ABSTRACT
In this study, the fermentation characteristics and functional properties of lactic acid bacteria-malted vinegar (LAB-MV) were investigated during the fermentation period. Changes in the components (organic acids, free sugars, free amino acids, ß-glucan, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)) of MV (BWAF0d, BWAF10d, BWAF20d) and LAB-MV (LBWAF0d, LBWAF10d, LBWAF20d) were analyzed according to the fermentation time. The amounts of ß-glucan and GABA in LBWAF20d were greater than those in BWAF20d (122.00 µg/mL, 83.06 µg/mL and 531.00 µg/mL, 181.31 µg/mL, respectively). The ACE1 and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory activities of LBWAF20d were 98.16% (1/20 dilution factor, DF) and 91.01% (1/25 DF), respectively. The lipid accumulation ratio and total cholesterol levels in HepG2 cells treated with LBWAF20d (1/200 DF) were reduced by 45.85% and 54.48%, respectively, compared to those in the untreated group. These results suggest that LAB-MV, which comprises barley wine manufactured from LAB and yeast, may improve hepatic lipid metabolism.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The underlying mechanism of atopic dermatitis (AD) exacerbated by Staphylococcus aureus has not been established. However, we demonstrated recently that the majority of S. aureus strains colonized in the skin of Korean AD patients carried genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and/or toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of staphylococcal superantigen, SEA in AD. METHODS: With the lesional skin of 9 AD patients and normal looking skin of one healthy adult, we examined first the expression of SEA, staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), and TSST-1 using immunohistochemical analysis. In addition, we investigated the effects of SEA on the expression of inflammation-related adhesion molecules and cytokines in human HaCaT keratinocytes and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Staphylococcal protein A (SPA) and SEA were detected with increased immunoreactivity in AD patients. However, TSST-1 showed mild-to-moderate immunoreactivity in AD patients, whereas SEB was minimally detected. In the double immunofluorescence investigation, SEA and SPA were well co-localized. SEA induced upregulation of adhesion molecules and elicited inflammatory responses in HaCaT keratinocytes and HUVECs. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the importance of SEA as an immunoinflammatory triggering factor of AD in Koreans.
