Assessing the Risks of Pesticide Exposure: Implications for Endocrine Disruption and Male Fertility.

Pesticides serve as essential tools in agriculture and public health, aiding in pest control and disease management. However, their widespread use has prompted concerns regarding their adverse effects on humans and animals. This review offers a comprehensive examination of the toxicity profile of pesticides, focusing on their detrimental impacts on the nervous, hepatic, cardiac, and pulmonary systems, and their impact on reproductive functions. Additionally, it discusses how pesticides mimic hormones, thereby inducing dysfunction in the endocrine system. Pesticides disrupt the endocrine system, leading to neurological impairments, hepatocellular abnormalities, cardiac dysfunction, and respiratory issues. Furthermore, they also exert adverse effects on reproductive organs, disrupting hormone levels and causing reproductive dysfunction. Mechanistically, pesticides interfere with neurotransmitter function, enzyme activity, and hormone regulation. This review highlights the effects of pesticides on male reproduction, particularly sperm capacitation, the process wherein ejaculated sperm undergo physiological changes within the female reproductive tract, acquiring the ability to fertilize an oocyte. Pesticides have been reported to inhibit the morphological changes crucial for sperm capacitation, resulting in poor sperm capacitation and eventual male infertility. Understanding the toxic effects of pesticides is crucial for mitigating their impact on human and animal health, and in guiding future research endeavors.

Nilotinib treatment outcomes in autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia over one year.

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of 1-year treatment with nilotinib (Tasigna®) in patients with autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia (ADSCA) and the factors associated with responsiveness. From an institutional cohort, patients with ADSCA who completed a 1-year treatment with nilotinib (150-300 mg/day) were included. Ataxia severity was assessed using the Scale for the Rating and Assessment of Ataxia (SARA), scores at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. A subject was categorized 'responsive' when the SARA score reduction at 12 M was > 0. Pretreatment serum proteomic analysis included subjects with the highest (n = 5) and lowest (n = 5) SARA score change at 12 months and five non-ataxia controls. Thirty-two subjects (18 [56.2%] females, median age 42 [30-49.5] years) were included. Although SARA score at 12 M did not significantly improve in overall population, 20 (62.5%) subjects were categorized as responsive. Serum proteomic analysis identified 4 differentially expressed proteins, leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein (LRG1), vitamin-D binding protein (DBP), and C4b-binding protein (C4BP) beta and alpha chain, which are involved in the autophagy process. This preliminary data suggests that nilotinib might improve ataxia severity in some patients with ADSCA. Serum protein markers might be a clue to predict the response to nilotinib.Trial Registration Information: Effect of Nilotinib in Cerebellar Ataxia Patients (NCT03932669, date of submission 01/05/2019).

Effects of oridonin on sperm function and the PI3K/PDK1/AKT signaling pathway: Implications for reproductive toxicity.

Oridonin, a natural terpenoid isolated from the leaves of Isodon rubescens (Hemsley) H.Hara, is widely used in oriental medicine for its anticancer properties across various cancer types. Despite its prevalent use, the toxic effects of oridonin on male reproduction, particularly its impact on sperm functions and the mechanisms involved, are not well understood. This study aimed to explore the effects and underlying mechanisms of oridonin on sperm functions. We initially treated Duroc boar spermatozoa with varying concentrations of oridonin (0, 5, 50, 75, 100, and 150 µM) and incubated them to induce capacitation. We then assessed cell viability and several sperm functions, including sperm motility and motion kinematics, capacitation status, and ATP levels. We also analyzed the expression levels of proteins associated with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway and phosphotyrosine proteins. Our results indicate that oridonin adversely affects most sperm functions in a dose-dependent manner. We observed significant decreases in AKT, p-AKT (Thr308), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), p-PDK1, and p-PI3K levels following oridonin treatment, alongside an abnormal increase in phosphotyrosine proteins. These findings suggest that oridonin may disrupt normal levels of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins by inhibiting the PI3K/PDK1/AKT signaling pathway, which is crucial for cell proliferation, metabolism, and apoptosis, thus potentially harming sperm functions. Consequently, we recommend considering the reproductive toxicity of oridonin when using it as a therapeutic agent.

Spatial transcriptome analysis of amelanotic acral melanoma reveals distant molecular determinants compared to pigmented acral melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Amelanotic acral melanoma (AAM) is a rare type of acral melanoma associated with poor prognosis. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the transcriptomic differences between AAM and pigmented acral melanoma (PAM). METHODS: The differences in spatially resolved transcriptome profiles of 9 AAM patients with 29 regions of interest (ROIs) and 11 PAM patients with 46 ROIs were investigated using S100b and CD3 morphology markers. RESULTS: In S100b-positive tumor cell areas, we detected 11 upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including chaperone/ubiquitin-associated DEGs, and 82 downregulated DEGs, including human leukocyte antigen, in AAMs compared with PAMs. Protein-protein interaction network and pathway analyses revealed significant enrichment of dysregulated translational and nonsense-mediated decay pathways but significant decreases in antigen processing and presentation, interferon signaling, and melanin biosynthesis pathways in S100b-positive ROIs of AAMs compared with those of PAMs. In tumor-associated immune cell areas, the numbers of CD8 T cells (p = 0.044) and M1 macrophages (p = 0.014) were significantly decreased, whereas those of monocytes (p = 0.045) and endothelial cells (p = 0.04) were increased in AAMs compared with those in PAMs. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, these findings could widen our understanding of the biological differences between AAMs and PAMs that might result in a different clinical course.

Nirmatrelvir has detrimental effects on sperm function by altering the PI3K/PDK1/AKT signaling pathway.

Nirmatrelvir (NMV) is a recently developed selective inhibitor of the main protease of Sars-Cov-2 that reduces the severity of infection. Despite its widespread use and various side effects, NMV's effect on male fertility is still unclear. This study was thus established to investigate how NMV affects male fertility. For experiments, Duroc spermatozoa were incubated with various concentrations of NMV (0, 0.1, 1, 10, 50, and 100 µM). Then, sperm motility, motion kinematics, capacitation status, intracellular ATP level, and cell viability were evaluated. In addition, the expression levels of phospho-PKA substrates, tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, and PI3K/PDK1/AKT signaling pathway-related proteins were measured by western blotting. Our results showed that sperm motility, motion kinematics, proportion of capacitated spermatozoa, and intracellular ATP level were significantly decreased by NMV in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, PKA activation was significantly suppressed by NMV, and expression levels of PI3K, phospho-PDK1, AKT, and phospho-AKT (Thr308 and Ser473) were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner. Combining these findings, it is suggested that NMV has detrimental effects on sperm function by inducing abnormal changes in the PI3K/PDK1/AKT signaling pathway, resulting in PKA deactivation. Therefore, there is a need to pay particular attention to its male reproductive toxicity when NMV is administered.

Facial Dermatoses Associated With Mask-Wearing in the COVID-19 Era: A Nationwide, Cross-Sectional, Multicenter, Questionnaire-based Study.

BACKGROUND: Daily usage of facial masks during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic influenced on facial dermatoses. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the impact of mask-wearing habits on facial dermatoses. METHODS: A nationwide, observational, questionnaire-based survey was conducted from July through August 2021, involving 20 hospitals in Korea. RESULTS: Among 1,958 facial dermatoses, 75.9% of patients experienced aggravation or development of new-onset facial dermatoses after wearing masks. In aggravated or newly developed acne patients (543 out of 743), associated factors were healthcare provider, female gender, and a long duration of mask-wearing. Irritating symptoms, xerosis, and hyperpigmentation were more frequently observed in this group. Aggravated or newly developed rosacea patients (515 out of 660) were likely to be female, young, and have a long duration of mask-wearing per day. Seborrheic dermatitis patients who experienced aggravation or de novo development (132 out of 184) were younger, and they more frequently involved the chin and jaw in addition to the nasolabial folds and both cheeks. Contact dermatitis patients (132 out of 147) with aggravation or de novo development tended to be female, involve both cheeks, and complain of pruritus. Aggravated or newly developed atopic dermatitis patients (165 out of 224) were more likely to be female, and had a higher baseline investigator global assessment score before mask-wearing. CONCLUSION: Clinical features and factors related to aggravation were different according to the types of facial dermatoses.

Effect of Dynamic Binaural Beats on Sleep Quality: A Proof-of-Concept Study with Questionnaire and Biosignals.

Binaural beat (BB) has been investigated as a potential modality to enhance sleep quality. In this study, we introduce a new form of BB, referred to as dynamic BB (DBB), which incorporates dynamically changing carrier frequency differences between the left and right ears. Specifically, the carrier frequency of the right ear varied between 100 and 103 Hz over a period, while the left ear remained fixed at 100 Hz, yielding a frequency difference range of 0 to 3 Hz. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of DBB on sleep quality. Ten healthy participants were included in a cross-over design, where they experienced both DBB and a SHAM (absence of sound) condition across two consecutive nights, with polysomnography evaluation. DBB was administrated during pre-sleep initiation, sleep onset, and transition from rapid-eye-movement (REM) to non-REM stage. DBB significantly reduced sleep latency compared to the SHAM condition. Electrocardiogram analysis revealed that exposure to DBB led to diminished heart rate variability during the pre-sleep initiation and sleep onset periods, accompanied by a decrease in low frequency power of heart rate during the sleep onset period. DBB might be effective in improving the sleep quality, suggesting its possible application in insomnia treatments.

Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI Quantification of Altered Vascular Permeability in Autoimmune Encephalitis.

Background Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability change is a possible pathologic mechanism of autoimmune encephalitis. Purpose To evaluate the change in BBB permeability in patients with autoimmune encephalitis as compared with healthy controls by using dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and to explore its predictive value for treatment response in patients. Materials and Methods This single-center retrospective study included consecutive patients with probable or possible autoimmune encephalitis and healthy controls who underwent DCE MRI between April 2020 and May 2021. Automatic volumetric segmentation was performed on three-dimensional T1-weighted images, and volume transfer constant (Ktrans) values were calculated at encephalitis-associated brain regions. Ktrans values were compared between the patients and controls, with adjustment for age and sex with use of a nonparametric approach. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed to compare Ktrans values of the good (improvement in modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score of at least two points or achievement of an mRS score of ≤2) and poor (improvement in mRS score of less than two points and achievement of an mRS score >2) treatment response groups among the patients. Results Thirty-eight patients with autoimmune encephalitis (median age, 38 years [IQR, 29-59 years]; 20 [53%] female) and 17 controls (median age, 71 years [IQR, 63-77 years]; 12 [71%] female) were included. All brain regions showed higher Ktrans values in patients as compared with controls (P < .001). The median difference in Ktrans between the patients and controls was largest in the right parahippocampal gyrus (25.1 × 10-4 min-1 [95% CI: 17.6, 43.4]). Among patients, the poor treatment response group had higher baseline Ktrans values in both cerebellar cortices (P = .03), the left cerebellar cortex (P = .02), right cerebellar cortex (P = .045), left cerebral cortex (P = .045), and left postcentral gyrus (P = .03) than the good treatment response group. Conclusion DCE MRI demonstrated that BBB permeability was increased in all brain regions in patients with autoimmune encephalitis as compared with controls, and baseline Ktrans values were higher in patients with poor treatment response in the cerebellar cortex, left cerebral cortex, and left postcentral gyrus as compared with the good response group. © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Filippi and Rocca in this issue.

Risk of major adverse cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality among patients with psoriatic disease treated with tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-12/23 inhibitors: a nationwide population-based cohort study in Korea.

PURPOSE: Few studies have investigated the impact of biologics on the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) among Korean patients with psoriatic diseases. We compared the risk of MACEs and all-cause mortality among patients with psoriatic disease treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-12/23 inhibitors in Korea. METHODS: Patients with psoriatic disease prescribed with TNF-α and IL-12/23 inhibitors since 2016 were selected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) Database. Follow-up data for MACEs and all-cause mortality between 2016 and 2020 were collected. A total of 2886 individuals were included, including 1987 IL-12/23 inhibitor users and 899 TNF-α inhibitor users. RESULTS: Compared with IL-12/23 inhibitor users, TNF-α inhibitor users had a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia and a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality but not MACE. After controlling for age, female TNF-α inhibitor users had a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality. Meanwhile, after controlling for sex, TNF-α inhibitor users aged 60 years or older demonstrated a significantly elevated risk of all-cause mortality. In conclusion, No statistically significant difference in MACE risk was observed between patients who used TNF-α and IL-12/23 inhibitors. Nevertheless, the use of IL-12/23 inhibitors, especially among older and female patients, resulted in a lower overall mortality.

Adverse Effects of Avobenzone on Boar Sperm Function: Disruption of Protein Kinase A Activity and Tyrosine Phosphorylation.

Avobenzone (AVO), an ultraviolet (UV) filter, is frequently used as an ingredient in personal cosmetics. This UV filter has been found to be easily exposed in swimming pools and beaches, and it has been detected in human urine and blood. Moreover, numerous studies have demonstrated that AVO exhibits endocrine-disrupting properties. Nevertheless, the effects of AVO on male fertility have not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of AVO on various sperm functions during capacitation. First, boar spermatozoa were treated with various AVO concentrations. After treatment, sperm motility and kinetic characteristics, capacitation status, intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, and sperm viability were evaluated. Moreover, Western blot analysis w.as conducted to evaluate protein kinase A (PKA) activity and tyrosine phosphorylation. As a result, AVO treatment significantly decreased total motility, progressive motility, and several kinetic characteristics at high concentrations (50 and 100 µM). Furthermore, the capacitation status dose-dependently decreased. Conversely, no significant differences in acrosome reaction, cell viability, and intracellular ATP levels were observed. However, the intracellular ATP level tended to decrease. In addition, AVO dose-dependently induced abnormal changes in PKA activity and tyrosine phosphorylation. Although AVO did not directly exert a toxic effect on cell viability, it ultimately negatively affected sperm functions through abnormal alterations in PKA activity and tyrosine phosphorylation. Thus, the potential implications on male fertility must be considered when contemplating the safe utilization of AVO.

Application of sperm motion kinematics and motility-related proteins for prediction of male fertility.

The selection of superior sires is paramount for enhancing the efficiency of animal production in the livestock industry. However, semen quality assessment still relies on conventional semen analysis techniques in both animals and humans. Despite extensive efforts to develop various biomarkers for more accurate and precise predictions of male fertility potential, more effective physiological indicators and advance potential biomarkers are needed. Herein, we aimed to develop new potential biomarkers related to sperm motion kinematics for male fertility prediction. We first evaluated sperm motion kinematic parameters and expression levels of sperm motility-related proteins of 30 Duroc boars. We then explored the correlation between litter size, sperm motion kinematics parameters, and sperm motility-related proteins. Progressive sperm motility (%), rapid sperm motility (%), slow sperm motility (%), straight-line velocity (µm/s), linearity (%), beat cross frequency (Hz), mean angular displacement (degree), wobble (%) were correlated with litter size. Furthermore, the expression of axonemal dynein light intermediate polypeptide 1 (DNALI1) and radial spoke head protein 9 homolog (RSPH9) correlated with litter size. The overall accuracy exceeded 60% for predicting litter size using these sperm motion parameters and proteins. Notably, our study observed an increase in litter size after predicting litter size using these parameters and proteins. Thus, sperm motion kinematic parameters and protein expression, particularly of DNALI1 and RSPH9, could serve as new biomarkers for male fertility. These results may contribute to improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying sperm motility.

Application of plasma circulating KRAS mutations as a predictive biomarker for targeted treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations in circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) have been reported as representative noninvasive prognostic markers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, we aimed to evaluate single KRAS mutations as prognostic and predictive biomarkers, with an emphasis on potential therapeutic approaches to PDAC. A total of 128 patients were analyzed for multiple or single KRAS mutations (G12A, G12C, G12D, G12R, G12S, G12V, and G13D) in their tumors and plasma using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR). Overall, KRAS mutations were detected by multiplex ddPCR in 119 (93%) of tumor DNA and 68 (53.1%) of ctDNA, with a concordance rate of 80% between plasma ctDNA and tumor DNA in the metastatic stage, which was higher than the 44% in the resectable stage. Moreover, the prognostic prediction of both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was more relevant using plasma ctDNA than tumor DNA. Further, we evaluated the selective tumor-suppressive efficacy of the KRAS G12C inhibitor sotorasib in a patient-derived organoid (PDO) from a KRAS G12C-mutated patient using a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model. Sotorasib showed selective inhibition in vitro and in vivo with altered tumor microenvironment, including fibroblasts and macrophages. Collectively, screening for KRAS single mutations in plasma ctDNA and the use of preclinical models of PDO and PDX with genetic mutations would impact precision medicine in the context of PDAC.

Comparison of metabolic and neurological comorbidities in Asian patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

Although various comorbidities have been noted to be associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis, few studies have compared comorbidities between the two diseases, and little is known about whether these comorbidities vary by the subtypes of psoriasis. In this study of 1:1 age- and sex-matched pair analysis between patients diagnosed with either psoriasis or AD at Asan Medical Center between 1991 and 2020, comorbidities, as determined by the International Classification of Diseases-10 codes, and likelihood ratios of metabolic and neurologic comorbidities in psoriasis compared with AD were studied using a logistic regression model. Among a total of 14,128 patients, the psoriasis group had higher odds of obesity (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.49 [1.34-1.66]), hypertension (1.14 [1.03-1.26]), diabetes mellitus (1.46 [1.29-1.66]), chronic kidney disease (1.59 [1.22-2.08]), and Parkinson's disease (2.1 [1.15-3.83]) than the AD group. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with plaque psoriasis had higher odds of obesity (1.18 [1.05-1.33]), hypertension (1.18 [1.06-1.32]), diabetes mellitus (1.53 [1.34-1.75]), chronic kidney disease (1.66 [1.26-2.17]), and Parkinson's disease (2.12 [1.16-3.88]) compared with AD. Meanwhile, guttate psoriasis was associated with higher odds of dementia (3.63 [1.06-12.40]) and patients with generalized pustular psoriasis showed higher odds of diabetes mellitus (5.42 [1.56-18.83]) compared with AD. In conclusion, Asian patients with all types of psoriasis should be closely monitored for the development of metabolic and neurologic diseases, especially men and those aged ≥ 40 years.

Comparative Analysis of Autophagy and Apoptosis in Disc Degeneration: Understanding the Dynamics of Temporary-Compression-Induced Early Autophagy and Sustained-Compression-Triggered Apoptosis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the initiation of autophagy activation and apoptosis in nucleus pulposus cells under temporary compression (TC) and sustained compression (SC) to identify ideal research approaches in intervertebral disc degeneration. Various techniques were used: radiography (X-ray), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transmission electron microscope (TEM), H&E staining, Masson's trichrome staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC) (LC3, beclin-1, and cleaved caspase-3), and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for autophagy-related (beclin-1, LC3, and P62) and apoptosis-related (caspase-3 and PARP) gene expression analysis. X-ray and MRI revealed varying degrees of disc degeneration, ranging from moderate to severe in both groups. The severity was directly linked to compression duration, with SC resulting in notably severe central NP cell degeneration. Surprisingly, TC also caused similar, though less severe, degeneration. Elevated expression of LC3 and beclin-1 was identified after 6 weeks, but it notably declined after 12 weeks. Central NP cells in both groups exhibited increased expression of cleaved caspase-3 that was positively correlated with the duration of SC. TC showed fewer apoptotic markers compared to SC. LC3, beclin-1, and P62 mRNA expression peaked after 6 weeks and declined after 12 weeks in both groups. Cleaved caspase-3 and PARP expression peaked in SC, positively correlating with longer compression duration, while TC showed lower levels of apoptosis gene expression. Furthermore, TEM results revealed different events of the autophagic degradation process after 2 weeks of compression. TCmay be ideal for studying early triggered autophagy-mediated degeneration, while SC may be ideal for studying late or slower-triggered apoptosis-mediated degeneration.

Consensus Report on Truncal Acne: The Korean Acne and Rosacea Society Experts Panel.

BACKGROUND: More than half of acne patients have truncal acne on their chest, back, and shoulders. However, since most studies on acne have focused on the face, data on clinical characteristics and proper management for truncal acne are insufficient. OBJECTIVE: To establish a Korean Acne Rosacea Society (KARS) consensus for experts' perception and treatment patterns of truncal acne. METHODS: We conducted two rounds of the Dephi technique to gather expert opinion and reach a consensus on truncal acne. The first round comprised 48 questionnaires focusing on various aspects such as epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and more, while second rounds consisted of 26 questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 36 dermatologists (36/38 KARS members, 94.7%) completed this survey. In the first-round survey, consensus was reached on 20 out of the 48 questions (41.7%). In the second-round questionnaire, consensus was achieved on 9 of the 26 questions (34.6%). The most unresponsive lesion to truncal acne treatment was scars (atrophic/hypertrophic). The most commonly used treatments for each non-inflammatory and inflammatory truncal acne lesions were selected to use topical retinoids (78.1% of the responders) and oral antibiotics (93.8% of the responders). CONCLUSION: Our study has yielded valuable insights into the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life of patients with truncal acne. We anticipate that this study will inspire further comprehensive research for individuals with truncal acne.

Baseline Serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in acral melanoma compared with nonacral melanoma and its prognostic significance.

BACKGROUND: Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), a cutaneous melanoma subtype, exhibits a poorer prognosis than nonacral cutaneous melanoma (NACM). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is emerging as a prognostic indicator across diverse cancers. OBJECTIVE: We explored the baseline NLR disparities between ALM and NACM, and the NLR's prognostic significance in patients with ALM. METHODS: We reviewed records of patients with ALM and NACM diagnosed between 1997 and 2022, analyzing medical data. RESULTS: Among 327 and 159 patients with ALM and NACM, respectively, baseline NLR varied based on distinct clinicopathologic factors between ALM and NACM. In stage 3 to 4 melanomas, the median NLR for ALM (2.18; IQR, 1.70-3.08) significantly surpassed NACM (1.74; IQR, 1.33-2.53) (P = .029). In patients with ALM, high NLR (hazard ratio, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.02-2.66; P = .043) was independently correlated with poor progression-free survival when adjusting for ulceration, Breslow thickness of ≥2 mm, and nodal invasion. LIMITATIONS: Single-center, retrospective design. CONCLUSION: Advanced-stage ALM exhibited a significantly higher baseline NLR compared with that of NACM. Evaluating baseline NLR could provide valuable prognostic insights for patients with ALM.

Effects of the physical structure and surface charge of activated carbon on the reduction of biogenic amines in anchovy fish sauce.

This study aimed to efficiently reduce a large number of biogenic amines in salt-fermented fish sauce while minimizing sensory reduction using various activated carbons. Aromatic amines, such as tryptamine and phenethylamine, were reduced by 86.1-100 % after treating with activated carbon. Histamine with a heterocyclic structure decreased by 13-42 %. No significant effects were observed on the levels of aliphatic amines, putrescine, cadaverine, spermine, and spermidine. The major taste component, amino acid nitrogen, was reduced to within 3 %, and brown color removal was reduced depending on the type of activated carbon used. Acid-modified AC-A and AC-B had rough surfaces, high total acidity, low point of zero charge (pHpzc), and rich surface functional groups. Owing to its smooth surface, low total acidity, high pHpzc, and few surface functional groups, AC-C exhibited a higher histamine elimination and less color reduction despite its lower surface area compared to other activated carbons.