• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제30권8호
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• pp.1156-1168
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• 2020

Drought stress is threatening the growth and productivity of many economical crops. Therefore, it is necessary to establish innovative and efficient approaches for improving crop growth and productivity. Here we investigated the potentials of the cell-free extract of Actinobacteria (Ac) isolated from a semi-arid habitat (Al-Jouf region, Saudi Arabia) to recover the reduction in maize growth and improve the physiological stress tolerance induced by drought. Three Ac isolates were screened for production of secondary metabolites, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The isolate Ac3 revealed the highest levels of flavonoids, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in addition to having abilities to produce siderophores and phytohormones. Based on seed germination experiment, the selected bioactive fraction of Ac3 cell-free extract (F2.7, containing mainly isoquercetin), increased the growth and photosynthesis rate under drought stress. Moreover, F2.7 application significantly alleviated drought stress-induced increases in H₂O₂, lipid peroxidation (MDA) and protein oxidation (protein carbonyls). It also increased total antioxidant power and molecular antioxidant levels (total ascorbate, glutathione and tocopherols). F2.7 improved the primary metabolism of stressed maize plants; for example, it increased in several individuals of soluble carbohydrates, organic acids, amino acids, and fatty acids. Interestingly, to reduce stress impact, F2.7 accumulated some compatible solutes including total soluble sugars, sucrose and proline. Hence, this comprehensive assessment recommends the potentials of actinobacterial cell-free extract as an alternative ecofriendly approach to improve crop growth and quality under water deficit conditions.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.309-317
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• 2009

As far as we know, there were no studies of the effect of L-arginine on bone metabolism in post-menopausal women or ovariectomized rats. The primary objective of the current study was to determine whether arginine supplementation was associated with alterations in femoral and spinal bone mineral density (BMD) and bone markers in ovariectomized (Ovx) rats. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups, Ovx and sham groups, which were each randomly divided into two subgroups that were fed control and arginine supplemented diet. All rats were fed on experimental diet and deionized water ad libitum for 9 weeks. Bone formation was measured by serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations. Bone resorption was measured by deoxypyridinoline (DPD) crosslinks immunoassay and corrected for creatinine. Serum osteocalcin, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin were analyzed using radioimmunoassay kits. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured using PIXImus (GE Lunar Co, Wisconsin, USA) in spine and femur. The serum and urine concentrations of Ca and P were determined. The plasma was analyzed for arginine. Diet did not affect weight gain, mean food intake, and plasma arginine concentration. Urinary Ca excretion was decreased by arginine supplementation in Ovx rats, but statistically not significant. The Ovx rats fed arginine-supplemented diet were not significantly different in ALP, osteocalcin, crosslinks value, PTH, calcitonin and IGF-1 compared to those fed control diet. The arginine-supplemented group had significantly higher serum Ca and growth hormone than control group. Spine and femur BMD were significantly increased by arginine supplementation on 5th and 9th weeks after feeding. Our findings indicate that dietary L-arginine supplementation decreased bone mineral density loss in Ovx rats. Therefore, dietary arginine supplementation may represent a potentially useful strategy for the management of osteoporosis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제31권9호
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• pp.1394-1403
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• 1998

The study was designed to observe the effect of dietary calcium and fats on plasma cholesterol level, hepatic microsomal fluidity and HMG-CoA reductase activity as well as the excretion of fecal bile acids and neutral sterols in 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine(DMH)-treated rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats, at 7 weeks of age, were divided into 2 groups, 0.3% and 1.0% Ca levels and each group again subdivided into 2 groups of corn oil and perilla oil. Each rat was intramuscularly infused with DMH for 6 weeks to give total dose of 180mg/kg body weight and also fed experimental diet containing 15%(w/w) different fit and Ca(0.3% or 1.0%) for 20 weeks. High dietary calcium(1.0%) did not significantly influence on plasma cholesterol as well as hepatic microsomal fluidity and HMG CoA reductase activity, but significantly reduced the excretion of total bile acid per gram of faces and increased the excretion of total neutral sterol. However, high dietary Ca reduced the excretion of secondary bile acid(deoxycholic and lithocholic acids) which was known as promoter for colon cancer. Perilla oil rich in n-3 ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid significantly decreased plasma cholesterol by increasing hepatic microsomal fluidity compared with corn oil, but did not influence on HMG CoA reductase activity. Perilla oil did not influence on fecal excretion of total and primary bile acids, but reduced the excretion of secondary bile acids. Therefore, it could be recommended to consume more fish product and food rich in calcium and use more perilla oil in meal preparation to prevent from coronary hear disease and colon cancer especially when high fit diet has been practiced. (Korean Nutrition 31(9) : 1394-1403, 1998)

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.331-338
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• 2013

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an important regulator of energy metabolism, is activated in response to cellular stress when intracellular levels of AMP increase. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of AMPK against scopolamine-induced memory impairment in vivo and glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in vitro. An adenovirus expressing AMPK wild type alpha subunit (WT) or a dominant negative form (DN) was injected into the hippocampus of rats using a stereotaxic apparatus. The AMPK WT-injected rats showed significant reversal of the scopolamine induced cognitive deficit as evaluated by escape latency in the Morris water maze. In addition, they showed enhanced acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-reactive neurons in the hippocampus, implying increased cholinergic activity in response to AMPK. We also studied the cellular mechanism by which AMPK protects against glutamate-induced cell death in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. We further demonstrated that AMPK WT-infected cells increased cell viability and reduced Annexin V positive hippocampal neurons. Western blot analysis indicated that AMPK WT-infected cells reduced the expression of Bax and had no effects on Bcl-2, which resulted in a decreased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These data suggest that AMPK is a useful cognitive impairment treatment target, and that its beneficial effects are mediated via the protective capacity of hippocampal neurons.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권9호
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• pp.685-695
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• 2017

Obesity and the metabolic disorders that constitute metabolic syndrome are a primary cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Nonetheless, the changes in the proteins and the underlying molecular pathways involved in the relevant pathogenesis are poorly understood. In this study a proteomic analysis of the visceral adipose tissue isolated from metabolically healthy and unhealthy obese patients was used to identify presence of altered pathway(s) leading to metabolic dysfunction. Samples were obtained from 18 obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery and were subdivided into two groups based on the presence or absence of comorbidities as defined by the International Diabetes Federation. Two dimensional difference in-gel electrophoresis coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was carried out. A total of 28 proteins were identified with a statistically significant difference in abundance and a 1.5-fold change (ANOVA, $p{\leq}0.05$) between the groups. 11 proteins showed increased abundance while 17 proteins were decreased in the metabolically unhealthy obese compared to the healthy obese. The differentially expressed proteins belonged broadly to three functional categories: (i) protein and lipid metabolism (ii) cytoskeleton and (iii) regulation of other metabolic processes. Network analysis by Ingenuity pathway analysis identified the $NF{\kappa}B$, IRK/MAPK and PKC as the nodes with the highest connections within the connectivity map. The top network pathway identified in our protein data set related to cellular movement, hematological system development and function, and immune cell trafficking. The VAT proteome between the two groups differed substantially between the groups which could potentially be the reason for metabolic dysfunction.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제11권sup1호
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• pp.72-82
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• 2008

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism that results in accumulation of copper primarily in the liver, the brain and the cornea. Mutations in the WD gene, ATP7B cause failure of copper excretion from hepatocyte into bile and a defective synthesis of ceruloplasmin. More than 370 mutations are now recognized, scattering throughout the ATP7B gene. Since WD has protean clinical presentations, awareness of WD in clinical practice is important for the early diagnosis and prevention of accumulated copper toxicity. None of the laboratory parameters alone allows a definite diagnosis of WD. There are numerous pitfalls in the diagnosis of WD. Low serum ceruloplasmin concentrations, increased 24 hour urinary copper excretion, increased hepatic copper concentrations and the presence of Kayser-Fleischer rings in the cornea are major diagnostic points. A combination of any two of these 4 laboratory findings is strong support for a diagnosis of WD. Molecular methods are now being used to aid diagnosis. Molecular genetic testing has confirmed the diagnosis in individuals in whom the diagnosis is not clearly established biochemically and clinically. Siblings should be screened for WD once an index case has been diagnosed. Discrimination of heterozygotes from asymptomatic patients is essential to avoid inappropriate lifelong therapy for heterozygotes. Genetic testing, either by haplotype analysis or by mutation analysis, is the only reliable tool for differentiating heterozygote carriers from affected asymptomatic patients. Currently, genetic testing is of limited value in the primary diagnosis. However, genetic testing will soon play an essential role in diagnosing WD as rapid advancement of biomedical technology will allow more rapid, easier and less expensive mutation detection.

• 한국패류학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.261-267
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• 2008

수온 및 염분에 따른 굴의 일반적인 대사경향을 알아보기 위하여 수온과 개체크기에 따른 산소소비율과 암모니아 질소 배설률을 측정하였으며, O:N원자비를 산출하였다. 산소소비율과 암모니아 질소배설률은 개체의 크기가 작을수록 높았으며, 수온증가에 따라 증가하였다. O:N 원자비는 일반해수에서 8-40의 범위에 있었으며, 수온 $25^{\circ}C$에서 O:N 원자비는 8로 감소하였는데, 이는 산란기에 주요 대사기질로서 단백질을 이용하며, 단백질의 요구가 큰 것으로 추정된다. 이 결과는 굴양식장의 지속적인 관리 및 적정 수용력 산정을 위한 기초자료로 활용이 가능하다.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.212-226
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• 2006

The involvement of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolizing enzyme, lipoxygenase (LOX), in the development of particular tumors in humans has gradually been acknowledged and LOX has emerged as a novel target to prevent or treat human cancers. In the mouse skin carcinogenesis model, which provides an excellent model to study multistage nature of human cancer development, many studies have shown that some of the LOXs are constitutively upregulated in their expression. Moreover, application of LOX inhibitors effectively reduced tumor burdens, which implicates the involvement of LOX in mouse skin tumor development as well. 8S-LOX is a recently cloned LOX, which is specifically expressed in mouse skin after 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) treatment but not in normal skin. Unlike other members of the LOX 'family' expressed in mouse skin, this TPA-induced expression of 8S-LOX is prominent only in the skin of the TPA tumor promotion-sensitive strains of mice (SENCAR, CD-1, and NMRI) but not in the promotion-resistant C57BL/6J mice. This is a very unique phenomenon among strains of mice. Constitutive upregulation of 8S-LOX was also found in early stage papillomas and the expression was gradually reduced as the tumors became malignant. Based on these observations, it has been thought that 8S-LOX is involved in TPA-induced tumor promotion as well as in tumor conversion from papillomas to carcinomas. In accordance with this hypothesis, several studies have suggested possible roles of 8S-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE), an AA metabolite of 8S-LOX, in mouse skin tumor development. A clastogenic activity of 8S-HETE was demonstrated in primary keratinocytes and a close correlation between the levels of etheno-DNA adducts and 8S-HETE during skin carcinogenesis was also reported. On the other hand, it has been reported that 8S-LOX protein expression is restricted to a differentiated keratinocyte compartment Moreover, reported findings on the ability of 8S-HETE to cause keratinocyte differentiation appear to be contrary to the procarcinogenic features of the 8S-LOX expression, presenting a question as to the role of 8S-LOX during mouse skin carcinogenesis. In this review, molecular and biological features of 8S-LOX as well as current views on the functional role of 8S-LOX/8S-HETE during mouse skin carcinogenesis are presented.

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.56-60
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• 2016

Adenylate kinase (AK) enzyme which acts as the catalyst of reversible high energy phosphorylation reaction between ATP and AMP which associate with energetic metabolism and nucleic acid synthesis and signal transmission. This enzyme has three distinct domains: Core, AMP binding domain (AMPbd) and Lid domain (LID). The primary role of AMPbd and LID is associated with conformational changes due to flexibility of two domains. Three dimensional structure of human AK1 has not been confirmed and various mutation experiments have been done to determine the active sites. In this study, AK1R138A which is changed arginine[138] of LID domain with alanine[138] was made and conducted with NMR experiments, backbone dynamics analysis and mo-lecular docking dynamic simulation to find the cause of structural change and substrate binding site. Synthetic human muscle type adenylate kinase 1 (hAK1) and its mutant (AK1R138A) were re-combinded with E. coli and expressed in M9 cell. Expressed proteins were purified and finally gained at 0.520 mM hAK1 and 0.252 mM AK1R138A. Multinuclear multidimensional NMR experiments including HNCA, HN(CO)CA, were conducted for amino acid sequence analysis and signal assignments of $^1H-^{15}N$ HSQC spectrum. Our chemical shift perturbation data is shown LID domain residues and around alanine[138] and per-turbation value(0.22ppm) of valine[179] is consid-ered as inter-communication effect with LID domain and the structural change between hAK1 and AK1R138A.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제33권8호
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• pp.802-812
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of resistant starch(RS) in hyperchlesterolemia and colon cancer. The subjects of this study was eight college women participating in the general starch diet(GSD) period for 5 days and resistant starch diet(RSD) period for 7 days. RSD contains 30g or the RS. On the last day of each program blood were collected. And for the last 3 days of each diet period, the amount of all the food consumed by the subjects and feces were collected. Food was measured to determine and compared the energy, protein and fat intakes. The amount of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and volatile fatty acids in plasma and the amounts of bile acids in feces were measured by gas chromatography. The results obtained were as follows, Daily energy intake was higher in the RSD compared with the GSD, Protein and fat intakes were lower in the RSD compared with the compared with the GSD. Volatile fatty acid contents in plasma, the amounts of acetic acid, propionic acid and valeric acid were higher in the RSD compared with the GSD. The amounts of bile acids in feces, cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid were higher in the RSD compared with the GSD, But the amount of deoxycholic acid n the RSD period was significantly low. Secondary/primary ratios of bile acids was lower in the RSD compared with GSD, respectively. We speculate that , RS consumption decreases colonic mucosal proliferation as a result of the decreased formation of cytotoxic secondary bile acids. Thus, RS intakes may contribute the prevention of heart disease and colon cancer in humans. (Korean J Nutrition 33(8) : 802-812, 2000)