• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.662-672
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• 2009

Obesity has increased dramatically increased in recent days. It has resulted in obesity-associated diseases and metabolic syndromes including hyperlipidemia, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Our study was investigated to determine the antiobese effects of mixed 2 medicinal herbs (AR+AC) in rats fed high-fat diet with an abundance of carbohydrates. Two groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed different diets during 8 weeks: normal diet containing 5% corn oil (w/w), high-fat diet containing 10% (w/w) lard plus 5% (w/w) corn oil (HF). And High-fat diet group was treated with saline or 100 mg/kg ARAC or 300 mg/kg ARAC (PO). Antiobese effect was evaluated by measuring the changes of body weight, adipose tissues weight. Also we examined levels of leptin, adiponectin and lipid profiles in serum. Finally we compared morphological change in adipocytes and hepatocytes between HF and ARAC group. Mixed combination of 2 medicinal herbs, but not alone, caused significant decrease in body weight, organ weight (liver, epididymal fat, and BAT) compared with control HF group. The ARAC group had markedly lower serum levels of adiponectin when compared with HF group. Also the epididymal white adipocyte size of ARAC group were diminished comparing to the HF group. These results suggest that the possibility of ARAC combination, as an antiobese formula, by suppression of body weight gain and increased lipid profiles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.788-795
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• 2002

This study described the effect of levan (9-2,6-linked fructose polymer) feeding on serum lipids, adiposity and uncoupling protein (UCP) expression in growing rats. Levan was synthesized from sucrose using bacterial levansucrase. UCP is a mitochondrial protein that uncouples the respiratory chain from oxidative Phosphorylation and generates heat instead of ATP, thereby increase energy expenditure. We observed that 3% or 5% levan containing diet reduced serum triglyceride levels, visceral and peritoneal fat mass and induced the UCP expression in rats fed high fat diet in previous study. To determine whether the intake of low level of levan may have the hypolipidemic and anti-obesity effect, 4 wk old Sprague Dawley male rats were fed AIN-76A diet for 6 wk, and sub-sequently fed 1% or 2% levan solution for further 5 wk. Intake of 1% levan in liquid form reduced serum triglyceride and serum total cholesterol levels to 50% and 66% of control group, respectively. Although epididymal and peritoneal fat masses were not affected by levan feeding, visceral fat mass was lower in 1% levan group compared to control group. The expression of UCP2 mRNA in brown adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and hypothalamus and UCP3 mRNA in skeletal muscle were not changed by levan feeding, while the UCP2 mRNA in white adipose tissue was up-regulated by levan feeding. In conclusions, intake of low level of levan solution reduced serum triglyceride and total cholesterol, restrained the visceral fat accumulation and increased UCP expression in white adipose tissue in rats. This study suggests that hypolipidemic and anti-obesity effect of levan attributed to anti-lipogenesis and inefficeint energy utilization by up-regulation of UCPs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.67-77
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• 1998

The bovine fat necrosis is often seen as an incidental lesion in the adipose tissues of the abdominal cavity. Most of affected animals, however, have been detected at the slaughter house or routine necropsy. The purpose of this study was to examine the occurrence and distribution of abdominal fat necrosis in Korean native cattle, and its pathologic features. Postmortem inspection at an Chonju abattoir during a three-month period in 1997 detected at necrosis lesions in 67(6.6%) of the 1,012 animals received for slaughter. The occurrence was mainly in alimentary tracts and perirenal. Both sexes were affected, but the lesion were predominantly occurred in female. Gross lesions were white or yellowish in color and formed hard lumps irregular in shape ranging from small nodules to large solid masses. On the cut surface, lesions were occasionally seen chalky calcified granules and some of the lesions contained oil-like fluid. The surface of irregular shaped masses constricted kidneys and intestinal loops. Microscopically, the masses were encapsulated by thickened fibrous tissue, which infiltrated deeply and divided them into many irregular lobules. Initial lesions presented mild inflammatory cell and fibrous proliferation. It became fibroplasia in progressive lesions and resembled chronic lesion, eventhough no grossly apparent inflammatory reaction. The hard consistency of masses, due to fibroplasia, can compress the intestines, urinary organs, and reproductive organs.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.231-235
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• 2015

The beneficial effects of probiotics on human health have been extensively studied. Strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium have gained considerable attention, as they are major groups of probiotic bacteria that improve gastrointestinal health. Recently, probiotics have been found to have positive effects on obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) that go beyond the improvement of gut health. Probiotics can alter the secretion of substances such as leptin and adiponectin from white adipose tissue via certain mechanisms. Additionally, probiotics can modulate the adaptive immune system against low-grade inflammation caused by obesity. The potential role of probiotics in the treatment of T2D has garnered interest because of increasing evidence of the anti-diabetic effect of probiotics. In this review, we discuss the results of in vivo studies that have examined the use of probiotics to prevent obesity and T2D, while primarily focusing on the studies that explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the activity of promising probiotic strains. The conclusions of this review could be of help to researchers who are investigating the effects of probiotics on obesity or T2D, and to patients with these diseases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.388-393
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• 2016

Although brown adipose tissue is important with regard to energy balance, the molecular mechanism of brown adipocyte differentiation has not been extensively studied. Specifically, regulation factors at the level of protein modification are largely unknown. In this study, we examine the changes in the expression level of enzymes which are involved in protein lysine methylation during brown adipocyte differentiation. Several enzymes, in this case SUV420H2, PRDM9, MLL3 and JHDM1D, were found to be up-regulated. On the other hand, Set7/9 was significantly down-regulated. In the case of SUV420H2, the expression level increased sharply during brown adipocyte differentiation, whereas the expression of SUV420H2 was marginally enhanced during the white adipocyte differentiation. The knock-down of SUV420H2 caused the suppression of brown adipocyte differentiation, as compared to a scrambled control. These results suggest that SUV420H2, a methyltransferase, is involved in brown adipocyte differentiation, and that the methylation of protein lysine is important in brown adipocyte differentiation.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2015

Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with obesity. This study investigated effect of high hydrostatic pressure extract of red ginseng (HRG) on inflammation in rats with high-fat (HF) diet induced obesity. Male, Sprague-Dawley rats (80~110 g) were randomly divided into two groups, and fed a 45% HF diet (HF) and a 45% HF diet containing 1.5% HRG (HF+HRG) for 14 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the serum leptin level was reduced by the HRG supplementation. The mRNA expression of genes related to adipogenesis including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma and adipocyte protein 2 was down-regulated in the white adipose tissue (WAT). The mRNA levels of major inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and interleukin-6 were remarkably down-regulated by the HRG in WAT. These results suggest that HRG might be beneficial in ameliorating the inflammation-associated health complications by suppressing adipogenic and pro-inflammatory gene expression.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2009

Carotenoids being most important pigments among those occurring in nature, have received increased interest owing to their beneficial effects on human health. An effort is made to review marine carotenoids as important bioactive compounds with reference to their presence, chemical, and biofunctional benefits they afford. The potential beneficial effects of marine carotenoids were particularly focused on astaxanthin and fucoxanthin, major marine carotenoids found in marine animals and aquatic plants, respectively. Both carotenoids show strong antioxidant activity which is attributed to quenching singlet oxygen and scavenging free radicals. The potential role of the carotenoids as dietary antioxidants has been suggested as being one of the main mechanism by which they afford their beneficial health effects such as anticancer activity and anti-inflammatory effect. Only recently, antiobesity effect and antidiabetic effect have been noted as specific and novel bio-functions of fucoxanthin. Nutrigenomic study reveals that fucoxanthin induces uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression in white adipose tissue (WAT) mitochondria to lead to oxidation of fatty acids and heat production in WAT. Fucoxanthin improves insulin resistance and decreases blood glucose level, at least in part, through the down-regulation of tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$ ($TNF{\alpha}$) in WAT of animals.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.411-414
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• 2008

This report described a severe bilateral microphthalmia in a young Holstein calf. The anomalous calf with wry tail showed normal vigor, appetite and normal body weight except for eye defect. The orbits were shallower and smaller than normal. The orbit bilaterally contained a white small mass suspected as eyeball. A spot-like remnant of eyeball (REB) was buried in the mixture of vestigial extraocular muscles and adipose tissue of the bilateral orbit. Histologically, the REB was composed of irregularly arranged elements of ocular wall such as sclera, retina and ciliary body. But any destructive changes in the central nervous systems were not detected. This case of eye defect was defined as severe bilateral microphthalmia. The cause of this ocular defect is unknown.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1281-1287
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• 2021

Clinical and preclinical studies have reported that Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17, a probiotic bacterial strain isolated from human breast milk, reduces body weight and white adipose tissue volume. In order to further explore the actions of L. gasseri BNR17, we investigated the anti-menopausal effects of L. gasseri BNR17 in an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model. The serum alanine aminotransferase levels of the rats in the OVX-BNR17 group were lower than those of the rats in the OVX-vehicle only (OVX-Veh) group. Upon administration of L. gasseri BNR17 after ovariectomy, calcitonin and Serotonin 2A levels increased significantly, whereas serum osteocalcin levels showed a decreasing tendency. Compared to the rats in the OVX-Veh group, those in the OVX-BNR17 group showed lower urine deoxypyridinoline levels, lower pain sensitivity, and improved vaginal cornification. Furthermore, L. gasseri BNR17 administration increased bone mineral density in the rats with OVX-induced femoral bone loss. These results suggest that L. gasseri BNR17 administration could alleviate menopausal symptoms, indicating that this bacterium could be a good functional probiotic for managing the health of older women.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.187-191
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• 2022

Obesity is caused by an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Exercise is attracting attention as one of the ways to treat obesity. Exercise induces 'beige adipogenesis' in white adipose tissue, increasing total energy expenditure via energy dissipation in the form of heat. Also, beige adipogenesis can be induced by treatment with a beta-adrenergic receptor agonist. We developed a Cidea-dual reporter mouse (Cidea-P2A-Luc2-T2A-tdTomato, Luciferase/tdTomato) model to trace and measure beige adipogenesis in vivo. As a result, both exercise and injection of beta-adrenergic receptor agonist induced beige adipogenesis and was detected through fluorescence and luminescence. We confirmed that exercise and beta-adrenergic receptor agonist induce beige adipogenesis in Cidea-dual reporter mouse, which will be widely used for detecting beige adipogenesis in vivo.