• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.179-189
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• 2020

Green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a potent antioxidant with protective effects against neurotoxicity. However, it is currently unclear whether EGCG protects neuronal cells against radiation-induced damage. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in PC12 cells. The effects of UV irradiation included apoptotic cell death, which was associated with DNA fragmentation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, enhanced caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. UV irradiation also increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and mitochondrial pathway-associated cytochrome c expression. However, pretreatment with EGCG before UV exposure markedly decreased UV-induced DNA fragmentation and ROS production. Furthermore, the UV irradiation-induced increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, cytochrome c upregulation, and caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation were each ameliorated by EGCG pretreatment. Additionally, EGCG suppressed UV-induced phosphorylation of p38 and rescued UV-downregulated phosphorylation of ERK. Taken together, these results suggest that EGCG prevents UV irradiation-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells by scavenging ROS and inhibiting the mitochondrial pathways known to play a crucial role in apoptosis. In addition, EGCG inhibits UV-induced apoptosis via JNK inactivation and ERK activation in PC12 cells. Thus, EGCG represents a potential neuroprotective agent that could be applied to prevent neuronal cell death induced by UV irradiation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2022

Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa cv. Viking) contains high amounts of anthocyanins, which are susceptible to heat. This study was conducted to identify an efficient coating material for encapsulating aronia extract to enhance the stability of anthocyanins during cooking. Maltodextrin, maltodextrin+gum Arabic, and maltodextrin+carboxymethyl cellulose were chosen as the coating materials, mixed with aronia extract at a ratio of 2:1, and freeze-dried after homogenization. The encapsulated aronia extract was then used as a sulgidduk ingredient. Sulgidduk prepared with the encapsulated aronia had significantly higher values for redness, anthocyanin retention, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity compared to sulgidduk prepared with non-encapsulated aronia. In addition, the sensory evaluation revealed that sulgidduk prepared with encapsulated aronia produced better color and taste. These results indicate that the encapsulation of aronia extract improved the stability of the anthocyanins in aronia, and encapsulated aronia can be used as a functional colorant in the food industry.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.161-172
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and has a high recurrence rate, which is associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs). β-carotene (BC) possesses antioxidant activity and several anticancer mechanisms. However, no investigation has examined its effect on colon cancer stemness. MATERIALS/METHODS: CD133⁺CD44⁺ HCT116 and CD133⁺CD44⁺ HT-29 cells were isolated and analyzed their self-renewal capacity by clonogenic and sphere formation assays. Expressions of several CSCs markers and Wnt/β-catenin signaling were examined. In addition, CD133⁺CD44⁺ HCT116 cells were subcutaneously injected in xenograft mice and analyzed the effect of BC on tumor formation, tumor volume, and CSCs markers in tumors. RESULTS: BC inhibited self-renewal capacity and CSC markers, including CD44, CD133, ALDH1A1, NOTCH1, Sox2, and β-catenin in vitro. The effects of BC on CSC markers were confirmed in primary cells isolated from human CRC tumors. BC supplementation decreased the number and size of tumors and delayed the tumor-onset time in xenograft mice injected with CD133⁺CD44⁺ HCT116 cells. The inhibitory effect of BC on CSC markers and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in tumors was confirmed in vivo as well. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that BC may be a potential therapeutic agent for colon cancer by targeting colon CSCs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.173-193
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most representative neurodegenerative disease mainly caused by the excessive production of amyloid beta (Aβ). Several studies on the antioxidant activity and protective effects of Populus tomentiglandulosa (PT) against cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal damage have been reported. Based on this background, the present study investigated the protective effects of PT against cognitive impairment in AD. MATERIALS/METHODS: We orally administered PT (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) for 14 days in an Aβ_25-35-induced mouse model and conducted behavioral experiments to test cognitive ability. In addition, we evaluated the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum and measured the production of lipid peroxide, nitric oxide (NO), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tissues. RESULTS: PT treatment improved the space perceptive ability in the T-maze test, object cognitive ability in the novel object recognition test, and spatial learning/long-term memory in the Morris water-maze test. Moreover, the levels of AST and ALT were not significantly different among the groups, indicating that PT did not show liver toxicity. Furthermore, administration of PT significantly inhibited the production of lipid peroxide, NO, and ROS in the brain, liver, and kidney, suggesting that PT protected against oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that administration of PT improved Aβ_25-35-induced cognitive impairment by regulating oxidative stress. Therefore, we propose that PT could be used as a natural agent for AD improvement.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.166-176
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• 2022

Objective: Sperm is particularly susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress. Glutathione (GSH) is an endogenous antioxidant that regulates sperm redox homeostasis. However, it is not clear whether boar sperm could utilize cysteine for synthesis GSH to protect sperm quality from ROS damage. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of how cysteine is involved in protecting boar sperm quality during liquid storage. Methods: Sperm motility, membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation, 4-hydroxyIlonenal (4-HNE) modifications, mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as the levels of ROS, GSH, and, ATP were evaluated. Moreover, the enzymes (GCLC: glutamate cysteine ligase; GSS: glutathione synthetase) that are involved in glutathione synthesis from cysteine precursor were detected by western blotting. Results: Compared to the control, addition of 1.25 mM cysteine to the liquid storage significantly increased boar sperm progressive motility, straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, beat-cross frequency, membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP level, acrosome integrity, activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and GSH level, while reducing the ROS level, lipid peroxidation and 4-HNE modifications. It was also observed that the GCLC and GSS were expressed in boar sperm. Interestingly, when we used menadione to induce sperm with ROS stress, the menadione associated damages were observed to be reduced by the cysteine supplementation. Moreover, compared to the cysteine treatment, the γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS) activity, GSH level, mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP level, membrane integrity and progressive motility in boar sperm were decreased by supplementing with an inhibitor of GSH synthesis, buthionine sulfoximine. Conclusion: These data suggest that boar sperm could biosynthesize the GSH from cysteine in vitro. Therefore, during storage, addition of cysteine improves boar sperm quality via enhancing the GSH synthesis to resist ROS stress.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.276-286
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• 2022

This study is focused on the effect of phycobiliprotein extraction of Gracilaria on the quality of common carp burgers, and the application of nanoliposomes containing pigment in the improvement of its antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of burgers during refrigerated storage in 18 days. Burgers were incorporated with phycobiliprotein and liposomal phycobiliprotein (2.5% and 5% w/w), and their chemical and microbial changes in terms of pH, peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), total viable counts (TVC), psychrotrophic bacterial counts (PTC), and sensory characteristics were evaluated. Results presented a nanoliposome size of about 515.5 nm with capable encapsulation efficiency (83.98%). Our results showed non-encapsulated phycobiliprotein could delay the deterioration of common carp burgers, as a reduction in PV, TBA, and TVB-N, TVC, and PTC values in burgers treated with free and nano encapsulated phycobiliprotein. Moreover, the potential of phycobiliprotein was improved when it was encapsulated into chitosan coated liposomes. Burgers treated with 5% nanoliposomes displayed the lowest amount of lipid oxidation and microbial deterioration in comparison to others during storage. According to chemical, microbial and sensory evaluation, the shelf life of common carp burgers was increased in samples treated with encapsulated phycobiliprotein at 2.5% and 5%, as compared to the control (p ≤ 0.05).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.454-465
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• 2022

This study investigated the association between dietary intake and 10-year risk for CHD predicted from Framingham risk score in Korean adults using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019-2020. Eight thousand subjects (3,382 men and 4,618 women) aged 30 years or older were classified into three groups according to the 10-year CHD risk (%). The sociodemographics, anthropometrics indices, blood profiles, and dietary intake were collected. After adjusting for confounding variables, the mean adequacy ratio (MAR) decreased for both men and women as the disease risk increased. The high-risk group was below the MAR criteria, indicating that the overall quality of the meal was not good. The highest consumers of legumes (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.37-0.84), fruits (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.48-0.93), and fish (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.42-0.87) had a 44%, 33%, and 40% lower 10-year CHD risk than lowest consumers in men, respectively. In women, there is no significant relationship between food groups and disease risk. Therefore, improving lifestyle habits such as weight control, increased activity, and adequate food intake, especially legumes, fruits, and fish rich in antioxidant nutrients and bioactive substances, appears to have a potential association with preventing coronary heart disease in Korean adults.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.1315-1324
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• 2022

Fermentation is an effective process for providing various beneficial effects in functional beverages. Lactic acid bacteria and yeast fermentation-based biotransformation contribute to enhancement of nutritional value and digestibility, including lactose intolerance reduction and control of infections. In this study, the probiotic fermented fruit juice (PFJ) was produced by Lactobacillus plantarum TISTR 1465, Lactobacillus salivarius TISTR 1112, and Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 while mixed fruit juice (MFJ) was used as the basic medium for microorganism growth. The potential function, the anti-salmonella activity of PFJ, was found to be effective at 250 mg/ml of MIC and 500 mg/ml of MBC. Biofilm inhibition was performed using the PFJ samples and showed at least 70% reduction in cell attachment at the MIC concentration of Salmonella Typhi DMST 22842. The antioxidant activities of PFJ were determined and the results revealed that FSB.25 exhibited 78.40 ± 0.51 mM TE/ml by FRAP assay, while FPSB.25 exhibited 3.44 ± 0.10 mM TE/ml by DPPH assay. The volatile compounds of PFJ were characterized by GC-MS, which identified alcohol, aldehyde, acid, ester, ketone, phenol, and terpene. The most abundant organic acid and alcohol detected in PFJ were acetic acid and 2-phenylethanol, and the most represented terpene was β-damascenone. The sensory attributes showed scores higher than 7 on a 9-point hedonic scale for the FPB.25, illustrating that it was well accepted by panelists. Taken together, our results showed that PFJ could meet current consumer demand regarding natural and functional, fruit-based fermented beverages.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2022

This study was undertaken to examine the quality characteristics of nonblanched carrots (CON) and carrots blanched in distilled water, 2% NaCl water and 2% citric acid at 100℃ for 3 minutes. This moisture contents of CON was the highest at 85.91%, whereas NT had the lowest moisture at 83.92% (p<0.01). Compared to CON values the L values of pretreatment groups were decreased whereas the b values were increased (p<0.001) A comparison of true retention (TR), revealed that NT had the highest TPC TR 101.04% and TFC TR 91.59% (p<0.001). β-Carotene contents were determined to be higher in NT (1.98 mg/100 g) and CT (1.94 mg/100 g) than in other groups, with highest levels obtained in NT (106.64%) (p<0.001). Examination of the DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activities revealed that the NT group had maximum scavenging activity. The total bacterial count was determined to be 3.37 log CFU/g in the CON, whereas no microorganisms were observed in all the pretreatment groups. Our study indicates that blanching in 2% NaCl water is the most desirable in order to increase the biochemical content and nutrient preservation rate of carrots, and to inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.159-173
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• 2022

Genus of Rhododendron has been used in traditional medicine since ancient times and is known to be effective in immune function, inflammation, and cold symptoms. And the reason for this activity is the flavanonol type among flavonoids in the genus of Rhododendron. Among the flavanonol types, Taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside was isolated from the root of native R. mucronulatum in Korea, and the structure was finally identified through HPLC, LC-MS/MS, ¹H-NMR, and ¹³C-NMR. Taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside is a compound mainly found in R. mucronulatum, a representative species of the genus of Rhododendron, and exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atopic activities. In this study, Taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside was chemotaxonomic significant in 5 species of the genus Rhododendron native to Korea (R. mucronulatum, R. mucronulatum var. ciliatum, R. schlippenbachii, R. yedoense var. Poukhanense, R. japonicum for. Flavum). Compared with the existing literature, Taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside was identified for the first time in 4 species of Rhododendron except for the R. mucronulatum.