Glucosylceramide flippases contribute to cellular glucosylceramide homeostasis.

Lipid transport is an essential cellular process with importance to human health, disease development, and therapeutic strategies. Type IV P-type ATPases (P4-ATPases) have been identified as membrane lipid flippases by utilizing nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD)-labeled lipids as substrates. Among the 14 human type IV P-type ATPases, ATP10D was shown to flip NBD-glucosylceramide (GlcCer) across the plasma membrane. Here, we found that conversion of incorporated GlcCer (d18:1/12:0) to other sphingolipids is accelerated in cells exogenously expressing ATP10D but not its ATPase-deficient mutant. These findings suggest that 1) ATP10D flips unmodified GlcCer as well as NBD-GlcCer at the plasma membrane and 2) ATP10D can translocate extracellular GlcCer, which is subsequently converted to other metabolites. Notably, exogenous expression of ATP10D led to the reduction in cellular hexosylceramide levels. Moreover, the expression of GlcCer flippases, including ATP10D, also reduced cellular hexosylceramide levels in fibroblasts derived from patients with Gaucher disease, which is a lysosomal storage disorder with excess GlcCer accumulation. Our study highlights the contribution of ATP10D to the regulation of cellular GlcCer levels and maintaining lipid homeostasis.

Examining Utilization of Formal Supports and Related Impacts on Overall Well-Being Among East Asian American Family Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: A Mixed-Methods Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although East Asian American family caregivers are known to underutilize formal support services, there is a lack of evidence regarding the associations of formal service utilization with caregivers' well-being. This study examined the prevalence of different types of home-and community-based formal service utilization among Korean and Chinese American family caregivers of persons with dementia and how utilization of such services was associated with their well-being. We also explored their overall experience in accessing and utilizing formal dementia support services and programs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We employed a convergent mixed-methods study design. In a convenience sampling method, we recruited 62 family caregivers. Logistic regression and thematic analysis were utilized to analyze data. RESULTS: The results showed in-home services were mostly utilized among family caregivers of these ethnic groups. Out of 9 different support services, those who utilized nutrition programs and case management were more likely to report higher overall well-being. Four themes were developed: (1) awareness of formal support services but uncertainty on how to access them, (2) language barriers imposing additional challenges in accessing formal support services, (3) traveling to access culturally appropriate services, and (4) desire for culturally tailored medical and long-term care services. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings from this study suggest the importance of case management services to overcome barriers to accessing and utilizing a wide range of formal support services and provision of culturally appropriate food in formal support services to increase East Asian American family caregivers' utilization of long-term care services.

Lysosomal membrane integrity in fibroblasts derived from patients with Gaucher disease.

Gaucher disease (GD) is a recessively inherited lysosomal storage disorder characterized by a deficiency of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA1). This deficiency results in the accumulation of its substrate, glucosylceramide (GlcCer), within lysosomes. Here, we investigated lysosomal abnormalities in fibroblasts derived from patients with GD. It is noteworthy that the cellular distribution of lysosomes and lysosomal proteolytic activity remained largely unaffected in GD fibroblasts. However, we found that lysosomal membranes of GD fibroblasts were susceptible to damage when exposed to a lysosomotropic agent. Moreover, the susceptibility of lysosomal membranes to a lysosomotropic agent could be partly restored by exogenous expression of wild-type GBA1. Here, we report that the lysosomal membrane integrity is altered in GD fibroblasts, but lysosomal distribution and proteolytic activity is not significantly altered.Key words: glucosylceramide, lysosome, Gaucher disease, lysosomotropic agent.

Asian Americans' and Pacific Islanders' preferences in recruitment strategies and messaging for participation in the CARE registry: A discrete choice experiment.

INTRODUCTION: This discrete choice experiment (DCE) identified Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults' preferences for recruitment strategies/messaging to enroll in the Collaborative Approach for AAPI Research and Education (CARE) registry for dementia-related research. METHODS: DCE recruitment strategy/messaging options were developed in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. AAPI participants 50 years and older selected (1) who, (2) what, and (3) how they would prefer hearing about CARE. Analyses utilized conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Participants self-identified as Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Samoan, or Vietnamese (N = 356). Overall, they preferred learning about CARE from the healthcare community (vs. community champions and faith-based organizations), joining CARE to advance research (vs. personal experiences), and hearing about CARE through social media/instant messaging (vs. flyer or workshop/seminar). Preferences varied by age, ethnic identity, and survey completion language. DISCUSSION: DCE findings may inform tailoring recruitment strategies/messaging to engage diverse AAPI in an aging-focused research registry.

Economic hardships of Korean American family caregivers of persons with dementia: a mixed-methods study.

Objectives. This study examined the relationships between economic hardships (i.e. perceived financial hardship and job interference) and caregiver burden among Korean American family caregivers of persons with dementia and explored their lived experience caring for their loved ones.Methods. Using a mixed-methods research design, we first conducted a survey with 36 Korean American family caregivers. We also conducted semi-structured, in-depth, individual interviews (n = 33) and subsequently compared the results.Results. Cohabiting with their loved ones, the total duration of caregiving, and financial hardship were statistically significant predictors of higher levels of caregiver burden. Our thematic analysis resulted in four themes: (1) financial hardship, (2) early retirement, (3) dual responsibilities contributing to physical and emotional challenges, and (4) a lack of caregiver support.Conclusion. Our findings suggest the importance of developing culturally appropriate interventions that are affordable and accessible to Korean American family caregivers of persons with dementia.

A scoping review of dementia caregiving for Korean Americans and recommendations for future research.

OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aims to examine the caregiving experiences of Korean American caregivers of persons with dementia. METHODS: A comprehensive electronic search was conducted within 5 databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO-ProQuest) for papers published from 01/01/00 -01/24/22. Seventeen articles met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was used to summarize key findings from these papers. RESULTS: Most Korean American dementia caregivers were immigrants and wives/daughters/daughters-in-law. Two themes emerged: 1) how Korean American caregivers perceived their caregiving experiences, and 2) how Korean American caregivers perceived their caregiving support services. Korean American caregivers often experience poor mental health and burden. Social support and familism were found to be two of the most important factors that determine their attitudes toward caregiving. Most reported barriers to utilizing public services. Challenges in finding culturally relevant resources were common. CONCLUSIONS: Dementia caregiving is a significant public health problem facing Korean Americans. Recommendations for future research are provided.

Experience of operating a medical humanities course at one medical school during the COVID-19: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study summarizes the experience of operating a 'Medical Humanities' course, which was taught remotely to maintain activities and discussions at medical schools in Daegu, Korea during the sudden and unexpected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The subjects of this study were 73 first- and 79 second-grade medical students who took the medical humanities (1) and (2) courses among first- and second-grade students of Yeungnam University College of Medicine in 2020. Of the 152 students who agreed to the online survey, 123 completed the survey. Self-, environmental, and program evaluations were conducted on the study subjects, and differences according to grade and gender were analyzed. RESULTS: As a result of the study, a significant difference between self-evaluation and environmental evaluation was confirmed. Self-evaluation was determined to be higher in the first grade than in the second grade. The environmental evaluation showed that male students were more satisfied than female students and students generally had difficulties in the classroom environment. Of the applications used in class, the highest satisfaction was observed with KakaoTalk (Kakao Corp.) and Zoom (Zoom Video Communications Inc.). At the end of COVID-19, the students preferred online classes. CONCLUSION: If the learning environment for online classes is well prepared and systematic provisions are made, such as class operations that are suitable for the subject, effective education and learning can be achieved by taking advantage of both face-to-face and online classes.

Comparing the demographics and laboratory biomarkers of the COVID-19 Omicron wave and the Alpha wave in a predominantly Afro-Caribbean patient population in New York City.

BACKGROUND: There is a knowledge gap of specific characteristics linked to disease severity of the different COVID-19 waves, especially in underserved populations. We compared the demographic and clinical factors associated with SARS-CoV-2-infected patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during the Omicron and Alpha waves. METHODS: An observational study comparing two COVID-19 waves was conducted in Brooklyn, NY. Twenty-seven ICU admitted patients with a positive COVID-19 test result during the period of November 1, 2021, to January 31, 2022, ("Omicron wave") were compared to 271 COVID-19 patients who received ICU consults during the Alpha wave, the period from March 28, 2020, to April 30, 2020. RESULTS: The Omicron wave had a 55.6% mortality rate compared to a 67.2% mortality rate in the Alpha wave. For the non-survivors, there were more females (66.7%) in the Omicron wave, while the trend was reversed in the Alpha wave (38.5%). Most of the patients seen were Black (> 85%) in both waves. A bivariate comparison of the two waves found that patients in the Omicron wave had overall significantly lower ALT levels (p = 0.03) and higher monocyte % (p = 0.005) compared to the patients in the Alpha wave. In the multivariate analysis, adjusting for age and sex, increasing levels of HCO3- were significantly associated with reduced mortality in the Omicron wave (OR: 0.698; 95% CI: 0.516 - 0.945; p = 0.02). Also, multivariable analyses using both waves combined found that neutrophil % was significantly associated with increased mortality (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.09; p = 0.006) while lymphocyte % was significantly associated with reduced mortality (OR: 0.946; 95% CI: 0.904 - 0.990; p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19-positive ICU patients in the Omicron wave experienced less severe outcomes than those of the Alpha wave. In contrast to the Alpha variant, the Omicron variant exhibited enhanced infectivity and disease severity in females.

Phosphatidylserine exposure modulates adhesion GPCR BAI1 (ADGRB1) signaling activity.

Brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1 (BAI1; also called ADGRB1 or B1) is an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor known from studies on macrophages to bind to phosphatidylserine (PS) on apoptotic cells via its N-terminal thrombospondin repeats. A separate body of work has shown that B1 regulates postsynaptic function and dendritic spine morphology via signaling pathways involving Rac and Rho. However, it is unknown if PS binding by B1 has any effect on the receptor's signaling activity. To shed light on this subject, we studied G protein-dependent signaling by B1 in the absence and presence of coexpression with the PS flippase ATP11A in human embryonic kidney 293T cells. ATP11A expression reduced the amount of PS exposed extracellularly and also strikingly reduced the signaling activity of coexpressed full-length B1 but not a truncated version of the receptor lacking the thrombospondin repeats. Further experiments with an inactive mutant of ATP11A showed that the PS flippase function of ATP11A was required for modulation of B1 signaling. In coimmunoprecipitation experiments, we made the surprising finding that ATP11A not only modulates B1 signaling but also forms complexes with B1. Parallel studies in which PS in the outer leaflet was reduced by an independent method, deletion of the gene encoding the endogenous lipid scramblase anoctamin 6 (ANO6), revealed that this manipulation also markedly reduced B1 signaling. These findings demonstrate that B1 signaling is modulated by PS exposure and suggest a model in which B1 serves as a PS sensor at synapses and in other cellular contexts.

Effectiveness of an integrative medicine approach to improve cognitive dysfunction and dementia: An observational study.

Despite the urgent need to control dementia, an effective treatment has yet to be developed. Along with the Korean government's policy of cooperation between conventional medicine (CM) and Korean medicine (KM), integrative medical services for dementia patients are being provided. This study aimed to compare the integrative medical clinic (IMC) for dementia used by Dongguk University Hospitals (DUH) with other service models and to review the characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients who had visited DUH over the past 5 years. Patients' electronic medical records from May 2015 to June 2020 were searched and their data were analyzed to evaluate the IMC's service model. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics, diagnostic tests, and treatment patterns for CM and KM were collected. The proportion of patients who did not show worsening cognitive function was described in detail. A strength of the DUH integrative medicine clinic is its ability to manage both KM and CM patients in the same space at the same time. Among the 82 patients who visited the clinic during our study period, 56 remained for data analysis after we excluded patients who met the exclusion criteria; nineteen patients had diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment. Among collaboration patterns, the first visit to the IMC had the highest proportion (55.4%). Among diagnosed tests in CM, laboratory tests and neuropsychological tests were used the most. In KM, a heart rate variability test was frequently used. The most common CM treatment prescribed was anticonvulsants, with 22 patients (39.2%) receiving donepezil, whereas the most frequent KM treatments were acupuncture (82.1%) and herbal medicine (78.6%). Twelve patients were followed up with the Mini-Mental State Examination, and 8 demonstrated either no worsening or improved cognition (baseline Mini-Mental State Examination range: 21-26). All 8 patients had mild cognitive impairment including 6 with amnestic, multidomain impairment. This study searched for a way to improve cognitive dysfunction and dementia using an integrative approach, and it shows promising results for mild cognitive impairment. However, more precisely designed follow-up studies are needed to address the present work's limitations of a retrospective study design and a small sample size.

Identifying the white matter structural network of motor reserve in early Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Motor reserve refers to the individual capacity to cope with nigrostriatal dopamine depletion in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to explore the white matter structural network associated with motor reserve in patients with newly diagnosed PD. METHODS: A total of 238 patients with early-stage drug-naïve PD who underwent 18F-FP-CIT PET and brain MRI scans at initial assessment were enrolled. We estimated individual motor reserve based on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS-III) scores and dopamine transporter availability in the posterior putamen using a residual model. Then, we performed threshold-free network-based statistics (TFNBS) analysis to identify the structural brain network associated with the estimated motor reserve. We also assessed the effect of the network connectivity strength on the longitudinal increase in levodopa-equivalent dose (LED). RESULTS: The mean age at PD symptom onset was 69.10 ± 9.03 years and the mean UPDRS-III score at the time of PD diagnosis was 22.44 ± 9.72. TFNBS analysis identified a motor reserve-associated structural network whose nodes were mainly in the frontal region and cerebellum. Higher network strength (i.e., greater motor reserve) was associated with a slower longitudinal increase in LED during a 3-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The structural brain network is associated with motor reserve in patients with PD. Connectivity strength within the identified network indicates the individual's capacity to tolerate PD-related pathologies, which is maintained with disease progression and affects the long-term motor prognosis of PD.

Regulatory Roles of N- and C-Terminal Cytoplasmic Regions of P4-ATPases.

P4-ATPases, which are subfamily members of P-type ATPase superfamily, translocate membrane lipids from the exoplasmic/luminal leaflet to the cytoplasmic leaflet, thus regulating trans-bilayer lipid asymmetry. Mammalian P4-ATPases localize to the specific subcellular organelles or the plasma membrane where they translocate the specific lipids. Although recent advances in the structural analysis of P4-ATPases have improved our understanding of lipid transporting machinery, the mechanism of substrate specificity and the regulatory mechanism of the enzymes remain largely unknown. Recent studies have uncovered several specific localization and regulatory mechanisms of P4-ATPases. Here, we review the current understanding of the regulatory mechanism of P4-ATPase activity and localization in mammalian cells.

Postoperative propofol bolus treatment did not affect recovery time in patients with emergence agitation after sevoflurane anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing strabismus surgery: Prospective nonrandomized case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of emergence agitation (EA) after sevoflurane anesthesia is high, especially in pediatric strabismus surgery. However, research thus far has focused on the pharmacological prophylaxis of EA and administering drugs to pediatric patients without EA is problematic. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of propofol after sevoflurane anesthesia affects recovery time in patients with EA. METHODS: After obtaining informed written consent, 113 children (aged 2-12 years) with the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status of I or II who underwent strabismus surgery were enrolled. Patients were divided into 2 groups; upon arrival at the postanesthetic care unit (PACU), patients who had EA (pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium [PAED] scale score ≥14) were treated with 1.0 mg/kg 1% propofol (group P: n = 30). Patients who did not have EA (PAED scale score <14, group C: n = 83) were taken care of in the PACU without propofol administration. RESULTS: There was no difference in the PAED scale scores between the 2 groups from 10 minutes to discharge from the PACU (P > .05). There was no difference in PACU stay time between the 2 groups (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that propofol administration for intense EA alleviated EA symptoms and prevented an increase in the duration of PACU stay due to EA in children undergoing strabismus surgery under sevoflurane anesthesia.

Risk Assessment and Evaluation of Analytical Method of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) for Deep-Fat Fried Pork Products in Korea.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced during incomplete combustion of organic matter. Many of them are likely to be carcinogenic and cause mutations. In this study, the PAH4 (benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), benz[a]anthracene (BaA), chrysene (CHR), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF)) content in deep-fat fried pork was evaluated according to temperature and time, and a risk assessment was conducted. The high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) method for PAH4 analysis was validated by determining linearity (R2), recovery, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantitation (LOQ). The linearity was R2 ≥ 0.99. The PAH4 level was dependent on the temperature, time, and nature of the edible oil. Before heat treatment, the PAH4 content of pork was 0.38 µg/kg. The PAH4 content of deep-fat fried pork ranged from 0.86 to 6.86 µg/kg according to temperature (160, 180, 200 °C) and time (3, 6, 9 min). Exposure to PAH4 via the consumption of deep-fat fried pork for different age groups among the Korean population was 0.01-0.89 µg-TEQBaP/kg/day, with the margin of exposure calculated as 7.88 × 104-5.22 × 106. The PAH4 content and risk of exposure increased proportionally with the heat treatment temperature and time. The survey provided important information in terms of evaluating the health risks that PAH compounds can cause in people's diets due to the heat treatment of pork.

Sestrin2 protects against cholestatic liver injury by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis.

Chronic exposure to bile acid in the liver due to impaired bile flow induces cholestatic liver disease, resulting in hepatotoxicity and liver fibrosis. Sestrin2, a highly conserved, stress-inducible protein, has been implicated in cellular responses to multiple stress conditions and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. However, its role in cholestatic liver injury is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the role of hepatic Sestrin2 in cholestatic liver injury and its underlying mechanisms using in vivo and in vitro approaches. Hepatic Sestrin2 expression was upregulated by activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-ß (C/EBP-ß) after treatment with bile acids and correlated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses. Bile-duct ligation (BDL)-induced hepatocellular apoptosis and liver fibrosis were exacerbated in Sestrin2-knockout (Sesn2-/-) mice. Moreover, Sestrin2 deficiency enhanced cholestasis-induced hepatic ER stress, whereas Sestrin2 overexpression ameliorated bile acid-induced ER stress. Notably, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin and the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator AICAR reversed bile acid-induced ER stress in Sestrin2-deficient cells. Furthermore, Sestrin2 deficiency promoted cholestasis-induced hepatic pyroptosis by activating NLRP3 inflammasomes. Thus, our study provides evidence for the biological significance of Sestrin2 and its relationship with cholestatic liver injury, suggesting the potential role of Sestrin2 in regulating ER stress and inflammasome activation during cholestatic liver injury.

A Comparison of the Anesthetic Methods for Recurrence Rates of Bladder Cancer after Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumors Using National Health Insurance Claims Data of South Korea.

Bladder cancers have high recurrence rates and are usually removed via transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Recently, some reports showed that the anesthetic method may affect the recurrence rates of bladder cancers. The purpose of this population-based study was to compare the effect of anesthetic methods with the recurrence rates of bladder cancers in South Korea. A total of 4439 patients were reviewed retrospectively using the data of the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) claims database from January 2007 to December 2011. Patients were divided into 2 groups who received general (n = 3767) and regional anesthesia (n = 582), and were followed up until September 2017. Propensity score matching was conducted to reduce the effect of confounding factors. After using propensity score matching with a multivariable Cox regression model, age (p < 0.001), sex (p < 0.001), hypertension (p = 0.003), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.001), and renal disease (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with bladder cancer recurrence. However, there were no significant differences in the recurrence rates of bladder cancers in patients who received general anesthesia and spinal anesthesia for TURBTs. This study revealed that there is no relationship between the anesthetic method and bladder cancer recurrence. Either general anesthesia or regional anesthesia can be used depending on the situation in patients receiving TURBT. Future prospective studies are warranted to confirm the association between the anesthetic method and the recurrence rates of bladder cancer.

Postoperative hypoalbuminemia is an independent predictor of 1-year mortality after surgery for geriatric intertrochanteric femoral fracture: A retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT: Preoperative hypoalbuminemia from malnutrition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality after geriatric hip fracture surgery. However, little is known regarding the correlation between postoperative hypoalbuminemia and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate whether postoperative hypoalbuminemia could predict 1-year mortality after intertrochanteric femoral fracture surgery in elderly patients.The medical records of 263 geriatric patients (age ≥65 years) who underwent intertrochanteric femoral fracture surgery between January 2013 and January 2016 in a single hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were allocated to 2 groups based on lowest serum albumin levels within 2 postoperative days (≥3.0 g/dL [group 1, n = 46] and <3.0 g/dL [group 2, n = 217]. Data between the non-survival and survival groups were compared. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent predictor for 1-year mortality.The 1-year mortality rate was 16.3% after intertrochanteric femoral fracture surgery. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that postoperative hypoalbuminemia was significantly associated with 1-year mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 8.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-47.09; P = .021). The non-survival group showed a significantly increased incidence of postoperative hypoalbuminemia (95.4% vs 80.0%, P = .015) and intensive care unit admission (11.6% vs 2.7%, P = .020), older age (82.5 ±â€Š5.8 years vs 80.0 ±â€Š7.2 years, P = .032), lower body mass index (20.1 ±â€Š3.2 kg/m2 vs 22.4 ±â€Š3.8 kg/m2, P < .001), and increased amount of transfusion of perioperative red blood cells (1.79 ±â€Š1.47 units vs 1.43 ±â€Š2.08 units, P = .032), compared to the survival group.This study demonstrated that postoperative hypoalbuminemia is a potent predictor of 1-year mortality in geriatric patients undergoing intertrochanteric femoral fracture surgery. Therefore, exogenous albumin administration can be considered to improve postoperative outcomes and reduce the risk of mortality after surgery for geriatric hip fracture.

The interaction of ATP11C-b with ezrin contributes to its polarized localization.

ATP11C, a member of the P4-ATPase family, translocates phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine at the plasma membrane. We previously revealed that its C-terminal splice variant ATP11C-b exhibits polarized localization in motile cell lines, such as MDA-MB-231 and Ba/F3. In the present study, we found that the C-terminal cytoplasmic region of ATP11C-b interacts specifically with ezrin. Notably, the LLxY motif in the ATP11C-b C-terminal region is crucial for its interaction with ezrin as well as its polarized localization on the plasma membrane. A constitutively active, C-terminal phosphomimetic mutant of ezrin was colocalized with ATP11C-b in polarized motile cells. ATP11C-b was partially mislocalized in cells depleted of ezrin alone, and exhibited greater mislocalization in cells simultaneously depleted of the family members ezrin, radixin and moesin (ERM), suggesting that ERM proteins, particularly ezrin, contribute to the polarized localization of ATP11C-b. Furthermore, Atp11c knockout resulted in C-terminally phosphorylated ERM protein mislocalization, which was restored by exogenous expression of ATP11C-b but not ATP11C-a. These observations together indicate that the polarized localizations of ATP11C-b and the active form of ezrin to the plasma membrane are interdependently stabilized.

Optimization of Protein Isolation and Label-Free Quantitative Proteomic Analysis in Four Different Tissues of Korean Ginseng.

Korean ginseng is one of the most valuable medicinal plants worldwide. However, our understanding of ginseng proteomics is largely limited due to difficulties in the extraction and resolution of ginseng proteins because of the presence of natural contaminants such as polysaccharides, phenols, and glycosides. Here, we compared four different protein extraction methods, namely, TCA/acetone, TCA/acetone-MeOH/chloroform, phenol-TCA/acetone, and phenol-MeOH/chloroform methods. The TCA/acetone-MeOH/chloroform method displayed the highest extraction efficiency, and thus it was used for the comparative proteome profiling of leaf, root, shoot, and fruit by a label-free quantitative proteomics approach. This approach led to the identification of 2604 significantly modulated proteins among four tissues. We could pinpoint differential pathways and proteins associated with ginsenoside biosynthesis, including the methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway, the mevalonate (MVA) pathway, UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs), and oxidoreductases (CYP450s). The current study reports an efficient and reproducible method for the isolation of proteins from a wide range of ginseng tissues and provides a detailed organ-based proteome map and a more comprehensive view of enzymatic alterations in ginsenoside biosynthesis.

Effect of Soybean and Soybean Koji on Obesity and Dyslipidemia in Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet: A Comparative Study.

Soybean koji refers to steamed soybeans inoculated with microbial species. Soybean fermentation improves the health benefits of soybeans. Obesity is a serious health concern owing to its increasing incidence rate and high association with other metabolic diseases. Therefore, we investigated the effects of soybean and soybean koji on high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats. Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8/group) as follows: (1) regular diet (RD), (2) high-fat diet (HFD), (3) HFD + steamed soybean (HFD+SS), and (4) HFD + soybean koji (HFD+SK). SK contained more free amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids than SS. In a rat model of obesity, SK consumption significantly alleviated the increase in weight of white adipose tissue and mRNA expression of lipogenic genes, whereas SS consumption did not. Both SS and SK reduced serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. SS and SK also inhibited lipid accumulation in the liver and white adipose tissue and reduced adipocyte size. Although both SS and SK could alleviate HFD-induced dyslipidemia, SK has better anti-obesity effects than SS by regulating lipogenesis. Overall, SK is an excellent functional food that may prevent obesity.