Effects of Induced Exosomes from Endometrial Cancer Cells on Tumor Activity in the Presence of Aurea helianthus Extract.

Endometrial cancer (EC) cells metastasize to various regions, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, blood, liver, bone, and brain. Various carcinogens are known to cause EC. Exosomes are released from several types of cells and contain various cellular components. In this study, flow cytometry and quantitative PCR were used to evaluate marker levels, cell migration, cell invasion, and mitochondrial membrane potential, and cellular senescence tests were used to estimate cancer activity. The microRNAs were profiled using next-generation sequencing. Although tocopherol-α and rutin content in Aurea helianthus is high, A. helianthus extract was more useful in modulating tumor activity compared to the two aforementioned substances. Notably, we established that the extract induced bioactive exosomes in EC cells, and profiling of miRNAs in the extract-inducing exosomes (EIE) indicated their potency to be developed as a biological drug. The extract and EIE contributed to the following five biological process categories for EC cells: (1) cell migration and invasion suppression, (2) cellular senescence activation by attenuating mitochondrial membrane potential and enhancing autophagy, (3) reproductive cancer activity attenuation, (4) drug susceptibility activation, and (5) EIE containing miRNAs associated with decreasing inflammation.

Association of lead, mercury, and cadmium with metabolic syndrome of young adults in South Korea: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the relations between blood lead, mercury, and cadmium levels, affect metabolic syndrome of young adults. STUDY DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: This study is a descriptive study on verifying the relation between blood lead, mercury, cadmium level, and subcategories of metabolic syndrome. A total of 823 respondents' data of 19~29 years were sampled of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016 conducted under the National Health Promotion Law. MEASUREMENT: To identify the predictive risk factors of metabolic syndromes, the subcategories of metabolic syndromes and the lead, mercury, and cadmium levels were analyzed using logistic regression. Pearson's correlation was used to identify correlations among the factors. RESULTS: An analysis of the correlations among the metabolic syndromes and blood levels of lead, mercury, and cadmium showed significant relationships between blood lead level and systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, waist circumference, and triglyceride level; also between blood mercury level and waist measurement and triglyceride level; and between blood cadmium level and waist circumference and triglyceride level (p < .05). CONCLUSION: This study is significant in that it provides basic data on the correlation between metabolic syndromes and heavy metals among young adults.

Modulation of Lipid Metabolism by Trans-Anethole in Hepatocytes.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is caused by excessive lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. Although trans-anethole (TAO) affects hypoglycemia and has anti-immune activity and anti-obesity effects, its role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of TAO on cellular senescence, lipid metabolism, and reinforcement of microenvironments in HepG2 cells. To analyze the lipid metabolic activity of TAO, PCR analysis, flow-cytometry, and Oil Red O staining were performed, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cellular senescence kits were used for assessing the suppression of cellular senescence. At 2000 µg/mL TAO, the cellular viability was approximately 99%, and cell senescence decreased dose-dependently. In the results for MMP, activity increased with concentration. The levels of lipolytic genes, CPT2, ACADS, and HSL, strongly increased over 3 days and the levels of lipogenic genes, ACC1 and GPAT, were downregulated on the first day at 1000 µg/mL TAO. Consequently, it was found that TAO affects the suppression of cellular senescence, activation of lipid metabolism, and reinforcement of the microenvironment in HepG2 cells, and can be added as a useful component to functional foods to prevent fatty liver disease and cellular senescence, as well as increase the immunoactivity of the liver.

Protective Functions of Group 3 Late Embryogenesis Abundant (G3LEA) Proteins in Enterococcus faecium During Vancomycin Treatment.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins protect organisms from various environmental stresses; however, the underlying mechanism of LEA mediated therapeutic evasion is still unclear in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In this study, group 3 LEA protein (G3LEA) of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium under sublethal concentration of vancomycin stress was evaluated and shown to have two functions: the first is the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, preventing apoptosis by suppressing apoptotic proteins Cas3 and MAOB, and the second is activating specific drug efflux pumps. Sublethal vancomycin model was established with using Propidium Iodide (PI) stain. Real-time PCR was conducted to evaluate the expression of G3lea. Flow cytometry and confocal microscope using Anti- G3LEA, anti- MAOB, and anti- Cas3 were performed to assess the expression of G3LEA. Under sublethal vancomycin stress, G3LEA is upregulated, suppressing the expression of apoptotic markers and increasing specific efflux markers. These results suggest that G3LEA protein suppresses antibiotic mediated apoptosis in prokaryotic cells and plays a key role in understanding and preventing antibiotic resistance.

Relations between the blood lead level and metabolic syndrome risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: This study is to examine the relations between the blood lead level, which has an effect on lipid metabolism in the body, and metabolic syndrome to establish a basic reference for the development of a local community health management program. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: This study is a descriptive correlational study about verifying the relation between the blood lead level and metabolic syndrome risk factors. A total of 2,833 respondents' data were sampled on the 1st year (2016) data of the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MEASURES: The data were analyzed to explore blood lead level differences by demographic characteristics, correlations between the blood lead level and metabolic syndrome risk factors using chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides (TG), and FBS demonstrated a significant difference by blood lead level (p < 0.001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and FBS and TG levels were positively correlated with blood lead level (p < 0.005), whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was negatively correlated (r = -0.038, p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that the blood lead level was significantly correlated with all metabolic syndrome variables.

Association of Blood Heavy Metal Levels and Renal Function in Korean Adults.

This study aimed to investigate the association between the levels of lead, mercury, cadmium, and nickel in the blood and renal function and to provide basic data for the development of health programs for the prevention of renal failure. This study included 1984 participants aged 19 and older who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2019. Differences in values according to general characteristics and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) stage were analyzed using a chi-square test, t-test, ANOVA, and the influencing factors were analyzed through multiple regression analysis. The concentrations of lead, mercury, cadmium, and nickel, and the risk of elevated eGFR were analyzed using linear regression. The correlation between the variables was determined using Pearson's correlation analysis. Analysis of the correlation between blood lead, mercury, cadmium, and nickel levels and blood eGFR levels revealed that blood eGFR levels were significantly negatively correlated with blood lead, cadmium, and nickel levels (p ≤ 0.001). This study is significant in that it found a significant association between decreased eGFR and heavy metal levels and provided meaningful basic data on the association between heavy metals and renal function.

Analysis of the Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Renal Function in Middle-Aged Patients with Diabetes.

This study investigated the effects of metabolic syndrome on the estimated glomerular filtration rate in middle-aged participants with diabetes to provide basic data to enable the development of education programs for middle-aged people to prevent diabetic kidney disease. This cross-sectional descriptive study analyzed data obtained in the 2nd year of the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2020 and enrolled 279 participants aged 40-65 years who were diagnosed with diabetes. Multilevel stratified cluster sampling was used to improve the representativeness of the samples and the accuracy of parameter estimation. The risk factors of metabolic syndrome and the risk of elevated eGFR were analyzed using regression analysis and the correlation between the variables was determined using Pearson's correlation analysis. Middle-aged participants with diabetes whose eGFR was <90 showed a significant difference in their risk for metabolic syndrome based on sex, age, disease duration, and total cholesterol concentrations. Systolic blood pressure and waist circumference in men, and waist circumference and HDL cholesterol level in women were identified as risk factors that contribute to the increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

Blood Lead Levels and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Results from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

(1) Objective: Lead, a heavy metal that exists commonly in air, soil and crops may cause chronic disease in the cardiovascular system. The purpose of this study is to investigate how blood lead levels affect cardiovascular disease in adults. (2) Study Design and Participants: It is a cross-sectional, descriptive study using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Data from a total of 1929 participants, derived from the KNHANES, conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2017, were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. (3) Measurement: The cardiovascular disease risk was calculated using the Framingham risk score. There was a strong positive correlation between blood lead levels and the Framingham risk score. Furthermore, of the FRS sub-criteria, systolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol level and total cholesterol level all also showed a significant correlation. (4) Results: We analyzed the correlation between PbB levels and the FRS sub-criteria, including systolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol level, total cholesterol level and the FRS total. We found a significant positive correlation between PbB levels and systolic blood pressure, FRS total and total cholesterol level (p < 0.05), as well as a significant negative correlation with HDL cholesterol level (p < 0.05). (5) Conclusion: Based on the perception that there is no lower toxicological threshold for blood lead, it is necessary to restrict lead in product manufacturing for the purpose of public health. In addition, it is necessary to be aware of the dangers of exposure to even small amounts of lead in daily life.

Mineral Balance and Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents: Focus on Calcium and Phosphorus Intake.

The incidence of metabolic syndrome, a chronic disease, tends to increase in adolescence, but has not been a high priority in delivery of health services. This study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome prevalence and mineral balance such as calcium and phosphorus intake among Korean adolescents. This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study using data from the 7th Korean national health and nutrition examination survey (KNHANES) VII-3 (2018) and the 8th KNHANES VII-1 (2019). A total of 895 adolescents aged 12 to 18 who filled in mineral intake questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS. According to their responses, only 2.9% of the subjects had a calcium: phosphorus intake ratio of 1:1, which is the recommended ratio. Daily phosphorus intake was significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.448, p < 0.001), waist circumference (r = 0.115, p = 0.001), HDL cholesterol (r = -0.113, p = 0.002), and daily calcium intake (r = 0.697, p = 0.001). And, as the serum creatinine increased by 1, the risk of metabolic syndrome increased 16.5 times (OR: 16.452, 95% CI: 1.701-159.136, p < 0.05). Excessive phosphorus intake and high creatinine levels may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome in adolescents. Therefore, education is necessary to encourage adolescents to follow a balanced diet that contains essential minerals. In addition, it is suggested to expand the metabolic syndrome prevention education, which has been largely targeted towards adults.

Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX) exposure induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells.

Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid, also known as GenX, is a poly- and perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS). PFASs are nonvolatile synthetic substances that can be readily disseminated into the environment during processing and use, making them easy to implement in the soil, drinking water, and air. Compared to other PFASs, GenX has a comparatively short carbon chain length and is expected to have a lower tendency to accumulate in humans; therefore, GenX has recently been used as a substitute to other PFASs. However, the mechanisms underlying GenX action and intoxication in humans remains unclear. In this study, the apoptotic capacity of GenX in human liver cells was investigated. When representative human-derived liver cells (HepG2 cells) were treated with GenX for 12 h, cell viability was reduced, and apoptosis was greatly increased. In addition, GenX increased the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), indicating the induction of oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. GenX treatment increased the expression of major apoptosis-related genes relative to the untreated control group. This research indicates that GenX causes apoptosis through ROS mediation in HepG2 cells, which may expand our knowledge of the molecular and toxicological mechanisms of GenX.

Protection and immune modulation of activated human vaginal epithelial cells by Aurea helianthus extract.

Aurea helianthus extract is associated with various properties including anti-melanogenesis, anti-oxidation, tumorigenic suppression, and immunoregulation; however, the mechanism by which it executes the immunomodulation of human vaginal epithelial cells (HVECs) remains elusive. We established three immunological functions of the extract. First, it mediated tumorigenic suppression in HVECs. Expression of cytokeratin 8, cancer antigen-125, and vimentin was dramatically downregulated in HVECs exposed to the extract under oxidative and fungal stresses. Second, the extract activated dendritic cells and macrophages. On exposing progenitor dendritic cells to the extract, the number of CD304+ cells increased by 40%; further, under oxidative and fungal stresses, this number was approximately 1.8 and 1.3 times lower, respectively, compared to that in the stressed cells. In monocytic differentiation, the number of dendritic cells and macrophages increased 9 and 6 times, respectively, compared to that in the control. Additionally, the extract enhanced and recovered polarisation by approximately 1.5 and 2 times, respectively, than that under stressed conditions. Third, the phagocytic activity of macrophages, against HPV16, 18, and 33 peptides, was enhanced by 12-35 times compared with that under stressed conditions. Thus, A. helianthus extract is a strong stimulator of the immune system and tumorigenic suppression under stress conditions.

Protective Effect of Genistein against Neuronal Degeneration in ApoE-/- Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

Altered cholesterol metabolism is believed to play a causal role in major pathophysiological changes in neurodegeneration. Several studies have demonstrated that the absence of apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a predominant apolipoprotein in the brain, leads to an increased susceptibility to neurodegeneration. Previously, we observed that genistein, a soy isoflavone, significantly alleviated apoptosis and tau hyperphosphorylation in SH-SY5Y cells. Therefore, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of dietary genistein supplementation (0.5 g/kg diet) in the cortex and hippocampus of wild-type C57BL/6 (WT) and ApoE knockout (ApoE-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 24 weeks. Genistein supplementation alleviated neuroinflammation and peripheral and brain insulin resistance. Reductions in oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress were also observed in ApoE-/- mice fed a genistein-supplemented diet. Beta-secretase 1 and presenilin 1 mRNA levels and beta-amyloid peptide (Aß) protein levels were reduced in response to genistein supplementation in ApoE-/- mice but not in WT mice. Although the absence of ApoE did not increase tau hyperphosphorylation, genistein supplementation reduced tau hyperphosphorylation in both WT and ApoE-/- mice. Consistent with this result, we also observed that genistein alleviated activity of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and glycogen synthase kinase 3ß, which are involved in tau hyperphosphorylation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that genistein alleviated neuroinflammation, Aß deposition, and hyperphosphorylation in ApoE-/- mice fed an HFD.