• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.407-412
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• 2012

Wild grass is edible, and it grows in the mountains or field areas. Wild grass has diverse biological effects, such as antiobesity, anti-cancer, antioxidant activities and immune stimulation. Currently, many studies are aimed at enhancing the efficacy of medicinal foods on biological activity using a bioconversion technology, including the fermentation process. In this study, the quality characteristics and antioxidative activity of the fermented wild grass was investigated. The antioxidant activity of fermented wild grass was assessed by various radical scavenging assays using DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), FRAP(ferric ion reducing antioxidant power), reducing power, and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)). Moisture contents of the fermented wild grass is $49.6{\pm}0.06%$. Contents of crude ash, crude protein, and crude fat were $0.65{\pm}0.01$, $0.65{\pm}0.04$, and $3.3{\pm}0.59%$, respectively. Moreover, fermented wild grass showed that the hunter's color values were 80.36(lightnees), 11.47(redness), and 44.53(yellowness), respectively. Total phenolic contents of the fermented wild grass was $1,185{\pm}159{\mu}g$ GAE(gallic acid equivalent)/g. The antioxidative activities of the fermented wild grass were significantly increased in a dose dependent manner. In addition, fermented wild grass did not show any cytotoxicity up to 500 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$. However, the anti-adipogenic effect of the fermented wild grass extract was barely detectable. This antioxidant potential is partly due to the phenolic compounds that are present in the fermented wild grass extracts.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.223-234
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• 2013

Poultry industry is abounding day by day as it engrosses less cost of investment per bird as compared to large animals. Poultry have the most copious genomic tool box amongst domestic animals for the detection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and marker assisted selection (MAS). Use of multiple markers and least square techniques for mapping of QTL affecting quality and production traits in poultry is in vogue. Examples of genetic tests that are available to or used in industry programs are documented and classified into causative mutations (direct markers), linked markers in population-wide linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the QTL (LD markers), and linked markers in population wide equilibrium with the QTL (LE markers). Development of genome-wide SNP assays, role of 42 K, 60 K (Illumina) and 600 K (Affymetrix$^{(R)}$ Axim$^{(R)}$) SNP chip with next generation sequencing for identification of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been documented. Hybridization based, PCR based, DNA chip and sequencing based are the major segments of DNA markers which help in conducting of MAS in poultry. Economic index-marker assisted selection (EI-MAS) provides platform for simultaneous selection for production traits while giving due weightage to their marginal economic values by calculating predicted breeding value, using information on DNA markers which are normally associated with relevant QTL. Understanding of linkage equilibrium, linkage dis-equilibrium, relation between the markers and gene of interest are quite important for success of MAS. This kind of selection is the most useful tool in enhancing disease resistance by identifying candidate genes to improve the immune response. The application of marker assisted selection in selection procedures would help in improvement of economic traits in poultry.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1140-1146
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• 2018

Dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) play a role in cell growth and differentiation by modulating mitogen-activated protein kinases. DUSPs are considered targets for drugs against cancers, diabetes, immune diseases, and neuronal diseases. Part of the DUSP family, DUSP19 modulates c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity and is involved in osteoarthritis pathogenesis. Here, we report screening of cavity-creating mutants and the crystal structure of a cavity-creating L75A mutant of DUSP19 which has significantly enhanced enzyme activity in comparison to the wild-type protein. The crystal structure reveals a well-formed cavity due to the absent Leu75 side chain and a rotation of the active site-bound sulfate ion. Despite the cavity creation, residues surrounding the cavity did not rearrange significantly. Instead, a tightened hydrophobic interaction by a remote tryptophan residue was observed, indicating that the protein folding of the L75A mutant is stabilized by global folding energy minimization, not by local rearrangements in the cavity region. Conformation of the rotated active site sulfate ion resembles that of the phosphor-tyrosine substrate, indicating that cavity creation induces an optimal active site conformation. The activity enhancement by an internal cavity and its structural information provide insight on allosteric modulation of DUSP19 activity and development of therapeutics.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.467-474
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• 2010

Cheonggukjang is one of the traditional fermented soy-based foods in Korean diets. Studies in cell cultures, humans have revealed anti-hypertension, anti-stress, anticancer, antioxidant, immune enhancing effects. Angelica gigas, Rehmanniae radix, and Red ginseng are popular medicinal plants and widely used for oriental medicine. In this study a strategy had been developed to mobilize beneficial phenolics from Angelica gigas, Rehmanniae radix, and Red ginseng combined with fermented soy by Cheonggukjang fermentation for antioxidant and Type II diabetes management. The quality and functional characteristics of Chenggukjang fermented with Angelica gigas, Rehmanniae radix and Red ginseng. Cheonggukjang (CKJ), Angelica gigas Cheonggukjang (CKJ-DD), Rehmanniae radix Cheonggukjang (CKJ-RG), Angelica gigas and Rehmanniae radix Cheonggukjang (CKJ-DD+RG) and Red ginseng Cheonggukjang (CKJ-RED) were evaluated. The mobilized phenolic profile was evaluated for antioxidant activity and the potential to inhibit ${\alpha}$-amylase linked to hyperglycaemia. This research has important implications for the development of functional soy-based-fermented foods enriched with Angelica gigas, Rehmanniae radix and Red ginseng phenolics for oxidative stress - induced diabetic complications. Furthermore, Hunter's color values of 5 types cheonggukjang, lightness (L-values), redness (a-values) and yellowness (b-values) were evaluated. Free amino acid content of CKJ-RED (0.993 mg/gd. w.) showed higher than that of CKJ (0.205 mg/g-d.w.).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1283-1286
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• 2001

Effect of the egg yolks from laying hens intubated, p.o., astaxanthin (designated AEY) on mouse humoral immunity was investigated using male ICR mouse (6~7 weeks of age). Mice were adapted in a temperature- and humidity- controlled house for one week and randomly divided into 5 treatment groups (9 mice/cage/treatment). Mice were intubated p.o., AEY (100, 250 and 500$\mu\textrm{g}$) or control egg yolks (CEY, 250$\mu\textrm{g}$), dissolved in 0.1 mL DMSO, for consecutive 4 days. At day 5, carbon suspension (pilot drawing ink 3 mL+3% gelatine 3 mL) was injected 3 $\mu$L Per 1 g body weight through tail vein. Carbon clearance time was measured at 5 and 35 minutes Post the injection of carbon suspension. Another two experiments were conducted to determine the hemagglultinin-titer (HGT) and hemolysin-titer (HLT) with male ICR mouse (8 mice/cage/treatment). Mice treated with AEY were induced immune activity with SRBC. HGT and HLT were measured from the blood at day 1 and 3 after treatment of SRBC. AEY treatment reduced the carbon clearance time. Especially the carbon clearance time by 500 $\mu\textrm{g}$ AEY treatment was 5.00 minutes, which was very short time compared with 9.42 minutes by control and 9.01 minutes by CEY. AEY group showed slights higher values of HGT and HLT than CEY group and control. At day 1, HGT in control, 250$\mu\textrm{g}$ CEY and 250$\mu\textrm{g}$ AEY groups was 5.50, 5.63, and 6.00, respectively. Similiarly, HLT in control, 250$\mu\textrm{g}$ CEY and 250$\mu\textrm{g}$ AEY groups was 4.75, 5.38, and 5.50, respectively, at day 1. These results suggest that AEY exhibited immunity-enhancing effect.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.157-166
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• 2014

Purpose: Rice bran is a byproduct of the hulling of rice and contains a variety of bioactive components. Various studies have reported on the antioxidative, anticancer, immune-enhancing, and hypocholesterolemic effects of rice bran. However, few studies about the physiological activity of stabilized rice bran supplement on dietary intake of sugars is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of stabilized rice bran supplement on blood glucose in C57BL/6 mice fed a high sucrose diet. Methods: Animals were randomly divided into three groups respectively, and were fed a normal diet (ND group), a high sucrose diet (HSD group) or a high sucrose diet containing 20% stabilized rice bran (HSD-SRB group) for 12 weeks. Results: In the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), after seven weeks of feeding on the experimental diets, a significantly lower result was observed for HSD-SRB than for HSD at 30 and 60 minutes after oral administration in glucose solution (2 g/kg body weight). The incremental area under the curve (IAUC) of HSD-SRB was significantly lower than that of HSD. After 12 weeks, fasting blood glucose level of HSD-SRB was significantly lower than that of HSD. No significant difference in the serum insulin level was observed between HSD and HSD-SRB. However, HOMA-IR was significantly decreased in HSD-SRB compared to HSD. In addition, HOMA ${\beta}$-cell was significantly increased in HSD-SRB compared to HSD. Triglyceride in liver of HSD-SRB was significantly lower than that of HSD. Conclusion: Feeding diets containing 20% rice bran improved insulin resistance and insulin secretion by decreasing triglyceride in liver. Thus, rice bran has a positive effect on glycemic control. In addition, the results are expected to be utilized as a basis for human study and development of food products with added rice bran.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2022

Macrophages are a major cellular component of innate immunity and are mainly known to have phagocytic activity. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), they can be differentiated into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). As the most abundant immune cells in the TME, TAMs promote tumor progression by enhancing angiogenesis, suppressing T cells and increasing immunosuppressive cytokine production. N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is a tumor suppressor gene, whose expression is down-regulated in various cancers. However, the effect of NDRG2 on the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs in breast cancer remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the effect of NDRG2 expression in breast cancer cells on the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs. Compared to tumor cell-conditioned medium (TCCM) from 4T1-mock cells, TCCM from NDRG2-over-expressing 4T1 mouse breast cancer cells did not significantly change the morphology of RAW 264.7 cells. However, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the mRNA levels of TAM-related genes, including MR1, IL-10, ARG1 and iNOS, in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the expression of TAM-related surface markers, such as CD206, in peritoneal macrophages (PEM). The mRNA expression of TAM-related genes, including IL-10, YM1, FIZZ1, MR1, ARG1 and iNOS, was also downregulated by TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells. Remarkably, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the expression of PD-L1 and Fra-1 as well as the production of GM-CSF, IL-10 and ROS, leading to the attenuation of T cell-inhibitory activity of PEM. These data showed that compared with TCCM from 4T1-mock cells, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells suppressed the TAM differentiation and activation. Collectively, these results suggest that NDRG2 expression in breast cancer may reduce the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs in the TME.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.375-390
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• 2022

Influenza viruses are zoonotic respiratory pathogens, and influenza infections have caused a substantial burden on public health systems and the livestock industry. Although currently approved seasonal influenza vaccines have shown potent protection efficacy against antigenically well-matched strains, there are considerable unmet needs for the efficient control of viral infections. Enormous efforts have been made to develop broadly protective universal influenza vaccines to tackle the huge levels of genetic diversity and variability of influenza viruses. In addition, antiviral drugs have been considered important interventions for the treatment of viral infections. The viral neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir is the most widely used antiviral medication to treat influenza A and influenza B viruses. However, unsatisfactory clinical outcomes resulting from side effects and the emergence of resistant variants have led to greater attention being paid to plants as a natural resource for anti-influenza drugs. In particular, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has underpinned the need for safe and effective antiviral drugs with a broad spectrum of antiviral activity to prevent the rapid spread of viruses among humans. This review outlines the results of the antiviral activities of various natural products isolated from plants against influenza viruses. Special focus is paid to the virucidal effects and the immune-enhancing effects of antiviral natural products, since the products have broad applications as inactivating agents for the preparation of inactivated vaccines and vaccine adjuvants.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.34.1-34.19
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• 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis associated with ageing. Vitamin D has diverse biological effect on bone and cartilage, and observational studies have suggested it potential benefit in OA progression and inflammation process. However, the effect of vitamin D on OA is still contradictory. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of vitamin D in OA. Six-week-old male Wistar rats were injected with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) to induce OA. Pain severity, cartilage destruction, and inflammation were measured in MIA-induced OA rats. Autophagy activity and mitochondrial function were also measured. Vitamin-D (1,25(OH)₂D3) and celecoxib were used to treat MIA-induced OA rats and OA chondrocytes. Oral supplementation of vitamin D resulted in significant attenuations in OA pain, inflammation, and cartilage destruction. Interestingly, the expressions of MMP-13, IL-1β, and MCP-1 in synovial tissues were remarkably attenuated by vitamin D treatment, suggesting its potential to attenuate synovitis in OA. Vitamin D treatment in OA chondrocytes resulted in autophagy induction in human OA chondrocytes and increased expression of TFEB, but not LC3B, caspase-1 and -3, in inflamed synovium. Vitamin D and celecoxib showed a synergistic effect on antinociceptive and chondroprotective properties in vivo. Vitamin D showed the chondroprotective and antinociceptive property in OA rats. Autophagy induction by vitamin D treatment may be a promising treatment strategy in OA patients especially presenting vitamin D deficiency. Autophagy promoting strategy may attenuate OA progression through protecting cells from damage and inflammatory cell death.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Zerumbone is a major component of the essential oil from Zingiber zerumbet Smith, which is a kind of wild ginger. In addition, various biological functions, such as liver protection, pain relief, atherosclerosis, and antimicrobial activity have been reported. It is also known to be effective in the proliferation of immune cells and the expression of cytokines. In this study, we investigated the effects of zerumbone on monocyte activation. First, it was confirmed that the proliferation of THP-1 cells was increased by zerumbone. The strongest increase in THP-1 proliferation after lipopolysaccharide treatment was observed at $5{\mu}M$ zerumbone treatment, and the increase of cell proliferation without lipopolysaccharide was the highest at $10{\mu}M$. Conversely, when treated with $50{\mu}M$ zerumbone, a rapid decrease of proliferation was observed regardless of the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The phosphorylation of signaling protein, Erk, induced by LPS was also increased by zerumbone. The strongest increase in phosphorylation was observed when treated with $50{\mu}M$ of zerumbone with reduced proliferation. The activity of transcription factor $NF-{\kappa}B$ was not significantly altered by zerumbone alone, but increased when treated with lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, the transcription of the inflammatory cytokines $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-8, which are regulated by $NF-{\kappa}B$, is also increased by zerumbone. These results suggest that zerumbone can enhance the proliferation and activity of monocytes. Furthermore, it is believed that zerumbone can enhance rthe immune responses through increased monocyte activity in bacterial infections with LPS, thereby helping to treat effective bacteria.