• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.229-238
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• 2012

Cyclooxygenase(COX-2) is an inducible enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) from arachidonic acid. Over-expression of COX-2 has been reported to be associated with progressive hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatic C infection and rat liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$). Recently, it is well known that mast cell products can stimulate the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells and key players in liver fibrosis. But little is known regarding their role in $CCl_4$-induced liver fibrosis in rat. Our aim was to investigate the relation between COX-2 expression and mast cells during liver fibrosis after $CCl_4$ treatment. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into five groups (non-treated 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8-week after $CCl_4$-treatment). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the expression of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$-SMA), collagen-1 and COX-2 in liver tissue from $CCl_4$-treated rats. The density of collagen and mast cells were determined using a computerized image analysis system in liver sections stained with picrosirius red and toluidine blue, respectively. The expression levels of ${\alpha}$-SMA, collagen-1 and COX-2 mRNA were significantly higher at 2 wk in $CCl_4$-treated groups than non-treated group. The number of mast cells in liver tissues increased gradually from 2 wk to 6 wk depending on the fibrosis severity but decreased abruptly at 8 wk. The significant increase of collagen-1 and ${\alpha}$-SMA mRNA expression in $CCl_4$-treated rats was continued until 6 wk while the COX-2 mRNA was significantly decreased at 8 wk. These results suggest that increased mast cells are closely associated with COX-2 over-expression during hepatic fibrogenesis of $CCl_4$-treated rats.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.223-228
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• 2004

The levels of arylsulfatases A and B, $\alpha$-amylase, aspartate transcarbamylase, and $\gamma$-glutamyl transpeptidase were investigated during the infection of mice with schistosoma mansoni. This infection caused a significant (p<0.001) increase in the activity of hepatic arylsulfatase B (ASB), aspartate transcarbamylases and $\gamma$-glutamyl transpeptidase. A non-significant difference occurred for $\alpha$-amylase (p<0.3) and arylsulfatase A (p>0.5) when compared to the control. The specific activity of hepatic ASB was progressively increased with the progression of the Schistosoma-infection. Moreover, the kinetic studies of hepatic ASB in Schistosoma-infection showed that a slight decrease in the value of $K_m$ and about a 40% increase in $V_{max}$ when compared to the control. In addition, the pH optimum of hepatic ASB was altered from 6 to 7 as a result of schistosomiasis. These observations suggest that there are schistosomiasis-associated changes of the catalytic and kinetic properties of hepatic ASB.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.493-498
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• 2001

To investigate the effects of Ixeris sonchifolia Hance diets on serum and hepatic lipid levles and enzyme activities in rats administered with ethanol chronically, Sprague-Dawley male rats were AIN-76 diet(control), control diet plus ethanol, control plus Ixeris sonchifolia Hance diet, or control plus Ixeris sonchifolia Hance diet plus ethanol for 30 days. Ixeris sonchifolia Hance diets significantly decreased the serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, and GOT levels that were increased due to the chronic ethanol administration. In addition, Ixeris sonchifolia Hance diets significantly decreased the liver triglyceride and total lipid levels that were increased due to the ethanol administration. The present findings, combined with previous data showing differences in the effects of cabbage diets having a high or a low level of GABA on the lipid levels and the serum Y-GPT activity of rats(Cha and OH[2000] J. Korean Soc. Food Sci. Nutr. 29, 500-505) raise the possibility that GABA in plants could have a nytraceutical role in the recovery of chronic alcohol-related diseases. (Korean J Nutrition 34(5) : 493∼498, 2001)

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.202-208
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• 2007

Persimmon is well-known as a Korean traditional medicine for alleviating coughs and enhancing blood circulation; it is also used for treatment of hypertension, cancer, diabetes and atherosclerosis. To evaluate the protective properties of persimmon leaf methanol extract (PLME) and persimmon fruit methanol extract (PFME) administration on acute ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity, C57BL/6 male mice were gavaged with or without persimmon extracts for 1 week. Hepatotoxicity was then induced by gavage of 5 g/kg BW ethanol. After 12 hr of ethanol administration, blood and liver were collected and analyzed for biochemical markers of hepatotoxicity. The results showed PLME and PFME treatments decreased the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) compared with ethanol control. Both PLME and PFME reduced serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, but elevated alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. Serum triglyceride (TG) and hepatic cholesterol levels were significantly decreased when treated with PLME and PFME. Liver malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly decreased in PLME and PFME groups compared with ethanol control. Furthermore, the administration of PLME and PFME significantly increased the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione reductase (GSH-red). In summary, PLME and PFME appeared to prevent hepatic injury by accelerating alcohol metabolism by increasing alcohol-metabolizing enzyme activities, by activating the antioxidative enzyme system against oxidative stress, and by decreasing fat accumulation, which is evidenced by decreased hepatotoxic indices in serum.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.247-259
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of age and diet forms on growth-development patterns, serum metabolism indicators, and parameters of body fat deposition in Cherry Valley ducks. Methods: According to the hatching age and initial weight, a total of 150 1-day-old male SM3 Cherry Valley ducks were randomly assigned to two diet forms (pellet vs powder form). Each treatment had with 5 replicates per treatment and 15 meat ducks per replicate. The study lasted 42 d, which was divided into two periods (1 to 21 vs 22 to 42 d). Results: Our results showed that compared with powder group, ducks in pellet group had greater growth performance during different period (p<0.05). The inflection point was 24 d and was not numerically affected by diet forms. Increasing age (42 vs 21 d) significantly increased the weight of body fat and hepatic fat metabolism related enzyme activities in ducks (p<0.05), meanwhile, increasing age (42 vs 21 d) improved serum metabolism indicators and decreased mRNA expression levels of fat metabolism-related genes in liver (p<0.05). Ducks fed different diets (pellet vs powder form) increased growth performance as well as the weight of body fat and improved serum metabolism indicators (p<0.05). In addition, interactions were found between age and diet forms on the levels of serum metabolism indicators in ducks (p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, powder feed reduced growth performance of ducks, and the day of inflection point was 24 days old. Ducks with higher age or fed with pellet diet showed higher fat deposition. The effect of age and feed forms on body fat deposition might result from changes in the contents of serum metabolism indicators, key enzyme activity of lipid production, and hepatic gene expressions.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.290-296
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• 1984

In order to evaluate the effect of fish oil on lipogenesis, activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase ( G6PDH ) and malic enzyme (ME) were measured in liver of rats fed mackered oil(MO) or eel oil (EO) for 10 to 14 days, at the various levels of 0 to 10% (w/w ). In addition to two kinds of fish oil, soybean oil (SO), lard (L), and beef tallow (BT) were fed to the different groups of rats. When fish oil was below 10%(w/w ), soybean oil, lard, or beef tallow was mixed with fish oil to maintain constant 10% (w/w) fat level. Three days of feeding MO brought a marked decrease$({\sim}{50}%)$ both in G6PDH and ME activity, the former of which maintained during 13 days of feeding. L group had highest levels of both enzymes. G6PDH activity of MO was lower than SO, but ME activity was not different between MO and SO. G6PDH activity was decreased with increasing content of fish oil (MO, EO), starting at the 2%(w/w) level of fish oil, when L or BT was used as filler oil. But ME activity was significantly reduced when fish oil content was at least 5%(w/w). Difference between the effects shown by two kinds of fish oil and animal species were also found. The present study suggests that fish oil can suppress hepatic lipogenesis by reducing activities of lipogenic enzymes with the same or higher degree than vegetable oil can exert.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2013

This study was performed to investigate the effects of the hot water extract of red garlic (RG) and RG-composites on fecal lipid levels and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activity in rats fed a high fat-cholesterol diet. Three different types of RG-composites prepared: RG and green tea (RGT), RG and dietary fiber (RGF), and RG, green tea, and dietary fiber (RGTF). Rats were divided into six groups: the control, the group fed a high fat-cholesterol diet (HFC), the RG-supplemented group (HRG), the RGT supplemented group (HRGT), the RGF supplemented group (HRGF), and the RGTF supplemented with HFC group (HRGTF). The antioxidant activity of these composites was tested, in vitro. The DPPH radical scavenging activity was higher RGT and RGTF than RG. ABTs radical scavenging activity of RGT was similar to RGTF. Their activities were significantly higher than RG. The reducing power was similar to their radical scavenging activities. Total lipid levels in the liver and triglyceride levels in the heart were lower in the groups fed RG-composites than the HRG group. Fecal total lipid level was higher in the HRGF and HRGTF groups than the HRG group after 4 weeks diet supplementation during 4 weeks. Lipid peroxide content was reduced to anywhere between 6.2% and 12.1% in the groups fed RG-composites, compared to the HFC group. Antioxidant activity was significantly higher in the groups fed RG-composites than the HFC group. Hepatic SOD activity was higher in the groups fed RG-composites than the HRG group. The HRGT group in catalase activity, and the HRGT and HRGTF groups in GSH-px activity were increased significantly compared to the HFC group. Hepatic UDPGT activity was increased significantly in the HRGT and HRGTF groups to the HFC group, as well. These results indicate that antioxidant activities of the RG-composites were related to the decrease of lipid levels by increasing the fecal excretion and enhancement of hepatic antioxidant enzyme activity in rats fed a high fat-cholesterol diet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.968-972
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• 1998

Allium tuberosum Rotter(Liliaceae) is a perennial herb of which leaves are used for food. Leek has been reported to have pharmacological effects including alleviations of abdominal pain, diarrhea, hematemesis, snakebite, and asthma. To investigate the effect of dietary leek supplementation on the drug-metaboizing enzymes, quinone reductase(QR) and arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase(AHH) activities in the liver, stomach, small intestine and lung, and on the plasma testosterone and dihydrosterone hormone levels, mice were fed 2% and 5% leek diets for 8 weeks. Quinone reductase, an anticarcinogenic enzyme, was significantly induced in stomach, small intestine, and lung but slightly lowered in hepatic tissue in the experimental groups compared to control group. Arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activity, involved in bioactivation of procarcinogens, was significantly decreased in liver and lung. Leek feeding led to the reduction in the plasma level of dihydrotestosterone which is associated with the incidence of prostate cancer. These findings support the potential chemopreventive activity of leek supplementation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.142-142
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• 1998

This study has been undertaken to examine the effect of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB) on rat liver drug metabolizing enzyme in order to understand the mechanism of DDB on improving hepatic toxicity in rat liver. After DDB was administered into male rats for different periods of time, mRNA level of CYP1A1 and CYP2B1 was measured by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). DDB treatment resulted in increase in CYP2B1 mRNA level whereas there was no change in CYP1A1 mRNA level. This effect of DDB was time dependent reaching maximal level by 2-day treatment. DDB dose response study showed that 50mg/kg DDB induced CYP2B1 mRNA to maximal level and DDB icreased CYP2B1 gene expression with dose-dependent manner. Based on studies of lipid peroxidation, serum ALT and AST levels and histopathologic examination showed DDB protection on CCl4 induced hepatotoxiccity.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.509-515
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• 2005

This study was conducted to determine the kinetics of cyclohexane metabolites (the biomarker on cyclohexane exposure), the changes of hepatic cyclohexane metabolizing enzyme activities and the metabolites of cyclohexane in urine or serum. The rats were sacrificed at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hr after administration of one dose of cyclohexane (1.56 g/kg body weight, i.p.). The metabolites of cyclohexane in urine were identified as cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, trans-l,2-cyclohexanediol and 1,4-cyclohexanediol with cyclohexane metabolite being 124.00, 0.78, 23.28 and 2.75 (g/g of creatinine, $1\times10^{-3}$). Most of the cyclohexanol and trans-l,2-cyclohexanediol were determined to be in the form of $\beta-glucuronide$ conjugates, whereas cyclohexanone and 1 ,4-cyclohexanediol were found as free forms. In toxicokinetics of serum cyclohexane metabolites, cyclohexanol showed a rapid increase, reaching the plateau at 4 hr, after this time rapidly decreased throughout 24 hr. Changes of cyclohexanone also showed the similar pattern with cyclohexanol except somewhat lower concentration. Trans-l,2-cyclohexanediol, however, showed a gradual increase until 12 hr with the continued same levels throughout 24 hr. On the other hand, 1,4-cyclohexanediol was detected as trace levels at 4 and 12 hr, respectively. The administration of cyclohexane led to a significant increase of hepatic aniline hydroxylase activity from 2 to 8 hr. The activity of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase showed a significant increase at 4 hr and then were recovered to the level of the control at 24 hr. On the other hand, there were no differences in liver weightlbody weight between the control and cyclohexane-treated animals. However, there were the changes of aniline hydroxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities on time-dependent pattern after cyclohexane treatment, which influence on the degree of cyclohexane metabolites both in blood and urine. These results suggest that differential determination of cyclohexane metabolites in urine and serum may be able to be as a biomarker of cyclohexane-exposure in the body. But in this fields further study is needed.