• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.62-69
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• 2012

Objectives: Chronic inflammation is now thought to play a key pathogenetic role in the associations of obesity with insulin resistance and diabetes. Based on our recent findings on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including the lack of an association between obesity and either insulin resistance or diabetes prevalence among subjects with very low concentrations of POPs, we hypothesized that POP concentrations may be associated with inflammation and modify the associations between inflammation and insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects. Methods: Cross-sectional associations among serum POPs, C-reactive protein (CRP), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were investigated in 748 non-diabetic participants aged ${\geq}20$ years. Nineteen types of POPs in 5 subclasses were selected because the POPs were detectable in ${\geq}60%$ of the participants. Results: Among the five subclasses of POPs, only organochlorine (OC) pesticides showed positive associations with CRP concentrations, while polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) showed inverse associations with CRP concentrations. There were statistically significant interactions between CRP and OC pesticides and between CRP and PCBs, in estimating HOMA-IR (P for interaction <0.01 and <0.01, respectively). CRP was not associated with HOMA-IR among subjects with low concentrations of OC pesticides or PCBs, while CRP was strongly associated with HOMA-IR among subjects with high concentrations of these POPs. Conclusions: In the current study, OC pesticides were associated with increased levels of CRP, a marker of inflammation, and both OC pesticides and PCBs may also modify the associations between CRP and insulin resistance.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.187-195
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• 2014

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are ubiquitous in the air, are present as volatile and particulate pollutants that result from incomplete combustion. Most PAHs have toxic, mutagenic, and/or carcinogenic properties. Among PAHs, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) are suspected endocrine disruptors. The testis is an important target for PAHs, yet effects on steroidogenesis in Leydig cells are yet to be ascertained. Particularly, disruption of testosterone production by these chemicals can result in serious defects in male reproduction. Exposure to B[a]P reduced serum and intratesticular fluid testosterone levels in rats. Of note, the testosterone level reductions were accompanied by decreased steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and $3{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isomerase ($3{\beta}$-HSD) expression in Leydig cells. B[a]P exposure can decrease epididymal sperm quality, possibly by disturbing the testosterone level. StAR may be a key steroidogenic protein that is targeted by B[a]P or other PAHs.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.140-145
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• 2006

We measured activities of the ubiquitous tripeptide non-protein thiol (L-${\gamma}$-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine), glutathione (GSH), which is believed to playa fundamental role in detoxifying xenobiotics in biological systems, as a metabolic biomarker for benzo(${\alpha}$)pyrene and Aroclor 1254 exposure in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Reproductive oysters were exposed to the pollutants for 50 days by the algal vectoring method in which the oysters were fed with concentrated standard algal foods grown in culture media containing Aroclor 1254 (0, 5, 50, 500 ng/g) or benzo(${\alpha}$)pyrene (0, 10, 100, 1,000 ng/g). Both pollutants induced maternal GSH activities in 10 days in a dosage-dependent manner (p<0.05), although Aroclor 1254 was stronger. The pollutant-driven GSH elevation persisted for 20 to 30 days depending on the pollutants and concentrations. Thereafter, a drastic decline in the GSH activity was observed due to metabolic failure, after which the oyster GSH remained at low levels throughout the remainder of the experiment. The pollutant exposures influenced maternal reproductive output in terms of fertilization, hatching, and morphology. These results imply that changes in activity of the GST-catalyzing molecule can be used as an oyster biomarker for Aroclor 1254 and benzo(${\alpha}$)pyrene exposure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.42-42
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• 2003

The contamination of the environment with pollutants is one of the main problems of modern life, and the levels pollution in industrialized regions are giving raise to increased public concern. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) are playa pivotal role in the regulation of important cellular functions by activation of specific signal transduction pathways from cell the surface to the nuclei. Three major subgroups of MAP kinases have been identified, and these comprise the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), the c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK), and the p38 MAP kinases [1-3]. Herein, we investigated the effect of regulation of phospho-JNK (p-JNK), phospho-p38 (p-p38) and phospho-ERK (p-ERK) by TCDD. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.245-257
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• 2001

Localization of livestock facilities leads to concentration of livestock wastes and subsequent leakage of pollutants into the environment, resulting in public concern about their effects. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the most harmful components of animal manure, but odor from the manure itself and the livestock facilities is also a problem. Improving the nutrient efficiency of the livestock helps to decrease excretion of these environmental contaminants. Pigs and chickens are the main experimental models used in studies to improve nutrient efficiency. Addition of feed supplements and modifying feeding systems to improve nutrient efficiency can result in significant decrease in the N, P, odor and dry matter (DM) weight of manure. Examples of these methods include the following. 1) Addition of synthetic amino acids and reducing protein contents resulted N reductions of 10∼27% in broilers, 18∼35% in chicks and layers, 19∼62% in pigs, and a 9∼43% reduction in odor in pigs. 2) Enzyme supplementation resulted in a 12∼15% reduction in DM weight in broiler manure. 3) Phvtase supplementation resulted in P reductions of 25∼35% in chickens and 20∼60% in pigs. 4) Use of growth promoting substances resulted in a 5∼30% reduction in N and a 53∼56% reduction in odor of pigs. 5) Formulating diets closer to requirements (diet modification) reduced N and P by 10∼15% each in chickens and pigs, and odor by 28∼ 79% in pigs. 6) Phase feeding reduced N and P excretion by chicken and pigs from 10∼33% and 10∼13% each, as well as odor in growing and finishing pigs by 49∼79%. 7) Use of highly digestible raw materials in feed reduced N and P excretion by 5% in chickens and pigs.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2018

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have recently been recognized as global environmental pollutants. This study was performed to develop an analytical method for determination of levels of PFCs in food by LC-MS/MS. One hundred and nine food products were divided into two groups based on their fat and protein contents (high and low), following which samples containing high fat and protein contents were pooled and subjected to pretreatment consisting of enzymatic degradation and hexane extraction. The limit of detection of 17 PFCs in the samples were in the range of 0.013-0.145 ng/g. The degrees of precision of detection for group 1 (samples with low fat and protein contents) and group 2 (samples with high fat and protein contents) were 0.8-21.1 and 1.7-28.2%, respectively, with an accuracy of 78.8-109.8% for group 1 and 80-114.5% for group 2. This study indicated that pretreatment of high fat and protein foods with enzymatic degradation and hexane extraction would improve the detection of PFCs in food.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.230-236
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• 2009

Acrolein, a known toxin in cigarette smoke, is the most abundant electrophilic $\alpha$, $\beta$-unsaturated aldehyde to which humans are exposed in a variety of environmental pollutants, and is also product of lipid peroxidation. Increased unsaturated aldehyde levels and reduced antioxidant status plays a major role in the pathogenesis of various diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's and atherosclerosis. The findings reported here show that low concentrations of acrolein induce heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages. HO-1 induction by acrolein and signal pathways was measured using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and immunofluorescence staining analyses. Inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity significantly attenuated the induction of HO-1 protein by acrolein, while suppression of Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 activity did not affect induction of HO-1 expression. Moreover, rottlerin, an inhibitor of protein kinase $\delta$, suppressed the upregulation of HO-1 protein production, possibly involving the interaction of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which has a key role as a HO-1 transcription factor. Acrolein elevated the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in nuclear extraction. The results suggest that RAW 264.7 may protect against acrolein-mediated cellular damage via the upregulation of HO-1, which is an adaptive response to oxidative stress.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.109-125
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• 2018

Turkish towel (Chondracanthus exasperatus), Pacific dulse (Palmaria mollis, also known as Red ribbon seaweed), and sea lettuce (Ulva spp.) were cultivated in a land-based intensive culture system at the Manchester Research Station, USA from August 2013 to September 2014. Macroalgae were grown in tumble-aerated tanks, harvested bimonthly for seasonal growth calculations, and analyzed for protein, lipid, ash, and amino acid content. Growth rate of all three species exhibited a similar pattern, with the highest specific growth rates occurring during the summer months (Turkish towel: 7.8%, Pacific dulse: 8.2%, and sea lettuce: 6.2%). Growth of all three species was lowest around winter solstice; with negative growth only observed in sea lettuce. On a dry weight basis significant differences in protein content existed between the three species with highest values for sea lettuce ($29.5{\pm}1.4%$). Lipid content varied between species (0.95-2.78%) with significantly higher lipid observed in sea lettuce (0.58-4.82%). No significant differences were detected on a seasonal basis among each species. Essential amino acids accounted for $43{\pm}0.9$ to $47{\pm}1.2%$ of total amino acids with Turkish towel having the highest value. Turkish towel had a significantly higher taurine level ($0.82{\pm}0.27$) than the other macroalgae. The levels of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals were low. The estimated annual product of the three species ranged from 50- to $70-mt\;dry\;weight\;ha^{-1}\;y^{-1}$, significantly higher than conventional crops. Land-based culture of these species can produce year-round harvest, consistent product quality, and low contaminant levels.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.261-266
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• 2014

Environmental pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been implicated in cancer development and progression. However, the effects of PAHs on carcinogenesis are still poorly understood. Here, we characterized a mouse cancer cell line BNL 1ME A. 7R.1 (1MEA) derived by transformation of non-tumorigenic liver cell line BNL CL.2 (BNL) using 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), a carcinogenic PAH. RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis were used to determine the expression level of mRNA and proteins, respectively. To determine functionality, cell motility was assessed in vitro using a transwell migration assay. Both mRNA and protein levels of E-cadherin were significantly decreased in 1MEA cells in comparison with BNL cells. While the expression levels of mesenchymal markers and related transcription factors were enhanced in 1MEA cells, which could lead to increase in cell motility. Indeed, we found that 7-day exposure of BNL cells to 3-MC reduced the level of the adhesion molecule and epithelial marker E-cadherin and increased reciprocally the level of the mesenchymal marker vimentin in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these results indicate that the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) may be activated during premalignant transformation induced by 3-MC. A mechanism study to elucidate the relation between 3-MC exposure and EMT is underway in our laboratory.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1997

For the recent years, considerable efforts have been made to rationalize the techniques of research and monitoring of biological effects of marine pollutants such as heavy metals, polychlorinate biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organophosphorus pesticides. This study was designed as a part of efforts to investigate the biochemical pollutant markers for diagnosis of marine pollutions by the changes in lipid components of the flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) in Yellow Sea of Korea. Homoglobin levels in serum of cultured and wild flounders in Yellow Sea were significantly lower (5 - 15% and 20 -25 % , respectively) than those of wild flounder in Pohang. Triglyceride (TG) contents in serum of cultured flounders in Yellow Sea were 10 - 40% higher than those of wild flounder in Pohang. Total and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol contents in serum of flounders in Yellow Sea were significantly 10-15% and 30-35% (cultured), and 10-20% (wild), respectively, higher than those of wild flounder in Pohang. Atherogenic index (AI) and T-Chol/PL rations in serum of cultured and wild flounders in Yellow sea were significantly 20-45% and 10-!5%, 6-35% and 15-35%, respectively, higher than those of wild flounder in pohang. These results suggest that near-coastal waters as well as neritic waters of the Yellow Sea might be affected by pollutant input.