• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.43-54
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• 2011

Gene structure of copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD; sod1) was characterized in Hemibarbus mylodon (Teleostei; Cypriniformes), an endangered freshwater fish species in Korean peninsula. Full-length cDNA of H. mylodon SOD1 consisted of a 796-bp open reading frame sequence encoding 154 amino acids, and the deduced polypeptide sequence shared high sequence homology with other orthologs, particularly with regard to metal-coordinating ligands. Genomic structure of the H. mylodon sod1 gene (hmsod1; 1,911 bp from the ATG start codon to the stop codon) was typical quinquepartite (i.e., five exons interrupted by four introns); the lengths of the exons were similar among species belonging to various taxonomic positions. The molecular phylogeny inferred from sod1 genes in the teleost lineage was in accordance with the conventional taxonomic assumptions. 5'-flanking upstream region of hmsod1, obtained using the genome walking method, contained typical TATA and CAAT boxes. It also showed various transcription factor binding motifs that may be potentially involved in stress/immune response (e.g., sites for activating proteins or nuclear factor kappa B) or metabolism of xenobiotic compounds (e.g., xenobiotic response element; XRE). The hmsod1 transcripts were ubiquitously detected among tissues, with the liver and spleen showing the highest and lowest expression, respectively. An experimental challenge with Edwardsiella tarda revealed significant upregulation of the hmsod1 in kidney (4.3-fold) and spleen (3.1-fold), based on a real-time RT-PCR assay. Information on the molecular characteristics of this key antioxidant enzyme gene could be a useful basis for a biomarker-based assay to understand cellular stresses in this endangered fish species.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.86-90
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• 2011

Wilson's disease is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism consequence of which leads to accumulation of copper in the liver, brain, cornea and other tissues. The manifestations are more likely to be hepatic in the early childhood and neurological in the adolescents. In addition, the abnormalities that develop during disease progression may result in other manifestations such as hematologic, endocrine, or renal findings. We report a thirteen year-old girl who manifested tetany shortly after the initial diagnosis of Wilson's disease. Despite aggressive calcium, magnesium and vitamin D replacement, the hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia did not respond to the therapy promptly. It took more than three weeks for blood levels of the minerals to be normal. We concluded that tetany occurred in our patient because of hypoparathyroidism as a rare complication of Wilson disease, vitamin D deficiency resulting from various conditions, and inconclusive hypomagnesemia.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.531-536
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• 2002

We investigated the exercise-induced changes in the serum concentration of several minerals in horses. Four welltrained Thoroughbred horses performed exercise for 5 d. The blood hemoglobin (Hb) concentration increased during exercise, recovered to the pre-exercise level immediately after cooling down and did not change again up till the end of experiment. The changes in serum zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) concentrations were similar to those of blood Hb during the experiment. The serum magnesium (Mg), inorganic phosphorus (Pi) and iron (Fe) concentrations also increased during exercise. Though the serum Pi concentration recovered to the pre-exercise level immediately after the cooling down, it decreased further before the end of the experiment. The serum Mg concentration was lower immediately after cooling down than its pre-exercise level but gradually recovered from the temporal reduction. The recovery of the serum Fe concentration was delayed compared to that of other minerals and recovered 2 h after cooling down. The serum calcium (Ca) concentration did not change during exercise but rapidly decreased after cooling down. As a result, it was lower immediately after cooling down than its pre-exercise level. It recovered, however, to the pre-exercise level 2 h after cooling down. The temporal increase in the serum concentrations of all minerals except Ca is considered to result from hemoconcentration induced by exercise and the stable concentration of the serum Ca during exercise is possibly due to its strict regulation of homeostasis. These results indicate that the serum concentration of each mineral responds differently to exercise in horses, which may be due to the difference in metabolism among these minerals.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-21
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• 2015

Cancer, a serious public health problem in worldwide, results from an excessive and uncontrolled proliferation of the body cells without obvious physiological demands of organs. The gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach and intestine, is a unique organ system. It has the highest cancer incidence and cancer-related mortality in the body and is influenceed by both genetic and environmental factors. Among the various chemical elements recognized in the nature, some of them including zinc, iron, cobalt, and copper have essential roles in the various biochemical and physiological processes, but only at low levels and others such as cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, and nickel are considered as threats for human health especially with chronic exposure at high levels. Cadmium, an environment contaminant, cannot be destroyed in nature. Through impairment of vitamin D metabolism in the kidney it causes nephrotoxicity and subsequently bone metabolism impairment and fragility. The major mechanisms involved in cadmium carcinogenesis could be related to the suppression of gene expression, inhibition of DNA damage repair, inhibition of apoptosis, and induction of oxidative stress. In addition, cadmium may act through aberrant DNA methylation. Cadmium affects multiple cellular processes, including signal transduction pathways, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Down-regulation of methyltransferases enzymes and reduction of DNA methylation have been stated as epigenetic effects of cadmium. Furthermore, increasing intracellular free calcium ion levels induces neuronal apoptosis in addition to other deleterious influence on the stability of the genome.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to examine the intake of Cr, Cu, and Zn, which play important roles in lipid metabolism, and the relationship of these microminerals with serum lipids of healthy college living in the Choongnam area. The nutritional status of the subjects(35 women) was evaluated based on anthropometric measurements, 24-hr dietary recall for 3 days. Three-day meals and fasting blood were collected to analyze Cr, Cu, and Zn. The mean age, height, weight and BMI were 20 years, 158 cm, 55kg and 22.42kg/$m^2$ respectively. The mean daily energy intake was 85.9% of RDA for Koreans. The ratio of energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat was 60 : 24 : 16. The mean daily intake of Cr, Cu, and Zn was 60.07 $\mu\textrm{g}$/day, 2.64 mg/day, and 11.35 mg/day, respectively. The mean serum levels of Cr, Cu, and Zn were 143$\mu$g/dl, 81.34$\mu$g/dl, adn 101.54$\mu$g/dl, respectively. The mean serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol were 158.56mg/dl, 29.27 mg/dl, 56.00mg/dl, 6.12mg/dl, respectively. In conclusion, the subjects of the present study were healthy and consumed normal levls of dietary Cr, Cu and Zn, which play roles in lipid metabolism. Therefore, serum lipids of the subjects were all in the normal range. There was no significant correlation between dietary microminerals and serum lipids.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.1154-1161
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• 2000

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of cupric citrate (Cu-citrate) relative to cupric sulfate $(CuSO_4)$ as a Cu source for weanling and grow-finish pigs. In addition, the use of liver and bile Cu concentrations as indices of the bioavailability of Cu sources was investigated. Experiment one consisted of a nursery phase (35 d; initial BW=6.4 kg, final BW=21.4 kg) followed by a grow-finish phase (103 d; initial BW=21.5 kg, final BW=111.7 kg). Experiment two only consisted of a nursery phase (35 d; initial BW=6.3 kg, final BW=18.6 kg). Dietary treatments were identical for both experiments and consisted of: control (10 ppm $CuSO_4$); control+66 or 225 ppm $CuSO_4$; control+33, 66, or 100 ppm Cu-citrate. An antibiotic was included in diets for Exp. 1 but not Exp. 2. In both experiments, growth performance variables were similar for pigs receiving Cu-citrate and $CuSO_4$; however, growth performance was not improved by high concentrations of $CuSO_4$. Liver and bile Cu were increased (p<0.05) by 225 ppm $CuSO_4$; however, lower dietary concentrations of Cu from either $CuSO_4$ or Cu-citrate did not affect the Cu concentration of liver or bile relative to that observed in the control pigs. Irrespective of Cu source, there was no linear (p>0.10) increase in plasma Cu with increasing Cu concentrations in the diet for both experiments. However, the plasma Cu concentrations were highest (p<0.10) in pigs receiving diets supplemented with 225 ppm $CuSO_4$. Sixteen randomly chosen pigs per treatment in Exp. 1 were continued through the grow-finish phase. Body weight gain and feed intake were improved (p<0.10) by 66 ppm $CuSO_4$, but other dietary Cu treatments did not alter pig performance compared to the control diet. Plasma Cu concentrations were increased (p<0.10) by 225 ppm $CuSO_4$ in the growing phase and by 225 ppm $CuSO_4$ and 100 ppm Cu-citrate in the finishing phase. These data reveal no consistent effect of $CuSO_4$ on performance; therefore, it is difficult to assess the efficacy of these two Cu sources. In addition, these studies demonstrate that liver and bile Cu are not good indicators of Cu bioavailability in pigs fed adequate to pharmacological concentrations of Cu.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 1967

Chlorella ellipsoidea cells were cultured in an iron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum or boron-free medium. Physiological activities such as growth rate, reproduction, endogenous and glucose respiration, photosynthetic activity and biosythesis of chlorophyll of the micro-element definition cells were measured. It generally, growth rate, respiratory and photosynthetic activities, and biosynthesis of chlorophyll of the micro-element deficient cells decreased more or less, compared with those of the normal cells. The growth of the algal cells in an iron-free medium were retarded severely with the chlorosis, and the photosynthetic activity of the cells decreased remarkably even though the low content of chlorophyll in the cells owing to the iron-deficiency is considered. Therefore, it is deduced that iron takes part in the photosynthetic process itself, possibly by its participation in the photo phosphorylation coupled with electron transport. Respiratory activity of boron-deficient cells showed the most severe decrease whereas those of the molybdenum-deficient cells showed very slight decrease in spite of severe growth retardation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to determine if hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) generated by glucose oxidase (GO) induces apoptosis or necrosis of BJAB cells and which radical is the direct mediator of cell death. We found that GO produced $H_2O_2$ continuously in low concentrations, similar to in vivo conditions, and decreased proliferation and cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. The GO-mediated cytotoxicity resulted from apoptosis, and was confirmed by monitoring the cells after H33342/Annexin V/propidium iodide staining. Decreases of mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular glutathione level were found to be critical events in the $H_2O_2$-mediated apoptosis. Additional experiments revealed that $H_2O_2$ exerted its apoptotic action through the formation of hydroxyl radicals via the Fenton rather than the Haber-Weiss reaction. Moreover, intracellular redox-active iron, but not copper, participated in the $H_2O_2$-mediated apoptosis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.65-75
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• 2009

Objectives : Pyrite is one of the important prescriptions that has been used in oriental medicine for healing of fracture. It is reasonable, therefore, to postulate that native copper affects the process of bone metabolism and bone formation. The purpose of this study is to discover the effect of Pyrite on the healing of tibia fracture. Methods : 1. In vitro test : MG-63 cell in human body and the Pyritum in the ratio of 0.5mg/ml, 1.0mg/ml, 1.5mg/ml, 2.0mg/ml were incubated for 24 hours. After 24 hours, RNA was extracted via trizol reagent (Sigma, USA). In order to understand the activation of osteoblast, the level of OPN mRNA, osteopontin, was measured. 2. In vivo tesgroups normal group, control group and experimental group. Left tibia bones of mice in CON and JT groups were fractured by bone cutters. Pyrite was orally administered to the experimental group. After 14 days, each group's tibia specimen was constructed to observe changes in activation of proinflmmatory cytokines in relation to MIF and IL-6. Also, proliferation of osteoblast and osteopontin were measured via changes in levels of OPN and OPN mRNA. Results : In jn-Titro test, the level of OPN mRNA, osteopontin production was remarkably increased in Pyritum-treated MG-63 cells. In in-vitro test, fractured area in external tibia morphology was increased more in the JT group than that of the CON group. Osteogenesis, endochodrial ossification, and osteoid in fractured area were also increased more in the JT group than that of the CON group. Increase in OPN mRNA, osteopontin level and osteoblast's proliferation were observed. Activation of MIF and IL-6 was confirmed from the fracture region. Conclusions : From the result, development of a new stimulator in healing fracture via pyrite is expected.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.161-166
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of treatment of living-related liver transplantation (LRLT) with the parental heterozygote carrier graft in children with Wilson disease. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 7 children with Wilson disease who had received liver transplantation from 1994 to 2002 at Asan Medical Center. All the donors were parental. Liver functions, Kayser-Fleischer ring, and other factors regarding to copper metabolism were analyzed. Results: Of the 7 children, 5 had fulminant hepatitis and 2 had decompensated liver cirrhosis irresponsive to medical therapy. All donors being parental, all grafts came to be heterozygote carrier grafts. Survival rate was 100% in those 7 children, 87% in all children with liver transplantation in the same period, and 84% in children with non-metabolic liver disease. After liver transplantation, all 7 children could stop low copper diet and penicillamine therapy and their AST, total bilirubin and prothrombin time were recovered to normal. After liver transplantation, ceruloplasmin and serum copper levels were also recovered to normal. A marked reduction in 24 hr-urinary copper excretion was observed in all recipients after transplantation. During follow-up, Kayser-Fleischer rings resolved completely after LRLT in 5 children and partially in 1 child. Conclusion: We concluded that living-related liver tranplantation in children with Wilson disease with parental heterozygote carrier graft is an effective treatment modality.