• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제27권6호
• /
• pp.898-906
• /
• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate differences in the faecal microbial composition among Lantang, Bama, Erhualian, Meishan, Xiaomeishan, Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire sows and to explore the possible link of the pig breed with the gut microbial community. Among the sows, the Meishan, Landrace, Duroc, and Yorkshire sows were from the same breeding farm with the same feed. Fresh faeces were collected from three sows of each purebred breed for microbiota analysis and volatile fatty acid (VFA) determination. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis revealed that samples from Bama, Erhualian, and Xiaomeishan sows, which from different farms, were generally grouped in one cluster, with similarity higher than 67.2%, and those from Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire sows were grouped in another cluster. Principal component analysis of the DGGE profile showed that samples from the foreign breeds and the samples from the Chinese indigenous breeds were scattered in two different groups, irrespective of the farm origin. Faecal VFA concentrations were significantly affected by the pig breed. The proportion of acetate was higher in the Bama sows than in the other breeds. The real-time PCR analysis showed that 16S rRNA gene copies of total bacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were significantly higher in the Bama sows compared to Xiaomeishan and Duroc sows. Both Meishan and Erhualian sows had higher numbers of total bacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and sulphate-reducing bacteria as compared to Duroc sows. The results suggest that the pig breed affects the composition of gut microbiota. The microbial composition is different with different breeds, especially between overseas breeds (lean type) and Chinese breeds (relatively obese type).

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• 제2권2호
• /
• pp.249-258
• /
• 1998

Obesity, one of the most common metabolic diseases in industrial countries is characterized by an increase in the number or size of adipocytes. In an effort to create transgenic mouse models for the study of obesity we developed a novel technique in which adipose tissue can be ablated genetically at will, at any specific developmental stage and/or physiological condition, by the treatment of ganciclovir. We made a series of adipocytespecific expression vectors using minimal regulatory regions of brown adipocyte-specific uncoupling protein (UCP-1) gene and adipocyte-specific aP2 gene, and then analyzed their expression characteristics in cultured cell lines. When both constructs pUCP-LacZ and paP2-LacZ were transfected transiently into differentiating 3T3-L1 (pre-while adipocytes) and HIB-1B (pre-brown adipocytes) cell lines in vitro and then monitored by X-gal staining of cells, these regulatory regions were sufficient to show proper differentiation stage-specific expression in adipocvtes. To confirm that adipocytes expressing HSV-TK controlled by these minimal requlatory elements are sufficient to kill themselves with ganciclovir treatment pUCP-TK and paP2-TK expression constructs were transfected stably into HIB-1B and 3T3-L1 cells, respectively, and their ganciclovir sensitivities were tested during in vitro differentiation of cells. As expected more than 80% of cells were dead by the 7th day of treatment with ganciclovir while negative control cells were not affected at all. The data suqqest that the constructed vectors are suitable for obtaining novel obese transqenic models based on a conditional genetic tissue ablation method.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제33권5호
• /
• pp.621-633
• /
• 2023

We investigated the probiotic characteristics and anti-obesity effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MGEL20154, a strain that possesses excellent intestinal adhesion and viability. The in vitro properties, e.g., gastrointestinal (GI) resistance, adhesion, and enzyme activity, demonstrated that MGEL20154 is a potential probiotic candidate. Oral administration of MGEL20154 to diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice for 8 weeks resulted in a feed efficacy decrease by 44.7% compared to that of the high-fat diet (HFD) group. The reduction rate of weight gain was about 48.5% in the HFD+MGEL20154 group compared to that of the HFD group after 8 weeks, and the epididymal fat pad was also reduced in size by 25.2%. In addition, the upregulation of the zo-1, pparα, and erk2, and downregulation of the nf-κb and glut2 genes in Caco-2 cells by MGEL20154 were observed. Therefore, we propose that the anti-obesity effect of the strain is exerted by inhibiting carbohydrate absorption and regulating gene expression in the intestine.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제43권11호
• /
• pp.945-952
• /
• 2020

Hypoxia induces the expression of several genes through the activation of a master transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α. This study shows that hypoxia strongly induced the expression of two carboxypeptidases (CP), CPA4 and CPE, in an HIF-1α-dependent manner. The hypoxic induction of CPA4 and CPE gene was accompanied by the recruitment of HIF-1α and upregulation in the active histone modification, H3K4me3, at their promoter regions. The hypoxic responsiveness of CPA4 and CPE genes was observed in human adipocytes, human adipose-derived stem cells, and human primary fibroblasts but not mouse primary adipocyte progenitor cells. CPA4 and CPE have been identified as secreted exopeptidases that degrade and process other secreted proteins and matrix proteins. This finding suggests that hypoxia changes the microenvironment of the obese hypoxic adipose tissue by inducing the expression of not only adipokines but also peptidases such as CPA4 and CPE.

• 가정과삶의질연구
• /
• 제26권4호
• /
• pp.119-133
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating effects of obesity perception in the relationship between the mother's psychological control and the child's obesity stress. Questionnaires regarding the mother's psychological control, obesity perception and the child's obesity stress were administered to 1200 4th and 6th grade elementary school students in the province of Seoul, South Korea. Finally 1006 questionnaires were collected and statistically analyzed through Cronbach's, t-test, multiple linear regression analysis and stepwise regression. The main results of the study were as follows: 1) There were difference between the effects of the mother's psychological control, obesity perception, and child's obesity stress in terms of the sex, grade and obesity level of the child. 2) The mother's psychological control, obesity perception, and obesity level had an effect on the child's obesity stress. 3) As the result of searching for the mediating effects of obesity perception in the relationship between the mother's psychological control and the child's obesity stress.

• 대한예방한의학회지
• /
• 제18권2호
• /
• pp.101-113
• /
• 2014

Objective : Ephedra Herba has been widely used for patients with common cold, asthma in eastern countries, especially china japan and korea. Recently it has been also used for obesity in clinic with high frequency. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Ephedra Herba ethyl-acetate fraction (EEAF) on hyperlipidemic mice. Method : Effects on total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, AST, ALT, fasting blood glucose in serum were measured in this experiment, and in addition, histopathological and gene expression changes in liver tissue was also observed. Results : In our study, EEAF did not affect weight gain in hyperlipidemic mice. Oral administration of EEAF lowered levels of total cholesterol which were elevated by induction of hyperlipidemia. And administration of EEAF lowered fasting blood glucose significantly. By carrying out ontological analysis, large numbers of genes were identified in up or down regulated genes. The expression of the genes that were altered in response to high-fat diet was restored to normal levels in EEAF treated mice, with a recovery rate of 49%. And it was considered that fatty acid metabolism was one of important key pathway of the recovery. Conclusion : Results in our study suggest that EEAF can prevent obese and through regulation of dyslipidemia and hyperglycaemia.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
• /
• 제36권4호
• /
• pp.503-513
• /
• 2007

The obese population has been increasing worldwide and obesity has become one of the socioeconomic problems. Obesity raises more concerns as more studies regarding its direct and indirect relativity to several diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, etc. are published. Since leptin, an important signal in the chronic control of food intake and energy expenditure, was discovered in 1994, there has been a great accumulation of knowledge on fighting obesity by facilitating pharmacological and nutritional strategies on the molecular level of the body weight control system. In particular, evidences are accumulating that particular food components affect our physiological function and gene expressions which are associated with body weight control. In this study, we review the four mechanisms for weight control and antiobesity functional agents such as HCA, L-carnitine, CLA, chitosan, calcium supplements capsaicin contained in red pepper, and oriental herbal mixture. We also describe about the efficacy and working mechanism of these functional agents on the basis of antiobesity mechanisms.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제15권3호
• /
• pp.171-177
• /
• 2009

This study investigated whether increased adiposity is prevented by estrogen replacement in female ovariectomized (OVX) C57BL/6J mice, an animal model of human menopause and whether these metabolic changes reflect the inhibitory action of estrogen on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $\gamma$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$)-regulated gene expression. Treatment of $17{\beta}$-estradiol for the last one week of the experiment decreased high fat diet-induced body weight gain and white adipose tissue mass compared to OVX control mice. Histological analysis showed that administration of $17{\beta}$-estradiol to mice decreased the size of adipocytes in parametrial adipose tissue versus OVX control mice. In addition, $17{\beta}$-estradiol reduced the adipose expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ as well as $PPAR{\gamma}$ target genes such as adipocyte fatty acid binding protein and tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$. These results suggest that $17{\beta}$-estradiol may inhibit adiposity through reducing the $PPAR{\gamma}$ activities in female OVX mice.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국응용약물학회 2003년도 Annual Meeting of KSAP : International Symposium on Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences on Obesity
• /
• pp.15-23
• /
• 2003

Interest in the regulation of body weight and the pathological physiology of obesity has been rekindled by the cloning of the obese(ob) gene and identification of its product, leptin, in 1994. The first publication appeared in Nature and is a milestone of obesity research. The remarkable metabolic effects of leptin in rodents are: a) inhibition of food intake, b) stimulation of energy expenditure, and c) reversal of obesity. These effects, though mostly desirable, have not been fully demonstrated in humans. The central action of leptin in the regulation of body weight includes two pathways in rodents: a) When the body weight increasing, more leptin is secreted from adipose tissue, which acts on hypothalamus, probably through a POMC or MSH pathway via M4 receptor, initiates a series of response to obesity, i.e. sympathetic tone increased, energy expenditure enhanced and food intake reduced. b) When body weight reduced, leptin concentration decreased with the shrinkage of fat mass, which may also act on the hypothalamus, probably through a NPY-Y5 receptor pathway. Then a cascade of response to hungry was induced, i.e. increase of parasympathetic tone and food intake, decrease of energy expenditure and body temperature, as well as shut-down of the reproductive function.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제48권12호
• /
• pp.1295-1309
• /
• 2005

Nowadays, the nutritional deficits are rarely seen in Korea. However, an increased availability of the highly palatable energy dense, nutrient-poor foods increases the risks of obesity and deficits of vitamins and minerals in the general population. Also, optimum intake of vitamins and minerals, which varies with age and genetic back ground, might not suffice the poor, young, obese, and elderly people. Young girls and individuals participating in weight reductions and aesthetic components are prone to micronutrient deficiencies because they restrict food intake and specific micronutrient rich foods. An inadequate intake of vitamins or minerals is associated with reduced physical performance and exercise capacity, increased obesity, decreased cognitive function, increased DNA damages such as single- and double-stranded breaks or oxidative DNA lesions, and accelerated aging process and increased neuronal damages with mitochondrial oxidative decay. Most of these deleterious effects of the deficit could be prevented by a one tablet of multivitamins with a good balanced diet. High dose B vitamins are frequently administered to overcome the metabolic inadequacy to the people with the less functional enzymes with increased Km values for their coenzymes due to the single gene mutation or due to the single nucleotide polymorphisms. And some certain antioxidant vitamins are also used in large quantities to overcome the oxidative stress and to repair the damages. In this review, new nutritional concepts of some vitamins and minerals, which are widely used and useful for the children, will be discussed.