Comprehensive Transcriptomic Analysis of Cordyceps militaris Cultivated on Germinated Soybeans

The ascomycete fungus Cordyceps militaris infects lepidopteran larvae and pupae and forms characteristic fruiting bodies. Owing to its immune-enhancing effects, the fungus has been used as a medicine. For industrial application, this fungus can be grown on geminated soybeans as an alternative protein source. In our study, we performed a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis to identify core gene sets during C. militaris cultivation on germinated soybeans. RNA-Seq technology was applied to the fungal cultures at seven-time points (2, 4, and 7-day and 2, 3, 5, 7-week old cultures) to investigate the global transcriptomic change. We conducted a time-series analysis using a two-step regression strategy and chose 1460 significant genes and assigned them into five clusters. Characterization of each cluster based on Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases revealed that transcription profiles changed after two weeks of incubation. Gene mapping of cordycepin biosynthesis and isoflavone modification pathways also confirmed that gene expression in the early stage of GSC cultivation is important for these metabolic pathways. Our transcriptomic analysis and selected genes provided a comprehensive molecular basis for the cultivation of C. militaris on germinated soybeans.

The Effects of Monacolin-Inoculated Rice Embryo on the Body Fat and Serum Lipid Profiles of Obese Elementary School Students / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Monacolin-inoculated rice embryo on the body fat and serum lipid profiles in 61 obese elementary school students. The subjects divided into two groups 31 obese children had the experimental diet (rice embryo inoculated Monacolin) and 30 obese children had the control diet three times a day after meals. The mean age, height, weight, and BMI of 61 subjects were 10.5 +/- 0.5 years, 143.6 +/- 6.8 cm, 55.0 +/- 8.9 kg, and 26.1 +/- 3.9, respectively. The changes of body fat mass (kg) in experimental group and control group after 6 weeks were -0.60 kg and -0.03 kg, respectively. The changes of body fat (%) in experimental group and control group after 6 weeks were -1.44% and -0.25%, respectively. These changes of body fat in experimental group were significantly higher than in control group (p < 0.05). The change of total-cholesterol in experimental group and control group during 6 weeks were -17.52 mg/dL and -1.70 mg/dL, respectively. The change of LDL-cholesterol in experimental group and control group during 6 weeks were -17.06 mg/dL and -2.80 mg/dL, respectively. The change of triglyceride in experimental group and control group after 6 weeks were -9.58 mg/dL and 11.67 mg/dL. Total-cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol and triglyceride of experimental group after 6 weeks significantly decreased compared to control group (p < 0.05). After experimental diet (6 weeks), total-cholesterol was negatively correlated with body water contents, soft lean mass and fat free mass (p < 0.05). Triglyceride showed a significantly positive correlation with body weight and body fat mass, however, it was negatively correlated with fat free mass (p < 0.05). HDL-cholesterol showed a significantly positive correlation with fat free mass (p < 0.05). These results show that Monacolin-inoculated rice embryo is effective in decreasing body fat and blood lipid in obese children.

Hypoxia activates the cyclin D1 promoter via the Jak2/STAT5b pathway in breast cancer cells

Hypoxia, a common consequence of solid tumor growth in breast cancer or other cancers, serves to propagate a cascade of molecular pathways which include angiogenesis, glycolysis, and various cellcycle control proteins. As we have shown previously, hypoxia activates STAT5 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5) and increases its binding activity to the GAS element in mammary epithelial cells. In this study we attempted to elucidate the mechanism by which cyclin D1 is regulated by the STAT5 protein under hypoxic conditions. Our data demonstrate that hypoxia (2% O2) or desferrioxamine (DFO) induces tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of STAT5 in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and mammary epithelial cells (HC11). Imunoprecipitation and subsequent Western analysis showed that Jak2 leads to the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of STAT5a or STAT5b under hypoxic conditions. Using a transfected COS-7 cell model system, we demonstrate that the activity of a cyclin D1 promoter-luciferase construct increased under hypoxic conditions or DFO treatment. The activity of the STAT5b/cyclin D1 promoter increased significantly by 12 h of hypoxia, whereas the activity of the STAT5a/cyclin D1 promoter was unaffected under hypoxic conditions. These increases in promoter activity are predominantly mediated by the Jak2/ STAT5b signaling pathway. We have shown by EMSA that hypoxia induces STAT5 to bind to the cyclin D1 promoter (GAS-1) in MCF-7 and HC11 cells. These data suggest that STAT5b may mediate the transcriptional activation of cyclin D1 after hypoxic stimulation.

The Study of the Change in the Oxidative System Balance in Preeclampsia / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: This study assesses the hypothesis that preeclampsia is associated with the change of oxidative system balance by measuring the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity in preeclampsia. METHOD: Venous blood samples were collected from twenty women with preeclampsia and twenty women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Total lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant activity, antioxidant enzyme activity and antioxidant concentration were measured using flow injection-chemiluminescent method. RESULTS: 1. Total lipid peroxidation(PCOOH) was higher in preeclampsia(717.22+/-93.08 pmol/ml) than in normal pregnant(486.86+/-43.15 pmol/ml) (P<0.05). 2. Total antioxidant activity was significantly higher in preeclampsia(46.02+/-5.95 % inhibition) than in normal pregnant(38.59+/-7.57 % inhibition) (P<0.05).3. Antioxidant enzyme, catalase activity in RBC was lower in preeclampsia(346.59+/-82.84 unit/gHb) than in normal pregnant(440.62+/-72.8 unit/gHb) (P<0.05).4. Antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol concentration in RBC was slightly lower in preeclampsia(33.21+/-7.82 ng/gHb) than in normal pregnant(36.06+/-6.86 ng/gH), but there was no statistically significant difference (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This data seems to show that preeclampsia is associated with an imbalance between the lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant system.

The Effect of LDL Oxidation Caused an Atherosclerosis in Macrophage Cells * : The Antioxidant Effect of Ganhaungenin / 대한면역학회지

Oxidatively modified low density lipoprotein (LDL) could contribute to one of the atherosclerotic processes through its uptake by the scavenger receptor of macrophage. The aim of the present study was to examine whether ganghaungenin has an antioxidant effect. For the approach of the aim, a lipid peroxidation of LDL, the changes of degradation and negative charge of LDL, and LDL uptake in macrophage were measured after ganghaungenin was treated in the reaction process of LDL oxidation. The effective LDL oxidation was performed with treatment of 20 pM CuSO4 for 5 hours. Quercetin, one of the well-known antioxidant, was used as a positive control. The antioxdant effect of ganghaungenin on the LDL oxidation were examined at concentrations of both 40 p,M and 80 p,M for Sh. Ganghaungenin significantly inhibited the lipid peroxidation of LDL. It inhibited the oxidation-enhanced degradation and negative charge of LDL. Even 100 p,M of it did not have any toxic effects on macrophage. It inhibited the uptake of the oxidized LDL into macrophage. These data revealed that ganghaungenin obtained from Scutellaria Baicalensis Georgi was a potent antioxidant in inhibiting the oxidative modification of LDL. Conclusively, these findings indicate that ganghaungenin in physiologic concentrations could inhibit the oxidative modification of LDL in vivo, and suggest that ganghaungenin could be also used for the atherosclerosis prevention.