• Title/Summary/Keyword: metabolic inflammation

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Lack of Association between Serum Adiponectin/Leptin Levels and Medullary Thyroid Cancer

  • Abooshahab, Raziyeh;Yaghmaei, Parichehr;Ghadaksaz, Hoda Gholab;Hedayati, Mehdi
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.8
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    • pp.3861-3864
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    • 2016
  • Background: Adipokines are bioactive proteins that mediate metabolism, inflammation and angiogenesis. Changes in the secretion of key serum adipokines - adiponectin and letpin - may be associated with obesity, cancer and metabolic disorders. Thyroid cancer is one of the most important types of endocrine cancer. Therefore, investigating the association between serum levels of adiponectin and leptin and thyroid cancer might be important. The purpose of this study was to assess adiponectin and leptin levels in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) cases in order to identify novel tumor markers. Materials and Methods: This research was based on a case-control study, including 45 patients with medullary thyroid cancer (21 men and 24 women) and 45 healthy controls (24 males and 21 females). Adiponectin and leptin levels were measured by ELISA in both groups. Height and weight were measured and body mass index (kg/m2) was calculated. Results: Adiponectin and leptin levels were not significantly different between medullary thyroid carcinomas and the control group. Also, there was no correlation among age and body mass index and the disease. Conclusions: These results suggest that changes in serum adiponectin and leptin levels do not play an important role in the diagnosis or could act as as biomarkers for medullary thyroid cancer.

Fatty Acid Modulation of Atherosclerosis by Peroxisome Proliferator- Activated Receptors

  • Erickson, Kent L.;Hubbard, Neil E.;Meinecke, Lynette M.
    • Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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    • v.7 no.4
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    • pp.454-460
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    • 2002
  • While atherosclerosis is a major killer, there is now concern that mortality from the disease will increase due to the rising incidence of type II diabetes. Because diet can potentially influence both diseases, it is important to elucidate the role of diet in the progression of atherosclerosis. In addition, the mechanisms involved in dietary-related alterations of the disease need to be defined to guide public health recommendations to reduce athero-sclerosis incidence and limiting unwanted side effects. Since diet is thought to play a role in atherosclerosis even without added complications due to type II diabetes, reducing the incidence of that metabolic disease will not be enough. While evidence is increasing that high intake of carbohydrate can lead to type II diabetes and atherosclerosis, the preponderance of existing evidence indicates that intake of specific fats as a major dietary causal factor. It has recently been hypothesized that a dietary fat link to atherosclerosis may depend partly on the activity of a transcriptional regulator, the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR). Thusfar, PPAR $\alpha$, $\beta$/$\delta$ and ${\gamma}$, have been shown to play a major role in metabolism, inflammation, and cancer. Furthermore, PPAR may regulate specific processes associated with atherosclerosis such as triglyceride and low density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism; the reverse cholesterol transport pathway; lipid accumulation within plaques; the local inflammatory response and plaque stability. Synthetic ligands for PPAR have been developed; however, natural ligands include specific fatty acids and their metabolites. Though the role of PPAR in atherosclerosis has been reported with respect to synthetic ligands, additional studies need to be done with established and possible natural ligands. In this review, we will focus on the relation of dietary fat to PPAR alteration of atherosclerosis.

Physical Activity and its Relation to Cancer Risk: Updating the Evidence

  • Kruk, Joanna;Czerniak, Urszula
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.14 no.7
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    • pp.3993-4003
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    • 2013
  • Scientific evidence for the primary prevention of cancer caused by physical activity of regular moderate-intensity or greater is rapidly accumulating in this field. About 300 epidemiologic studies on the association between physical activity and cancer risk have been conducted worldwide. The objectives of this paper were three-fold: (i) to describe briefly the components of physical activity and its quantification; (ii) to summarize the most important conclusions available from comprehensive reports, and reviews of the epidemiologic individual and intervention studies on a role physical activity in cancer prevention; (iii) to present proposed biological mechanisms accounting for effects of activity on cancer risk. The evidence of causal linked physical activity and cancer risk is found to be strong for colon cancer - convincing; weaker for postmenopausal breast and endometrium cancers - probable; and limited suggestive for premenopausal breast, lung, prostate, ovary, gastric and pancreatic cancers. The average risk reductions were reported to be 20-30%. The protective effects of physical activity on cancer risk are hypothesized to be through multiple interrelated pathways: decrease in adiposity, decrease in sexual and metabolic hormones, changes in biomarkers and insulin resistance, improvement of immune function, and reduction of inflammation. As there are several gaps in the literature for associations between activity and cancer risk, additional studies are needed. Future research should include studies dealing with limitations in precise estimates of physical activity and of a lack of consensus on what defines sedentary behavior of individuals and those linked with the proposed biomarkers to cancer risk and controlled exercise intervention trials.

Gene Profiles in a Smoke-Induced COPD Mouse Lung Model Following Treatment with Mesenchymal Stem Cells

  • Kim, You-Sun;Kokturk, Nurdan;Kim, Ji-Young;Lee, Sei Won;Lim, Jaeyun;Choi, Soo Jin;Oh, Wonil;Oh, Yeon-Mok
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.39 no.10
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    • pp.728-733
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    • 2016
  • Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) effectively reduce airway inflammation and regenerate the alveolus in cigarette- and elastase-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) animal models. The effects of stem cells are thought to be paracrine and immune-modulatory because very few stem cells remain in the lung one day after their systemic injection, which has been demonstrated previously. In this report, we analyzed the gene expression profiles to compare mouse lungs with chronic exposure to cigarette smoke with non-exposed lungs. Gene expression profiling was also conducted in a mouse lung tissue with chronic exposure to cigarette smoke following the systemic injection of human cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hCB-MSCs). Globally, 834 genes were differentially expressed after systemic injection of hCB-MSCs. Seven and 21 genes, respectively, were up-and downregulated on days 1, 4, and 14 after HCB-MSC injection. The Hbb and Hba, genes with oxygen transport and antioxidant functions, were increased on days 1 and 14. A serine protease inhibitor was also increased at a similar time point after injection of hCB-MSCs. Gene Ontology analysis indicated that the levels of genes related to immune responses, metabolic processes, and blood vessel development were altered, indicating host responses after hCB-MSC injection. These gene expression changes suggest that MSCs induce a regeneration mechanism against COPD induced by cigarette smoke. These analyses provide basic data for understanding the regeneration mechanisms promoted by hCB-MSCs in cigarette smoke-induced COPD.

Natural Compounds with Antioxidant Activity: Recent Findings from Studies on Medicinal Plants

  • Na, Min-Kyun;Thuong, Phuong Thien;Bae, Ki-Hwan
    • Natural Product Sciences
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.65-79
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    • 2011
  • Reactive oxygen species potentially cause damage to cellular components including lipids, protein and DNA; this oxidative damage plays a key role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease and cancer. On the basis of the oxidative stress hypothesis, a number of studies have been performed to search for an efficient and safe antioxidant. Although in vitro studies have provided promising results, only a limited number of natural and synthetic antioxidants have been developed for clinical application due to their low efficacy and side-effects. Thus, the discovery of new antioxidants with marked efficacy and safety has attracted worldwide attention in recent decades. Since plants are recognized as important sources of natural antioxidants, our research has focused on the discovery of new naturally occurring antioxidants from medicinal plants. The purpose of this review is to open a new prospect in the field of search for natural antioxidants from medicinal plants by summarizing our recent findings. Using in vitro bioassay systems such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide radical scavenging tests and lipid peroxidation models, we have tested over than 350 species of medicinal plants for their antioxidant activity and selected several of them for further investigation. During the research on the discovery of effective natural antioxidants from the medicinal plants selected, we have isolated several new and known antioxidant compounds that include stilbene glycosides, phenolic glycosides, flavonoids, oligostilbenes, and coumarins. Our results suggest that the presence of antioxidant compounds in the medicinal plants might be associated with the traditional use to treat inflammation, cardiovascular disease and various chronic diseases.

Immunoregulatory Effects of Water Extracts of Inonotus obliquus in Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Damage Animal Model (사염화탄소로 유도된 간 손상 동물모델에서 차가버섯 열수 추출물이 면역 조절 기능에 미치는 영향)

  • An, Chi-Sun;Jin, Hai-Lan;Jeon, Yun-Hui;Bak, Jong-Phil;Kim, Jong-Dai;Yoon, Jung-Han;Lim, Beong-Ou
    • Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.1-8
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    • 2010
  • Inonotus obliquus is one of the immune-regulatory substances and is recognized to play the role in the metabolic process of inflammation, allergy and immuntiy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of water extracts of Inonotus obliquus (IOW) on the liver lymphocyte immune function in the Sprague-Dawley male rats treated with carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) to induce liver damage. Rats were fed with each experimental diet and water for 4 weeks. We found that effects of IOW on interferon-gamma (IFN-$\gamma$), signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (pSTAT1) and GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA-3) were decrease in vivo. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), STAT6, pSTAT6 and T-box expressed in T-cells (T-bet) decreased significantly lower in $CCl_4$+IOW group than the $CCl_4$ group. Our data indicated that cytokine protein production were increased in $CCl_4$ group and $CCl_4$+IOW group. As a result of this study, we assume that IOW fed could regulate the immuno-modulating functions through regulate the cytokine production capacity activated by liver damage.

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties of Raw and Processed Fruits and Vegetables

  • Lee, Yuan Yee;Saba, Evelyn;Kim, Minki;Rhee, Man Hee;Kim, Hyun-Kyoung
    • Biomedical Science Letters
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.196-205
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    • 2018
  • Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from metabolic reactions cause oxidative DNA damage, which results in oxidative tissue injury. Therefore, there is an increasing demand in the intake of high antioxidant sources in order to maintain a healthy environment in cells. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Malus domestica (apple), Pyrus communis L. (pear), Daucus carota L. (carrot), Brassica oleracea var. (broccoli), Brassica oleracea var. capitata (cabbage), and Raphanus sativus L. (radish) obtained from the local market. Since these are common fruits and vegetables that are widely consumed, we aimed to investigate their beneficial properties, placing particular emphasis on their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The samples were processed via an indirect heating method and their properties were compared to their raw forms. Based on DPPH and ABTS assays, processed samples showed better antioxidant activities when compared to raw samples and processed pear samples exhibited the best antioxidant activity. The anti-inflammatory activities of the samples were also investigated in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells. mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines (iNOS, COX-2, $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, and IL-6) was assessed using RT-PCR. As expected, processed samples exhibited better iNOS inhibition when compared to their raw forms and processed broccoli and cabbage samples exhibited outstanding anti-inflammatory effects. The samples, up to 1 mg/mL concentration, did not exhibit cytotoxicity against RAW 264.7 cells as demonstrated by cell viability assays. Altogether, processed broccoli and cabbage samples exhibited the strongest anti-inflammatory properties.

Uses and Values of Perilla (Perilla frutescens var. frutescens) as a Functional Oil Source (기능성 유지자원으로서의 들깨(Perilla frutescens var. frutescens)의 이용과 가치)

  • Choi, Yong-Soon
    • Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.135-144
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    • 2015
  • The Korean daily intake of vegetable oils has increased about 2.5-fold from 17 g/day to 46 g/day for the last several decades. Perilla (Perilla frutescens var. frutescens) has been cultivated in Korea for a long time as a dietary oil seed which has the highest content of ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid, accounting for nearly 60%. It is known that the main role of ALA is as a precursor to the longer-chain ${\omega}-3$, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the metabolic products of ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid (ALA, ${\omega}-3$). Dietary ${\omega}-3$ fatty acids reduce inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis, but they also may act as functional components for cognitive and behavioral function. Thus, ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid is one of the essential nutrients in modern dietary patterns in which much linoleic acid is consumed. Nevertheless, perilla oil, rich in ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid, can be easily oxidized, giving rise to controversies with respect to shelf life, the deterioration of the product's commercial value, and further related toxicity. Recent research using genetic modifications has tried to develop new plant oil seeds that balance the ratio of ${\omega}-6/{\omega}-3$ fatty acids. Such trials could be a strategy for improving an easily oxidizable property of perilla oil due to high ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid. Alternatively, appropriate application of antioxidant to the oil can be considerable.

Comparison of Dietary Behaviors and Blood Clinical Indices in Underweight, Normal Weight, Normal Weight Obese and Obese Female College Students (저체중, 정상, 마른 비만 및 비만 여대생의 식행동 및 혈액 임상지표 비교)

  • Lee, Su Bin;Kim, Jung Hee
    • Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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    • v.23 no.5
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    • pp.431-443
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    • 2018
  • Objectives: Normal weight obesity (NWO) is defined as excessive body fat in the context of a normal body mass index (BMI). This condition carries a greater risk of developing noncommunicable chronic disease and has been associated with early inflammation. This study was conducted to compare the anthropometric measurements, eating behaviors, and blood clinical indices among four groups: underweight, normal, normal weight obesity and obesity. Methods: The subjects included 215 female college students. A questionnaire was administered regarding general characteristics, dietary behaviors, food consumption frequency. Anthropometric measurements and blood clinical indices were also investigated. Results: The average BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, fat-free mass, and muscle mass were highest in the obesity group (p<0.05). Most subjects had tried to lose weight and perceived that their health was worse than before they became college students. The ratio of students in the NWO group who thought their health was very poor was significantly higher than in the other three groups (p<0.05). The obesity and NWO groups seemed to eat more and their eating speed was significantly faster than the other groups (p<0.001). The consumption frequency of caffeinated beverages was significantly higher in the NWO group than in the other three groups (p<0.01). WBC was significantly higher in the obesity group (p<0.05). Serum levels of TG and total cholesterol were also significantly higher in the obesity group (p<0.05). Serum GPT was significantly higher in the obesity group (p<0.05) while BUN level was highest in the NWO group (p<0.05). Conclusions: The obesity group showed the most health problems while the NWO group seemed relatively healthy. However, NWO can lead to problems such as metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in later life if poor dietary habits are maintained. Therefore, education in appropriate eating habits is needed for these subjects.

Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Purple Corn Extract in High-Fat Diet Induced Obesity Mice (고지방식이 비만 유도 마우스에서 자색옥수수 추출물의 항당뇨 및 항염증 효과)

  • Joung, Hyunchae;Kim, Chai-hee;Lee, Yejoo;Kim, Soon-kwon;Do, Myoung-Sool
    • The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.696-702
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    • 2017
  • Metabolic syndrome, including obesity, glucose intolerance and elevated blood pressure, is related to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have reported the anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects of purple corn extract. We investigated the efficacy of purple corn extract (PC) against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and glucose intolerance, and examined the underlying mechanisms by analyzing expression of proteins and genes involved in glucose regulation and macrophage infiltration. C57BL/6 mice were fed with normal chow diet (ND), or HFD treated with distilled water (DW, control) or PC, for 10 weeks. Although body weights were similar in the HFD-fed groups, we observed a decrease in the liver and epididymal adipose tissue (EAT) weights, and enhanced glucose tolerance test (GTT) results in the PC group, as compared with DW group. Liver showed increased Akt phosphorylation in the PC-treated mice; however, no changes were observed in the EAT, for all groups. In PC-treated mice, decreased macrophage infiltration was seen in the EAT, with a reduced expression of macrophage marker genes. Finally, proinflammatory cytokine gene expressions were decreased by PC in the EAT, and a modest trend for downregulation was observed in the liver. Hence, we conclude that PC may decrease glucose intolerance by increasing the phosphorylation of Akt and reducing the macrophage infiltration into the EAT.