Anthocyanin-rich black soybeans have been used in traditional East Asian medicine to cure diseases related to oxidative stress and carcinogens, but not obesity. Our objective was to investigate the effects of anthocyanin-rich black soybean testa extracts (BBT), Glycine max (Chongja No. 3), on obesity. In total, 63 participants defined as overweight or obese by their body mass index (BMI >23) or waist circumference (WC >90 cm for males, >85 cm for females) were sorted into two groups: 32 receiving the trial medication (BBT, 2.5 g/d) and 31 receiving the placebo (starch, 2.5 g/d). Participants completed an 8-week, randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. There were no significant differences between the two groups at the beginning of the trial, and both required the same safety assessments. Significant decreases in abdominal fat, described according to WC and hip circumference, and lipid profiles such as triacylglycerols (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), and non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDLc) were observed in the BBT group at the conclusion of the clinical trial. The indicators for arteriosclerosis such as total cholesterol (TC)/HDLc and LDLc/HDLc were significantly decreased in the BBT group, but had not changed in the placebo group. With no difference between the two groups in energy-adjusted dietary intakes and physical activity, BBT was shown to strongly improve plasma lipid profiles, related to the reduction of WC (an indicator of abdominal fat) as long as high dietary fiber and low cholesterol diets were maintained. In conclusion, BBT can potentially be developed as a functional food for preventing abdominal obesity with high fiber and low cholesterol diets.

It is well known that high salt intake is associated with cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. However, the research on the mechanism of obesity due to high salt intake is rare. To evaluate the roles of salt on obesity prevalence, the gene expression of adipogenesis/lipogenesis and adipocytokines secretion according to adipocyte dysfunction were investigated in salt-loading adipocytes. High salt dose-dependently increased the expression of adipogenic/lipogenic genes, such as PPAR-γ, C/EBPα, SREBP1c, ACC, FAS, and aP2, but decreased the gene of lipolysis like AMPK, ultimately resulting in fat accumulation. With SIK-2 and Na+/K+-ATPase activation, salt increased the metabolites involved in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) such as ADD1, CYP11β2, and MCR. Increasing insulin dependent insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-signaling, resulting in the insulin resistance, mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) and Akt-mTOR were activated but AMPK(Thr172) was depressed in salt-loading adipocytes. The expression of pro-inflammatory adipocytokines, TNFα, MCP-1, COX-2, IL-17A, IL-6, leptin, and leptin to adiponectin ratio (LAR) were dose-dependently increased by salt treatment. Using the inhibitors of MAPK/ERK, U0126, we found that the crosstalk among the signaling pathways of MAPK/ERK, Akt-mTOR, and the inflammatory adipogenesis can be the possible mechanism of salt-linked obesity. The possibilities of whether the defense mechanisms against high dose of intracellular salts provoke signaling for adipocytes differentiation or interact with surrounding tissues through other pathways will be explored in future research.

PurposeAdiponectin is expressed in adipose tissue, and is affected by smoking, obesity, and genetic factors, such as CDH13 polymorphism, contributing to the development of coronary vascular diseases (CVDs).Materials and MethodsWe investigated the effect of genetic variations of CDH13 (rs3865188) on blood chemistry and adiponectin levels in 345 CVD patients undergoing statin-free or statin treatment.ResultsGenetic variation in CDH13 was significantly correlated with several clinical factors, including adiponectin, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride (TG), and insulin levels. Subjects with the T allele (mutant form) had significantly lower adiponectin levels than those with the A allele. Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), TG/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) ratio, and HDL3b subtype were markedly decreased in statin treated subjects regardless of having the A or T allele. TG and TG/HDL in the statin-free group with TT genotype of the rs3865188 was higher than in the others but they were not different in the statin-treated subjects. We observed a significant difference in adiponectin levels between patients with the A and T alleles in the statin-free group; meanwhile, no difference in adiponectin levels was noted in the statin group. Plasma levels of other cytokines, leptin, visfatin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were not different among the CDH13 genotypes according to statin administration. Body mass index (BMI), TG, insulin, HDL3b, and TG/HDL ratio showed negative correlations with adiponectin levels.ConclusionPlasma adiponectin levels and TG/HDL ratio were significantly different according to variants of CDH13 and statin administration in Korean patients with CVD.

To investigate the antioxidative effects of ginsenosides [protopanaxadiol derivatives (PD):protopanaxatriol derivatives (PT) = 1:1] from the roots of Korean ginseng, cell viability, malondialdehyde (MDA) production, antioxidant enzyme activities, and expressions of apoptosis were analyzed after pretreatment of human hepatoma HepG2 cells with H(2)O(2). Cell death was increased through H(2)O(2) treatment dose dependently, and a dose of ginseng extract (PD:PT = 1:1) of 18.6 microg/mL was enough to derive it in reverse. MDA production was reduced through the administration of ginseng extracts even with more intensive H(2)O(2) treatments. Through the use of even low levels of ginseng extract (e.g., 1.86 microg/mL), catalase (CAT) activity was easily reduced from the plateau induced by H(2)O(2). The glutathione peroxidase activity was no better than that of CAT. We assume that ginseng extract acts as an antioxidant even when effective levels of ginseng differ. A ginseng extract dose of 18.6 microg/mL increased the apoptotic expression of oxidative stressed signals, such as c-Jun-N-terminal kinase and stress-activated protein kinase expressions, and mitochondrial cytochrome c released caspase-3 activation; however, these expressions changed with higher doses of ginseng.

Background: Apolipoprotein M (apoM) is a recently identified apolipoprotein associated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in coronary artery disease (CAD), but the association between apoM polymorphism and obesity has not been reported. Aim: To investigate the association between apoM polymorphism and obesity prevalence in 584 Korean adults. Methods: A total of 584 individuals aged between 30 and 80 years were recruited from Yonsei Medical Center in Seoul, Korea, and divided into obese (OB; body mass index, BMI ≥25) and nonobese (non-OB; BMI <25) groups. Anthropometric variables, lipid profiles, insulin-resistant profiles, reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) enzymes, HDL subfraction, and apoM polymorphism were determined. Results: In OB with T-855C polymorphism, TT genotype carriers significantly showed 6.2% higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP), 1.3% lower amount of HDL2b subfraction, and 19.7% higher lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) mass than TC+CC carriers. OB subjects with the T allele of T-778C polymorphism significantly demonstrated 43% higher plasma insulin, 17.7% higher total cholesterol, 26.7% higher triglyceride, 40.7% higher leptin, 1.6% lower HDL2b, and 12.6% higher LCAT mass than those with the C allele. These results were reversed in non-OB with T-778C polymorphism regarding HDL subfractions and RCT enzymes. Conclusion: apoM T-855C and T-778C polymorphisms were found to be associated with obesity by regulating HDL metabolism, and the T alleles of apoM T-778C were shown to be more strongly correlated.

Ginsenosides, bioactive compounds of Panax Ginseng C.A. Meyer, are divided into protopanaxadiol (PD) and protopanaxtriol (PT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of different PD and PT combination ratios on liver inflammation and apoptosis in hyperlipidemic apo E KO mice. R1 (PD/PT = 1, high Rg 1 and Rb 1 ) and R2 (PD/PT = 2, high Re and Rd) extracts were intraperitoneally injected by 100 mg/kg/day at the 8th week. R1 and R2 improved atherogenic indices by increasing HDL and lowering total cholesterol (TC) and triacylglyceride (TG) selectively. R1 decreased lipid peroxides (LPO) level in plasma and liver tissue of hyperlipidemic mice, and R2 lowered plasma malondialdehyde(MDA) level. R1 and R2 not only regulated the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, IjB-a, phopho-ERK 1/2, and phopho-SAPK/JNK levels but also were significantly effective in blocking apoptotic signals, such as caspase-8, -9, as well as the cleavage of PARP in liver. Different combinational treatment of PD and PT extracts might ameliorate the liver inflammation and apoptosis in hyperlipidemic apo E KO mice, which is atherosclerotic animal model.

From a pilot GWAS, seven MAP2K6 (MEK6) SNPs were significantly associated with resting metabolic rate (RMR) in obese children aged 8–9 years. The aim of this study was to investigate how RMR-linked MEK6 variation affected obesity in Korean children. With the follow-up students (77.9%) in the 3-year panel study, the changes of the variables associated with obesity (such as anthropometrics, blood biochemistry, and dietary intake) were collected. After the MEK6 SNPs were screened by Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP array 6.0, the genotyping of the seven MEK6 SNPs was performed via SNaPshot assay. As the prevalence of obesity (≥85th percentile) increased from 19.4% to 25.5%, the rates of change of the variables RMR, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and dietary intake (energy and carbohydrate intakes) increased. The rate of overweight/obesity was higher in all mutant alleles of the seven MEK6 SNPs than it was in the matched children without mutant alleles. However, over the 3-year study period, RMRs were only significantly increased by the mutants of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs996229 and rs756942, mainly related to male overweight/obesity as both WC and SBP levels increased. In the mutants of two of the SNPs, the odds ratio of overweight/obesity risk was six times higher in the highest tercile of fat intake and SBP than those of the lowest tercile. For personalized medicine to prevent pediatric obesity, SBP, WC, and dietary fat intake should be observed, particularly if boys have mutants of MEK6 SNPs, rs9916229, or rs756942.

BackgroundThe concept of the utilization of rearranged ends for development of personalized biomarkers has attracted much attention owing to its clinical applicability. Although targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) for recurrent rearrangements has been successful in hematologic malignancies, its application to solid tumors is problematic due to the paucity of recurrent translocations. However, copy-number breakpoints (CNBs), which are abundant in solid tumors, can be utilized for identification of rearranged ends.MethodAs a proof of concept, we performed targeted next-generation sequencing at copy-number breakpoints (TNGS-CNB) in nine colon cancer cases including seven primary cancers and two cell lines, COLO205 and SW620. For deduction of CNBs, we developed a novel competitive single-nucleotide polymorphism (cSNP) microarray method entailing CNB-region refinement by competitor DNA.ResultUsing TNGS-CNB, 19 specific rearrangements out of 91 CNBs (20.9%) were identified, and two polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplifiable rearrangements were obtained in six cases (66.7%). And significantly, TNGS-CNB, with its high positive identification rate (82.6%) of PCR-amplifiable rearrangements at candidate sites (19/23), just from filtering of aligned sequences, requires little effort for validation.ConclusionOur results indicate that TNGS-CNB, with its utility for identification of rearrangements in solid tumors, can be successfully applied in the clinical laboratory for cancer-relapse and therapy-response monitoring.