• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.541-548
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• 2023

In the present study, the effects of HML on lipolysis, adipocyte browning, autophagy, and proliferation were investigated. HML affected lipolysis by increasing the protein levels of ATGL and HSL, and phosphorylation levels of HSL and AMPK. Furthermore, HSL decreased the perilipin-1 levels. In addition, free glycerol content was increased by HML treatment. HML affected adipocyte browning by increasing the protein levels of UCP-1, PGC-1α, and PRDM16. In addition, HML affected autophagy by increasing the levels of LC3-I and LC3-II, and decreasing those of SQSTM1/p62. Moreover, HML affected adipocyte proliferation by suppressing the proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells due to arrest of the cell cycle via blocking the expression of β-catenin and cyclin D1. These results suggest that HML induces lipolysis, adipocyte browning, autophagy, and inhibits excessive proliferation of adipocytes.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.870-882
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, a global public health problem. Mentha canadensis (MA), a traditional phytomedicine and dietary herb used for centuries, was the focus of this study to investigate its effects on obesity. MATERIALS/METHODS: Thirty-five male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 2 groups and fed either a normal diet (ND, n = 10) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 25) for 4 weeks to induce obesity. After the obesity induction period, the HFD-fed mice were randomly separated into 2 groups: one group continued to be fed HFD (n = 15, HFD group), while the other group was fed HFD with 1.5% (w/w) MA ethanol extract (n = 10, MA group) for 13 weeks. RESULTS: The results showed that body and white adipose tissue (WAT) weights were significantly decreased in the MA-supplemented group compared to the HFD group. Additionally, MA supplementation enhanced energy expenditure, leading to improvements in plasma lipids, cytokines, hepatic steatosis, and fecal lipids. Furthermore, MA supplementation regulated lipid-metabolism-related enzyme activity and gene expression, thereby suppressing lipid accumulation in the WAT and liver. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that MA has the potential to improve diet-induced obesity and its associated complications, including adiposity, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.178-188
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• 2024

The aim of this study is to investigate whether milk fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum K79, which exhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity, has an effect on lowering the blood pressure of hypertensive rats and to investigate biomarker changes in their blood. Experimental group: normal group (NG, Wistar-Kyoto rats): distilled water, control group [NCG, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)]: distilled water, high treatment group (HTG, SHR): 500 mg/kg/day, medium treatment group (SHR): 335 mg/kg/day, low treatment group (SHR): 170 mg/kg/day, positive control group (PCG, SHR): Enalapril, 10 mg/kg/day. The experimental animals used in this study were divided into groups composed of 8 animals. In terms of weight change, a significant difference was observed between the NG and the SHR group, but there was no significant difference between the SHR group. After 8 wk of feeding, blood pressure was lowered more significantly in the HTG (209.9±13.3 mmHg) than in the NCG (230.8±7.3 mmHg). The treatment group has an effect of lowering blood pressure by significantly suppressing blood pressure-related biomarker protein expression than NG. The results obtained can be used as an antihypertensive material in a variety of food raw materials.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.379-387
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• 2024

Breast cancer (BC) is most commonly diagnosed worldwide. Liquiritigenin is a flavonoid found in various species of the Glycyrrhiza genus, showing anti-tumor activity. This article was to explore the influences of liquiritigenin on the biological behaviors of BC cells and its underlying mechanism. BC cells were treated with liquiritigenin alone or transfected with oe-HSP90 before liquiritigenin treatment. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were employed to examine the levels of HSP90, Snail, E-cadherin, HSC70, and LAMP-2A. Cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion were evaluated by performing MTT, colony formation, scratch, and Transwell assays, respectively. Liquiritigenin treatment reduced HSP90 and Snail levels and enhanced E-cadherin expression as well as inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of BC cells. Moreover, liquiritigenin treatment decreased the expression of HSC70 and LAMP-2A, proteins related to chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). HSP90 overexpression promoted the CMA, invasion, and migration of BC cells under liquiritigenin treatment. Liquiritigenin inhibits HSP90-mediated CMA, thereby suppressing BC cell growth.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.408-415
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• 2023

Alzheimer's disease constitutes a large proportion of all neurodegenerative diseases and is mainly caused by excess aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ), which results in oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the neurons. Populus tomentiglandulosa belongs to the Salicaceae family and is widely distributed in Korea; the antioxidant activities of the extract and fractions from P. tomentiglandulosa have been demonstrated in previous studies. Specifically, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of P. tomentiglandulosa (EtOAc-PT) shows the most powerful antioxidative activity. Therefore, the present study investigates the protective effects of EtOAc-PT against neuronal damage in Aβ_25-35-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. EtOAc-PT restored cell viability significantly as well as inhibited the levels of reactive oxygen species and lactate dehydrogenase release compared to the Aβ_25-35-induced control group. Furthermore, the inflammation- and apoptosis-related protein expressions were investigated to demonstrate its neuroprotective mechanism. EtOAc-PT downmodulated the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, B-cell lymphoma 2 associated X, and B-cell lymphoma 2. Thus, the findings show that EtOAc-PT has protective effects against Aβ_25-35 by suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1683-1688
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• 2008

Lactobacillus casei 3260 (L. casei 3260) was evaluated in relation to the inflammatory response mediated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in Raw264.7 macrophage cells. The treatment of Raw264.7 cells with L. casei 3260 significantly inhibited the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) and prostaglandins $E_{2}\;(PGE_{2})$, followed by suppression of COX-2. To clarify the molecular mechanism, the inhibitory effect of L. casei 3260 on the NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathway was examined based on the luciferase reporter activity. Although the treatment of Raw264.7 cells with L. casei 3260 did not affect the transcriptional activity of NF-${\kappa}B$, it did inhibit NF-${\kappa}B$ activation, as determined by the cytosolic p65 release and degradation of I-${\kappa}B{\alpha}$. Therefore, these findings suggest that the suppression of COX-2 through inhibiting the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation by LPS may be associated with the antiinflammatory effects of L. casei 3260 on Raw264.7 cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.394-399
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• 2018

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) transactivator of transcription (Tat) is an important viral factor in neuro-inflammation. Hindsiipropane B, present in Celastrus hindsii, possesses various biological mechanisms including anti-inflammatory activity. In this report, we explored the regulatory activity of hindsiipropane B on HIV-1 Tat-mediated chemokine production and its mode of action in astrocytes. Hindsiipropane B significantly alleviated HIV-1 Tat-mediated production of inflammatory chemokines, CCL2, CXCL8, and CXCL10. Hindsiipropane B inhibited expression of HDAC6, which is important regulator in HIV-1 Tat-mediated chemokine production. Hindsiipropane B diminished HIV-1 Tat-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and NADPH oxidase activation/expression. Furthermore, hindsiipropane B inhibited HIV-1 Tat-mediated signaling cascades including MAPK, $NF-{\kappa}B$, and AP-1. These data suggest that hindsiipropane B exerts its inhibitory effects on HIV-1 Tat-mediated chemokine production via down-regulating the HDAC6-NADPH oxidaseMAPK-$NF-{\kappa}B$/AP-1 signaling axis, and could serve as a therapeutic lead compound against HIV-1 Tat-associated neuro-inflammation.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.28-36
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• 2014

We studied the green synthesis and antibacterial activity of paper coated with chitosan-silver (Ag) green nanocomposites for packaging applications. Green synthesis of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) was achieved by a chemical reaction involving a mixture of chitosan-silver nitrate ($AgNO_3$) in an autoclave at 15 psi, $121^{\circ}C$, for 30 min. AgNPs and their formation in chitosan was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). As-prepared chitosan-AgNPs composite materials were coated on manila paper using Meyer rod. Surface morphology and Ag contents in coating layer were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The mechanical properties such as tensile strength and elongation were significantly affected by coating with chitosan-AgNPs. The antibacterial test of coated paper was performed qualitatively and quantitatively against Escherichia coli (E. coli). It was shown to be effective in suppressing the growth of E. coli with increasing Ag contents on the surface of coated paper and more than 95 R (%) of antimicrobial rate was obtained at chitosan-AgNPs coated papers.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1825-1831
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• 2004

Phellinus linteus is known as a medicinal mushroom, which has the pharmaceutical activity on tumors and inflammatory diseases in traditional Oriental medicine. However, despite extensive pharmacological studies on P. linteus, the liquor of fermentation using mycelium of P. linteus(LFMP) has not been investigated. In the present study, it was examined the effect of the evaporating extract from LFMP(E-LFMP) on the expression of inflammatory proteins and the generation of reactive oxygen species in human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. E-LFMP inhibited acetaldehyde-induced morphological change in HepG2 cells. Also, E-LFMP inhibits expression of inflammatory proteins including cyclooxygenase(COX)-1 and COX-2 through suppressing nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB(NF-κB) and degradation of inhibitory κBα(IκBα). In addition, E-LFMP inhibits generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS) by hydrogen peroxide(H₂O₂) in HepG2 cells. These results suggest that LFMP has the pharmaceutical, especially anti-inflammatory, activity similar to P. linteus mushroom.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Previously, Sasa quelpaertensis leaves have been shown to mediate anti-inflammation and anti-cancer effects, although it remains unclear whether Sasa leaves are able to attenuate inflammation-related intestinal diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Sasa quelpaertensis leaf extract (SQE) using an in vitro co-culture model of the intestinal epithelial environment. MATERIALS/METHODS: An in vitro co-culture system was established that consisted of intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages. Treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce inflammation. RESULTS: Treatment with SQE significantly suppressed the secretion of LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), IL-6, and IL-$1{\beta}$ in co-cultured RAW 264.7 macrophages. In addition, expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ were down-regulated in response to inhibition of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ phosphorylation by SQE. Compared with two bioactive compounds that have previously been identified in SQE, tricin and P-coumaric acid, SQE exhibited the most effective anti-inflammatory properties. CONCLUSIONS: SQE exhibited intestinal anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting various inflammatory mediators mediated through nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-kB) activation. Thus, SQE has the potential to ameliorate inflammation-related diseases, including IBD, by limiting excessive production of pro-inflammatory mediators.