• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.729-735
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• 2010

In our previous study, it was reported that an herbal mixture, SH21B, inhibits fat accumulation and adipogenesis both in vitro and in vivo models of obesity. SH21B is a mixture composed of seven herbs: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Prunus armeniaca Maxim, Ephedra sinica Stapf, Acorus gramineus Soland, Typha orientalis Presl, Polygala tenuifolia Willd, and Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner (Ratio 3:3:3:3:3:2:2). The aim of this study was to investigate the detailed molecular mechanisms of the effects of SH21B on various regulators of the adipogenesis pathway. During the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells, SH21B significantly decreased the expression levels of central transcription factors of adipogenesis, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)$\gamma$ and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)$\alpha$. To elucidate the detailed molecular mechanism of the anti-adipogenic effects of SH21B, we examined the expression levels of the various pro-adipogenic or anti-adipogenic regulators of adipogenesis upstream of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/$EBP{\alpha}$. The mRNA levels of Krox20 and Kruppel-like factor (KLF) 15, which are pro-adipogenic regulators, were significantly down-regulated by SH21B treatment, whereas the mRNA levels of C/$EBP{\gamma}$ and KLF5 were not changed. KLF2 and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), which are anti-adipogenic regulators, were significantly up-regulated by SH21B treatment. These results suggest that the molecular mechanism of the anti-adipogenic effect of SH21B involves both the down-regulations of pro-adipogenic regulators, such as Krox20 and KLF15, and the up-regulations of anti-adipogenic regulators, such as KLF2 and CHOP, which results in the suppression of central transcription factors of adipogenesis including $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/$EBP{\alpha}$.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.111-115
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• 2016

Caffeine has been proposed to have several beneficial effects on obesity and its related metabolic diseases; however, how caffeine affects adipocyte differentiation has not been elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that caffeine suppressed 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and inhibited the expression of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ, two main adipogenic transcription factors. Anti-adipogenic markers, such as preadipocyte secreted factor (Pref)-1 and Krüppel-like factor 2, remained to be expressed in the presence of caffeine. Furthermore, 3T3-L1 cells failed to undergo typical mitotic clonal expansion in the presence of caffeine. Investigation of hormonal signaling revealed that caffeine inhibited the activation of AKT and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3 in a dose-dependent manner, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Our data show that caffeine is an anti-adipogenic bioactive compound involved in the modulation of mitotic clonal expansion during adipocyte differentiation through the AKT/GSK3 pathway.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2016

Resveratrol is a non-flavonoid polyphenol which belongs to the stilbenes group and is naturally generated in several plants in response to damage or fungal invasion. It has been shown in published studies that resveratrol has an anti-adipogenic effect. A good consensus regarding the involvement of a down-regulation of $C/EBP{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\gamma}$ in this effect has been reached. In addition, different metabolic pathways involved in triacylglycerol metabolism in white adipose tissue have been shown to be regulated by resveratrol. Concerning lipolysis, though this compound in itself seems to be unable to cause lipolysis, it increases lipid mobilization stimulated by ${\beta}-adrenergic$ agents. The increase in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis, and accordingly the associated energy dissipation, can attribute to accounting for the body-fat reducing effect of resveratrol. Besides its effects on adipose tissue, resveratrol can also acts on other organs and tissues. Therefore, it increases mitochondrial biogenesis and accordingly fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle and liver. This effect can also attribute to the body-fat reducing effect of this molecule. The present review purposes to collect the evidence concerning the potential mechanisms of action which underlie the anti-obesity effects of resveratrol, acquired either in cultured cells lines and animal models.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.169-176
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• 2017

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is caused by chronic lipid accumulation due to dysregulation of lipid metabolism in the liver, and it is associated with various human diseases such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes. Histone acetylation is a representative epigenetic mechanism regulated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and deacetylases. We observed that tartary buckwheat sprout (TBS) suppressed lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells through its anti-HAT activity. We showed that TBS was a novel HAT inhibitor with specificity for the major HAT enzyme p300. Importantly, TBS reduced acetylation of total and histone proteins, H3K9, H3K36, and H4K8, resulting in decreased transcriptional activities of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, ATP citrate lyase, and fatty acid synthase. These results suggest that TBS inhibits the NAFLD transcription-modulating activity of lipogenesis-related genes through modification of histone acetylation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.351-359
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• 2009

Etiological studies of diabetes and its complications showed that oxidative stress might play a major role, Therefore, many efforts have been tried to regulate free oxygen radicals for treating diabetes and its complications. Mori Fructus extract has been known to be effective for the antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antiobesitic prescription, and composed of four crude herbs, The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Mori Fructus extract in male ob/ob mouse with severe obesity, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia. Mice were grouped and treated for 5 weeks as follows. Both the lean (C57BL/6J black mice) and diabetic (ob/ob mice) control groups received standard chow. The experimental groups were fed with a diet of chow supplemented with 7.5, 15 and 30 mg Mori Fructus extract per 1 kg of body weight for 14 days. The effects of Mori Fructus extract on the ob/ob mice were observed by measuring the serum levels of glucose, insulin, lipid components, and the kidney levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), MDA+HAE, GSH and also the enzyme activities involved in polyol pathway. Western blotting was performed using anti-AGE, anti-RAGE respectively. Mori Fructus extract lowered the levels of serum glucose and insulin in a dose dependent manner. Total cholesterol, triglyceride and free fatty acid levels were decreased, while the HDL-cholesterol level was increased, in Mori Fructus extract treated groups. Renal aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities were increased in the ob/ob mice, whereas those were inhibited in the Mori Fructus extract-administered groups. Mori Fructus extract inhibited the generation of ROS in the kidney. MDA+HAE level was increased and the GSH level was decreased in the ob/ob mice, whereas those were improved in the Mori Fructus extract-administered groups. Mori Fructus extract inhibited the expression of AGE, RAGE in the ob/ob mice. The results suggested that Mori Fructus exerted the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities by regulating the activities of polyol pathway enzymes, scavenging the ROS, decreasing the MDA+HAE level, increasing the GSH level and inhibiting the expression of AGE, RAGE in the ob/ob mice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2012

The effects of genistein on cell proliferation and adipogenesis were examined in mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. Genistein decreased viability of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Oil Red O staining of these cells also indicated that adipogenesis was inhibited by 50 ${\mu}M$ genistein treatment. We investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in the decrease in cell viability in genistein-treated 3T3-L1 cells by conducting an oligo DNA microarray analysis. We selected the sirtuin-1 gene, one of the upregulated genes, for further experimentation because sirtuin-1 belongs to the sirtuin family, which is associated with anti-obesity and anti-inflammation activities. We found that four phytochemicals (resveratrol, capsaicin, daidzein, and genistein) could increase sirtuin-1 expression. Genistein was the strongest inducer of sirtuin-1 among the tested phytochemicals. The inhibition of adipogenesis by genistein was recovered by surtuin-1 siRNA transfection. Overall, these results may further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibition of proliferation and adipogenesis by genistein in mouse 3T3-L1 cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.991-998
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• 2012

Ginseng is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines and health foods. Korean red ginseng (KRG; Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) extract is known to have potential therapeutic activities, such as anti-viral effects, the amelioration of food allergies, anti-oxidant effects, and obesity reduction. Nevertheless, no reports have been issued the modulatory effects of KRG extract on the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP). In the present study, we investigated the modulatory effect of KRG extract in vitro and in vivo by using pooled human liver microsomes and male ICR mice. When human liver microsomes were incubated with KRG extract at 0.01-10 mg/ml, CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A were not significantly inhibited by KRG extract, although CYP2B6 was slightly inhibited. Mice were orally administered KRG extract at 50, 250, or 500 mg/kg daily for 3, 7, or 14 days. However, the activities of CYPs in mouse livers were not significantly different from those of vehicle-treated controls. In conclusion, no significant ginseng-drug interaction was observed. KRG extract did not significantly modulate the activities of CYPs in vitro or in vivo.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.525-533
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• 2015

The effect of the hot water extract of defatted green tea seed cake (GTSE) on lipid metabolism and the underlying mechanisms of lipolysis in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were investigated. In this study, we found that the naringenin content of GTSE was 5.5 mg/g; however, catechins were not detected. The intracellular lipid droplets were stained with Oil Red O dye and quantified. Compared to the control, lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by 52%, and intracellular triglyceride (TG) level was reduced by 33% after treatment with GTSE at a concentration of $40{\mu}g/mL$. To determine the mechanism of reduction in TG content, we determined the level of fatty acid synthase (FAS), phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) in the cell model. Incubation of the 3T3-L1 adipocytes with GTSE stimulated AMPK and ACC phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased the expression of FAS.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1640-1647
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• 2010

Seaweeds have been recognized as a health food, having anti-obesity, anti-constipation and anticoagulation activities, and the use of seaweeds in the food, medicine, and cosmetic industries have recently significantly increased. In this study, methanol extracts were prepared from 35 different seaweeds (17 phaeophyta, 11 rhodophyta and 7 chlorophyta), and thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) were determined in order to develop safe and novel anticoagulation agents from natural products. In TT experiments, Ecklonia cava, Ecklonia stolonifera, Eisenia bicyclis (Kjellman) Setchell, Ishige foliacea, I. okamurai, Sargassum confusum and S. yamade showed strong thrombin inhibition activity among the 35 different seaweeds. In PT experiments, the inhibitions of prothrombin were identified in the selected seaweeds from TT experiment, with the exception of S. yamade. In aPTT experiments, the seaweeds with blood coagulation inhibition factors were E. cava, E. stolonifera, E. bicyclis (Kjellman) Setchell, I. foliacea, I. okamurai, S. confusum and Hixikia fusiforme Okamura. Further anticoagulation assay with the selected 8 seaweeds suggested that S. confusum is most effective in antithrombosis, and E. stolonifera, E. bicyclis (Kjellman) Setchell, and I. foliacea have high potential as antithrombosis agents. Based on components-activity correlation analysis, flavonoids are considered as active anticoagulation components of seaweeds These results suggest that edible seaweeds, especially S. confusum, have potential as safe and novel anticoagulants, and S. yamade and H. fusiforme Okamura could be used as a thrombin-specific and coagulation factor-specific inhibitors.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.666-672
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of long-term endurance exercise and salvia miltiorrhiza vinegar on body composition and insulin resistance of high-fat diet (30% carbohydrate, 50% fat and 20% protein) induced obese rats. After 8 weeks of high fat diet (50% of total calories), rats were divided into 4 groups (sedentary group, n=10; exercise group, n=10; Salvia miltiorrhiza vinegar group, n=10; exercise+Salvia miltiorrhiza vinegar group, n=10) for 8 weeks. Body weight, body composition, diet intake volume, oral glucose tolerance test, plasma total cholesterol were measured. The results showed that Salvia miltiorrhiza vinegar plus endurance exercise training for 8 weeks significantly improved body weight control, visceral fat weight, and insulin resistance. However, only Salvia miltiorrhiza vinegar treatment did not significantly improve body composition and insulin resistance. In addition, there was no additive by the combination of Salvia miltiorrhiza vinegar and endurance exercise in insulin, body fat, and total cholesterol. The reduction of body fat, glucose, insulin and cholesterol by combination was resulted from the exercise. These results suggest that Salvia miltiorrhiza vinegar has slight effect on anti-hyperglycemia and anti-obesity.