Hak-Ju Kim

Anti-inflammatory effects of calcium citrate in RAW 264.7cells via suppression of NF-κB activation.

Here we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of calcium citrate in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The anti-inflammatory effects of calcium citrate were investigated by assessing pro-inflammatory factors (NO, ROS, NF-κB, iNOS, and COX-2) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). Treatment of cells with calcium citrate (10-100μM) significantly reduced the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and increased the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Calcium citrate was further shown to inhibit NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7cells. The expression levels of iNOS, COX-2, and NF-κB were also suppressed by treatment with calcium citrate. Calcium citrate was furthermore found to significantly inhibit the production of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in response to LPS-stimulation. These findings demonstrate that calcium citrate may be an effective anti-inflammatory agent.

Anti-obesity Effects of Ishige okamurae Extract in C57BL/6J mice Fed High-fat Diet

We investigated the anti-obesity effects of Ishige okamurae extract (IOE) on body weight, epididymal adipose tissue weight, plasma lipid levels, and leptin levels in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. After inducing obesity by feeding 45% HFD for 4 weeks, C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to HFD or HFD containing 5% IOE, and then fed for 6 weeks. The body weight and epididymal adipose tissue weight were increased by HFD, but they were significantly less in animals fed HFD containing 5% IOE than in those fed HFD. Levels of plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol were significantly lower, but the HDL-cholesterol level was significantly higher in animals fed HFD containing 5% IOE compared with the HFD group. The plasma leptin level was significantly lower in animals fed HFD containing 5% IOE. The diet containing 5% IOE did not show any adverse effects on liver and kidney functions. These results suggest that IOE has a potential as anti-obesity agent by reducing body weight and lowering the levels of obesity-related factors in plasma.

Gelidium amansii extract ameliorates obesity by down-regulating adipogenic transcription factors in diet-induced obese mice

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES In this study, we investigated whether Gelidium amansii extract (GAE) ameliorates obesity in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. MATERIALS/METHODS The mice were maintained on a high-fat diet (HD) for 5 weeks to generate the DIO mouse model. And then mice fed HD plus 0.5% (GAE1), 1% (GAE2) or 2% (GAE3) for 8 weeks. RESULTS After the experimental period, GAE-supplemented groups were significantly lower than the HD group in body weight gain and liver weight. GAE supplemented groups were significantly lower than the HD group in both epididymal and mesenteric adipose tissue mass. The plasma leptin level was significantly higher in the HD group than in GAE-supplemented groups. The leptin level of HD+GAE3 group was significantly lower than that of the HD+conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) group. In contrast, plasma adiponectin level of the HD group was significantly lower than those of HD+GAE2 and HD+GAE3 groups. The expression levels of adipogenic proteins such as fatty acid synthase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α in the GAE supplemented groups were significantly decreased than those in HD group, respectively. In addition, the expression levels of HD+GAE2 and HD+GAE3 groups are significantly decreased compared to those of HD+CLA group. On the contrary, the expression levels of hormone-sensitive lipase and phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase, proteins associated with lipolysis, were significantly increased in the GAE supplemented groups compared to those in the HD group. HD+GAE3 group showed the highest level among the GAE supplemented groups. CONCLUSIONS These results suggested that GAE supplementation stimulated the expressions of lipid metabolic factors and reduced weight gain in HD-fed C57BL/6J obese mice.

Gelidium amansii ethanol extract suppresses fat accumulation by down-regulating adipogenic transcription factors in ob/ob mice model

The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-obesity effects of Gelidium amansii extract (GAE) in the C57BL/6J-ob/ob mice. The ob/ob mice were fed GAE at 0.5% for 4 weeks, after which body weight, epididymal adipose tissue weight, plasma triglycerides, and hepatic lipid accumulation were significantly reduced in GAE-fed mice compared with ob/ob control mice. Plasma adiponectin levels were significantly higher in GAE-fed mice than in ob/ob control mice. These findings were supported by the expression levels of enzymes and proteins related to lipid metabolism assessed by western blotting: protein expression levels of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and CCATT/enhancer binding protein α decreased significantly, while hormone-sensitive lipase and phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase levels increased in the GAE-fed mice compared with ob/ob control mice. These findings demonstrate that GAE regulates plasma lipid profiles and increasing highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol levels as well as by regulating the expression levels of lipid metabolic factors, resulting in reduced weight gain in ob/ob mice.