against skin-aging which shows its potentials can be an optional natural bioactive ingredient for novel cosmeceuticals.