• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.257-267
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• 2017

Background: Heat-processed ginseng, sun ginseng (SG), has been reported to have improved therapeutic properties compared with raw forms, such as increased antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperglycemic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the antiobesity effects of SG through the suppression of cell differentiation and proliferation of mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells and the lipid accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods: To investigate the effect of SG on adipocyte differentiation, levels of stained intracellular lipid droplets were quantified by measuring the oil red O signal in the lipid extracts of cells on differentiation Day 7. To study the effect of SG on fat accumulation in C. elegans, L4 stage worms were cultured on an Escherichia coli OP50 diet supplemented with $10{\mu}g/mL$ of SG, followed by Nile red staining. To determine the effect of SG on gene expression of lipid and glucose metabolism-regulation molecules, messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of genes were analyzed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. In addition, the phosphorylation of Akt was examined by Western blotting. Results: SG suppressed the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells stimulated by a mixture of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin (MDI), and inhibited the proliferation of adipocytes during differentiation. Treatment of C. elegans with SG showed reductions in lipid accumulation by Nile red staining, thus directly demonstrating an antiobesity effect for SG. Furthermore, SG treatment down-regulated mRNA and protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor subtype ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-alpha ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) and decreased the mRNA level of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c in MDI-treated adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. In differentiated 3T3-L1 cells, mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism-regulating factors, such as amplifying mouse fatty acid-binding protein 2, leptin, lipoprotein lipase, fatty acid transporter protein 1, fatty acid synthase, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, were increased, whereas that of the lipolytic enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 was decreased. Our data demonstrate that SG inversely regulated the expression of these genes in differentiated adipocytes. SG induced increases in the mRNA expression of glycolytic enzymes such as glucokinase and pyruvate kinase, and a decrease in the mRNA level of the glycogenic enzyme phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase. In addition, mRNA levels of the glucose transporters GLUT1, GLUT4, and insulin receptor substrate-1 were elevated by MDI stimulation, whereas SG dose-dependently inhibited the expression of these genes in differentiated adipocytes. SG also inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473) at an early phase of MDI stimulation. Intracellular nitric oxide (NO) production and endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA levels were markedly decreased by MDI stimulation and recovered by SG treatment of adipocytes. Conclusion: Our results suggest that SG effectively inhibits adipocyte proliferation and differentiation through the downregulation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$, by suppressing Akt (Ser473) phosphorylation and enhancing NO production. These results provide strong evidence to support the development of SG for antiobesity treatment.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제29권7호
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• pp.800-808
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• 2019

샤르코-마리-투스병(Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: CMT)은 희귀 말초신경병의 그룹으로, 진행성 근육 약화 및 위축, 감각 소실, 상지 및 하지의 무반사 증상을 나타낸다. CMT1A는 PMP22 유전자가 존재하는 17p12 지역의 직렬 중복으로 발병하는데, 유전자형-표현형의 상관성이 느슨하여 2차 유전적 요인의 존재를 암시한다. 최근 MIR149의 rs71428439 (n.83A>G)와 rs2292832 (n.86T>C) 변이가 후기 발병 및 가벼운 증상의 표현형과 연관성이 있는 것으로 보고되었다. 본 연구는 CMT1A 기계내 임상적 표현형의 이질성이 MIR149의 SNP과 연관성이 있는지를 규명하기 위해 수행하였으며, 조사 대상으로는 가계내 표현형의 차이가 심한 6 CMT1A 대 가계를 대상으로 하였다. 그 결과, MIR149의 rs71428439와 s2292832 유전자형은 가족내의 늦은 발병과 약한 중증도의 유전적 요인으로 작용할 수 있음을 제시하였다. 특히, AG+GG (n.83A>G)와 TC+CC 유전자형(n.86T>C)은 발병 시기가 늦고 경미한 증상을 보였다. 운동신경 전기전도도(MNCV)는 MIR149 유전형과 연관이 없는 것으로 보였는데, 이러한 결과는 이전 연구와 일치한다. 따라서 본 연구는 MIR149의 rs71428439와 rs2292832 변이는 CMT1A 가계내 표현형적 이질성의 원인 중 하나로 작용할 가능성을 제시한다. 본 연구는 가계 내 증상의 차이가 심한 6 대가족을 사용하여 연구를 수행한 것은 의미가 크다고 여겨지며, 이런 결과는 CMT1A 환자의 분자 진단과 치료에 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.