• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.35-41
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• 2014

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods have been used extensively in clinical steroid analyses. Evaluating the metabolic ratios of precursors to products by accurate quantification of individual steroid levels in biological samples can reveal the activities of enzymes associated with steroid metabolism. This review article discusses the impact of GC-MS-based steroid profiling on our understanding of the biochemical role of steroids and their metabolic enzymes in hormone-dependent diseases, such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), cortisol-mediated hypertension, apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME), male-pattern baldness, and breast and thyroid cancers. Steroid profiling is a comprehensive analytical technique that can be applied whenever the highest specificity is required and may be a reasonable initial diagnostic approach.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.7.1-7.8
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• 2014

Metabolic effects of ten daily doses of standardized extract of Andrographis paniculata leaves (AP) rich in andrographolide were evaluated in a rat model of type-2 diabetes and in diet induced obese rats. AP was administered per-orally as suspension in 0.3% carboxymethylcellulose at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day for 10 consecutive days. Blood glucose, insulin and lipid profile of rats were measured by using enzyme kits. In addition, effects of such treatments on anti-oxidant enzymes activity and histopathological changes in various organs of diabetic rats were assessed. AP treatments reversed body weight losses and increased plasma insulin level in diabetic rats. The anti-oxidant enzymes activity became normal and histopathological changes observed in pancreas, liver, kidney and spleen of diabetic animals were less severe in extract treated groups. On the other hand, hyperinsulinemia and increased body weight gains observed in high fat or fructose fed rats were less severe in the extract treated groups. These observations revealed therapeutic potentials of the extract for treatments of diabesity associated metabolic disorders, and suggest that the effects of the extract on insulin homeostasis depend on the metabolic status of animals. Activation of cytoprotective mechanisms could be involved in its mode of action.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.425-431
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• 1996

The enzymatic characteristics of Alcaligenes latus were investigated by measuring the variations of various enzyme activities related to biosynthesis and degradation of poly-${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) during cultivation. All PHB biosynthetic enzymes, ${\beta}$-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, and PHB synthase, were activated gradually at the PHB accumulation stage, and the PHB synthase showed the highest value among three enzymes. This indicates that the rate of PHB biosynthesis is mainly controlled by either ${\beta}$-ketothiolase or acetoacetyl-CoA reductase rather than PHB synthase. The enzymatic activities related to the degradation of PHB were also measured, and the degradation of PHB was controlled by the activity of PHB depolymerase. The effect of supplements of metabolic regulators, citrate and tyrosine, was also investigated, and the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was increased by metabolic regulators, especially by tyrosine. The activities of ${\beta}$-ketothiolase and acetoacetyl-CoA reductase were also activated by citrate and tyrosine, while the activity of PHB depolymerase was depressed. The increased rate and yield of PHB biosynthesis by metabolic regulators may be due to the increment of acetyl-CoA concentration either by the repression of the TCA cycle by citrate through product inhibition or by the activation of sucrose metabolism by the supplemented tyrosine.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2014

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of rare inherited metabolic diseases caused by deficiency of lysosomal enzymes. MPSs are clinically heterogeneous and characterized by progressive deterioration in visceral, skeletal and neurological functions. The aim of this article is to review the treatment of MPSs, the unmet needs of current treatments and vision for the future including recent clinical trials. Until recently, supportive care was the only option available for the management of MPSs. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), another potentially curative treatment, is not routinely advocated in clinical practice due to its high risk profile and lack of evidence for efficacy. From the early 2000s, enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) was approved and available for the treatment of MPS I, II and VI. ERT is effective for the treatment of many somatic symptoms, particularly walking ability and respiratory function, and remains the mainstay of MPS treatment. However, no benefit was found in the neurological symptoms because the enzymes do not readily cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In recent years, intrathecal (IT) ERT, substrate reduction therapy (SRT) and gene therapy have been rapidly gaining greater recognition as potential therapeutic avenues. Although still under investigation, IT ERT, SRT and gene therapy are promising MPS treatments that may prevent the neurodegeneration not improved by ERT.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2013

Introduction: ALT/AST enzymes are present inside the cells. AST is found in cardiac and skeletal muscle and red blood cells but the ALT is checked mainly in the liver. In general, the rise of these two indicators shows liver damage. The usual measurements of these enzymes are used in liver function tests, but the levels of AST and ALT do not always reflect liver function. Method and Cases: 17 cases of liver dysfunction transiently were evaluated clinically, biochemically, and imaging study of sonogram in pediatric in-patients for 3 years. Result: Most common causes of transient liver dysfunction were infection, especially viral gastroenteritis, and bacterial infection interfering oral food intake. More often occurred in the children who have infant hyperbilirubinemia, positive history of mitochondrial dysfunction or hypoglycemia. Fasting study in one case of hypoglycemia patient showed reversible liver dysfunction during fasting over 20 hours fasting. Discussion: A significant increase in AST and ALT with normal bilirubin can be observed in clinically healthy people during blunt trauma, viral infection, severe pain, metabolic syndrome, fasting or accidental health screening.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.269-282
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• 2000

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids are a diverse group of natural products that include many pharmacologically active compounds produced in a limited number of plant families. Despite their complexity, intensive biochemical research has extended our knowledge of the chemistry and enzymology of many important benzylisoquinoline alkaloid pathways, such as those leading to the analgesic drugs morphine and codeine, and the antibiotics sanguinarine and berberine. The use of cultured plant cells as an experimental system has facilitated the identification and characterization of more than 30 benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic enzymes, and the molecular cloning of the genes that encode at least 8 of these enzymes. The recent expansion of biochemical and molecular technologies has creat-ed unique opportunities to dissect the mechanisms involved in the regulation of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in plants. Research has suggested that product accumulation is controlled by the developmental and inducible regulation of several benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes, and by the subcellular compartmentation of biosynthetic enzymes and the intracellular localization and trafficking of pathway intermediates. In this paper, we review our current understanding of the biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular regulation of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in plants. We also summarize our own research activities, especially those related to the establishment of protocols for the genetic transformation of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid-producing species, and the development of metabolic engineering strategies in these plants.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2004

The analysis of enzymes associated with metabolism of phenolics by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia LK-24 was conducted. To identify metabolites of phenol and phenol compound, we investigated enzymes of S. maltophilia LK-24 associated with degradation of phenolics. We found that phenol hydrolase, catechol-2.3-dioxygenase, 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde hydroxylase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase were activated. The results showed that phenolics were gone through the meta-pathway ring cleavage. The results will contribute greatly to understand metabolic pathways of phenol and it is possible to make some assessment of the feasibility of using S. maltophilia LK-24 for the treatments of phenolic-contaminated waste streams.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.1033-1039
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• 2006

The metabolic response of Labeo rohita to thermal acclimation was assessed. Advanced fingerlings of L. rohita (average weight $31{\pm}1.4g$) were acclimated to 31, 33 and $36^{\circ}C$ compared with ambient temperatures ($26^{\circ}C$) for 30 days and different enzymes associated with stress response were estimated. Glycolytic enzyme-Lactate dehydrogenase, (LDH, E.C.1.1.1.27), TCA cycle enzyme-Malate dehydrogenase (MDH, E.C.1.1.1.37), Protein metabolizing enzymes-Aspartate amino transferase (AST, E.C.2.6.1.1) and Alanine amino transferase (ALT, E.C.2.6.1.2) of liver, gill and muscle, Gluconeogenic enzymes-Fructose 1,6 Bi phosphatase (FBPase, E.C. 3.1.3.11) and Glucose 6 phosphatase (G6Pase, E.C. 3.1.3.9) of liver and kidney were significantly (p<0.05) different with increasing acclimation temperatures. Heat Shock Protein-70 (HSP-70) was expressed in increasing intensity at 31, 33 and $36^{\circ}C$ but was not expressed at $26^{\circ}C$. Results suggest that higher acclimation temperatures enhance metabolism and L. rohita maintains homeostasis between $26-36^{\circ}C$ via an acclimation episode. Such adaptation appears to be facilitated by resorting to gluconeogenic and glycogenolytic pathways for energy mobilization and induction of HSPs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 1977.10a
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• pp.191-192
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• 1977

Microbial degradation of unnatural synthetic substances are interesting from hypothesis that a new metabolic pathway should be established from the unnatural compound to a common metabolic intermediate fro such an ability. The establishment of a new pathway essentially require a creature of new enzyme active on the unnatural synthetic compound which have never existed on the each.(중략)

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.56-59
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• 2000

Thermophilic bacterium, Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB3621, was engineered to produce ethanol from glucose by introducing cloned thermostable pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase genes. A novel promoter sequence was screened and used for the enhancement of these two enzymes. Successful redirection of metabolic flux into ethanol was obtained. In addition, gene expression profiling using Bacillus subtilis DNA microarray was analyzed to overcome the intrinsic low glucose utilization of B.stearothermophilus. Many known and unknown genes were identified to be up or down regulated under glucose-containing media.