SUMMARYVery-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are essential precursors of cuticular waxes and aliphatic suberins in roots. The first committed step in VLCFA biosynthesis is condensation of C 2 units to an acyl CoA by 3-ketoacyl CoA synthase (KCS). In this study, two KCS genes, KCS20 and KCS2/DAISY, that showed higher expression in stem epidermal peels than in stems were isolated. The relative expression of KCS20 and KCS2/DAISY transcripts was compared among various Arabidopsis organs or tissues and under various stress conditions, including osmotic stress. Although the cuticular waxes were not significantly altered in the kcs20 and kcs2/daisy-1 single mutants, the kcs20 kcs2/daisy-1 double mutant had a glossy green appearance due to a significant reduction of the amount of epicuticular wax crystals on the stems and siliques. Complete loss of KCS20 and KCS2/DAISY decreased the total wax content in stems and leaves by 20% and 15%, respectively, and an increase of 10-34% was observed in transgenic leaves that over-expressed KCS20 or KCS2/DAISY. The stem wax phenotype of the double mutant was rescued by expression of KSC20. In addition, the kcs20 kcs2/daisy-1 roots exhibited growth retardation and abnormal lamellation of the suberin layer in the endodermis. When compared with the single mutants, the roots of kcs20 kcs2/daisy-1 double mutantss exhibited significant reduction of C 22 and C 24 VLCFA derivatives but accumulation of C 20 VLCFA derivatives in aliphatic suberin. Taken together, these findings indicate that KCS20 and KCS2/DAISY are functionally redundant in the two-carbon elongation to C 22 VLCFA that is required for cuticular wax and root suberin biosynthesis. However, their expression is differentially controlled under osmotic stress conditions. Keywords: Arabidopsis thaliana, 3-ketoacyl CoA synthase, suberin, very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), wax. INTRODUCTIONVery-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are fatty acids with chains of 20 or more carbons. In plants, VLCFAs are essential precursors of various lipids, including the cuticular waxes that cover the aerial surfaces (for review, see Jenks et al., 1994;Post-Beittenmiller, 1996;Kunst and Samuels, 2003;Samuels et al., 2008), the aliphatic suberin embedded in the cell walls of the root endodermis and the periderm of shoots and roots (for review, see Kolattukudy, 1980Kolattukudy, , 2001Bernards, 2002;Franke and Schreiber, 2007;Pollard et al., 2008), the triacylglycerols (TAGs) that accumulate in seeds (Stefansson et al., 1961;Lassner et al., 1996;Barret et al., 1998), and the sphingolipids and phospholipids in cell membranes (Schneiter et al., 1996;Devaiah et al., 2006;Dickson et al., 2006). VLCFA derivatives act as protective barriers between plants and the environment, provide energy storage in seeds, and function as signaling molecules in membranes.Cuticular waxes are mainly composed of complex mixtures of VLCFAs and their derivatives, aldehydes, alkanes, primary In higher plants, root suberin is organized in a characteristic lamella structure that conta...

Early intervention using dietary supplements may be effective in alleviating cognitive impairment among individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study investigated the efficacy and safety of Lactobacillus plantarum C29-fermented soybean (DW2009) as a nutritional supplement for cognitive enhancement. One hundred individuals with MCI were randomly assigned to take DW2009 (800 mg/day, n = 50) or placebo (800 mg/day, n = 50) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was change in the composite score of cognitive functions related to memory and attention, measured by computerized neurocognitive function tests. Associations between changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and cognitive performance for each treatment group were evaluated. Compared to the placebo group, the DW2009 group showed greater improvements in the combined cognitive functions (z = 2.36, p for interaction = 0.02), especially in the attention domain (z = 2.34, p for interaction = 0.02). Cognitive improvement was associated with increased serum BDNF levels after consumption of DW2009 (t = 2.83, p = 0.007). The results of this clinical trial suggest that DW2009 can be safely administered to enhance cognitive function in individuals with MCI. Increased serum BDNF levels after administering DW2009 may provide preliminary insight into the underlying effects of cognitive improvement, which suggests the importance of the gut-brain axis in ameliorating cognitive deficits in MCI.

Background and ObjectivesIncreased central arterial stiffness is an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Acute aerobic exercise reduces arterial stiffness, while acute resistance exercise may increase arterial stiffness, but this is not a universal finding. We tested whether an acute resistance exercise program was associated with an increase in arterial stiffness in healthy young men.Subjects and MethodsThirteen healthy subjects were studied under parallel experimental conditions on 2 separate days. The order of experiments was randomized between resistance exercise (8 resistance exercises at 60% of 1 repeated maximal) and sham control (seated rest in the exercise room). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and aortic augmentation index as indices of aortic stiffness were measured using applanation tonometry. Measurements were made at baseline before treatments, 20 minutes, and 40 minutes after treatments (resistance exercise and sham control).ResultsThere was no difference in resting heart rate or in arterial stiffness between the two experimental conditions at baseline. At 20 minutes after resistance exercise, heart rate, carotid-femoral PWV and augmentation index@75(%) were significantly increased in the resistance exercise group compared with the sham control (p<0.05). Brachial blood pressure, central blood pressure and pulse pressure were not significantly increased after resistance exercise.ConclusionAn acute resistance exercise program can increase arterial stiffness in young healthy men. Further studies are needed to clarify the effects of long-term resistance training on arterial stiffness.

Health benefits of Kochujang (KCJ) and its bioactive compounds have been reported in several in vitro and animal studies.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of KCJ supplementation on body composition and blood lipid profiles in overweight adults.MethodsSixty overweight men and women with BMI ≥23 kg/m2 and waist-hip-ratio (WHR) ≥0.90 for men and ≥0.85 for women were randomly assigned to a KCJ supplement (n=30, 32 g/day) or placebo (n=30, 32 g/day) group for a 12-week, double-blind, placebo controlled study. We measured anthropometric parameters, serum lipid profiles, abdominal fat distribution by computerized tomography and calculated the atherosclerosis indices in 53 subjects (n=26 in KCJ group, n=27 in placebo group) who completed the study.ResultsAfter 12 weeks, the KCJ group showed a significant reduction in visceral fat (cm2) (p<0.05), although body weight (kg) and WHR did not change. Serum concentration of triglycerides and ApoB were decreased when compared to those of the placebo group.ConclusionKCJ supplementation (32 g/day) for 12 weeks in overweight adults showed anti-atherosclerotic and anti-obesogenic effects.Trial registrationClinical trials.gov Identifier: NCT01532375

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and diabetes has been increasing rapidly in Korea. The rate of increase has paralleled the replacement of Korean traditional diets (KTD), which emphasize vegetables and fermented foods, with western style dietary patterns that are rich in animal foods and saturated fat. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of the KTD in controlling fasting plasma glucose, blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in hypertensive and type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients. Forty-one patients (61.8±1.5 years) who were taking medications prescribed for respective diseases were recruited from the Chonbuk National University Hospital for participation in a 12-week, parallel, controlled clinical trial. The control group (n=20) was advised to "eat as usual," whereas the experimental KTD diet group (n=21) was fed the KTD three times a day for 12 weeks. At the end of the trial, both groups had lower body mass index, % body fat, and waist-hip ratio compared to the baseline values (P<.05). Compared to the control group, the KTD group had a greater mean change (P<.05) from the baseline for glycated hemoglobin (HbA₁c) (-0.72% vs. -0.25%) and heart rate (-7.1 vs. +1.6). Regular consumption of the KTD for 12 weeks by hypertensive and T2D patients resulted in favorable changes in cardiovascular risk factors.

Various forms of fermented soybean products are well documented for their health benefits. The efficacy of anti-obesogenic effect of Doenjang, one of the most commonly used seasonings in Korean cuisine, has been reported only in animal models; thus, an evaluation of Doenjang needs to be conducted in human studies. We aimed to test the hypothesis that Doenjang supplementation reduces body weight and changes body composition in overweight adults. A total of 51 overweight adults participated in this study. A group of males with BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 and waist to hip ratio (WHR) ≥ 0.90, and a group of females with BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 and WHR ≥ 0.85 were randomly assigned to either a Doenjang supplement (9.9 g dry/day) group or a placebo group for a 12-week randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Anthropometric parameters, abdominal fat distribution by computerized tomography (CT) and blood components were measured before and after the intervention period. After the 12-week study, the Doenjang supplementation group had significant reductions in body weight (kg), body fat mass (kg) and body fat (%) compared to the placebo group, the supplementation of Doenjang resulted in a significant reduction in visceral fat (cm2), although no changes were observed in total and subcutaneous fat are as (cm2), serum lipid profiles and dietary intakes. The present study demonstrated that daily supplementation of 9.9 g dry/day of Doenjang for 12 weeks reduces body weight and visceral fat in overweight adults.

Ascorbic acid (AA) is a well-known antioxidant. It also has pro-oxidant effects, however, in the presence of free transition metals. Because of the pro-oxidant effects of AA, dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), an oxidized form of AA, has been used as a substitute for AA. DHA has been shown recently to have a protective effect in an experimental stroke model. This study was carried out to determine if DHA has different effects from AA on hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-induced oxidative cell death in primary astrocytes. DHA was found to prevent cell death and reverse mitochondrial dysfunction after exposure to H 2 O 2 . DHA significantly increased the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities 1 hr after H 2 O 2 exposure. Moreover, DHA not only reversed the decrease in the glutathione (GSH) levels, but also significantly enhanced it by stimulating the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) 15 hr after H 2 O 2 exposure. DHA also reduced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) after H 2 O 2 exposure. In contrast, AA accelerated H 2 O 2 -induced cell death. To determine if the pro-oxidant effect of AA is related to iron, the effect of AA on cell death was examined using an iron chelator, desferrioxamine. Even though co-pretreatment with AA and desferrioxamine could abrogate the aggravating effects of AA on H 2 O 2 -induced cell death at early stages, it could not prevent H 2 O 2 -induced cell death over a 24-hr period. These results suggest that DHA has distinct effects from AA and prevent H 2 O 2 -induced cell death by increasing the GSH levels mediated by the GPx and GR activities and PPP.

PurposeThe aim of our study was to evaluate the risk of malignancy and to determine which clinical variables differentiate between benign and malignant focal breast lesions found incidentally on 18F-flourodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography (FDG PET/CT).MethodsFrom March 2005 to October 2011, 21,224 women with no history of breast cancer underwent FDG PET/CT at three university-affiliated hospitals. We retrospectively identified 214 patients with incidental focal hypermetabolic breast lesions and grouped them into benign and malignant lesion groups. Of the 214 patients, 82 patients with 91 lesions were included in this study. All lesions were confirmed histologically or were assessed by follow-up imaging for greater than 2 years. The patient age, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), lesion size on ultrasonography (US), and Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category on US in conjunction with mammography were compared between the groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent factors associated with malignancy.ResultsThe risk of malignancy was 29.7% (27/91) in breast incidentalomas detected by FDG PET/CT. The univariate analysis showed that the patient age, SUVmax, tumor size, and BI-RADS category differed significantly between the malignant and benign groups. The multivariate analysis showed that the BI-RADS category was the only significant factor differentiating benign from malignant lesions (p=0.002).ConclusionBIRADS category based on US in conjunction with mammography was the only useful tool to differentiate between malignant and benign lesions in breast incidentalomas on FDG PET/CT.