BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Curcumin is a well-known phytochemical with antiinflammatory effects. Heat shock protein (HSP) 70, an intracellular chaperone, inhibits proinflammatory signaling activation. Although curcumin has been shown to induce HSP70 expression in various cell types, whether HSP70 mediates the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin in mature adipocytes remains unclear.MATERIALS/METHODS: To assess the role of HSP70 in regulating the anti-inflammatory response to curcumin in adipocytes, fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with curcumin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and/or the HSP70 inhibitor pifithrin-μ (PFT-μ). The expression levels of HSP70 and proinflammatory cytokines were then measured. RESULTS: Curcumin upregulated HSP70 expression at both protein and mRNA levels and attenuated LPS-induced Il6, Ptx3, and Ccl2> mRNA upregulation. PFT-μ tended to exacerbate the LPS-induced upregulation of Il6, Ptx3,Ccl2>, and Tnfa mRNA expression. However, on curcumin pretreatment, the tendency of PFT-μ to upregulate LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokine expression decreased or disappeared. CONCLUSION These results indicate that HSP70 is involved in the regulation of inflammatory responses but may not be crucial for the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Here, we report on a 20-year-old patient with a primary nonseminomatous mediastinal germ cell tumor (MGCT) who developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) 2 months following chemotherapy with cisplatin, etoposide, ifosfamide, and paclitaxel. Bone marrow examinations revealed that the MDS was a refractory anemia with excess type II blasts and complex chromosomal abnormalities. With the onset of MDS occurring rapidly following chemotherapy, it is unlikely to have been caused by the therapy. We discuss the association between primary nonseminomatous MGCTs and hematological malignancies, including the possibility of a common clonal origin.
Anemia, Refractory ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy* ; Etoposide ; Germ Cells* ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Ifosfamide ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Paclitaxel ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Korean pine nut oil (PNO) has been reported to suppress appetite by increasing satiety hormone release. However, previous studies have rendered inconsistent results and there is lack of information on whether dietary Korean PNO affects the expression of satiety hormone receptors and hypothalamic neuropeptides. Therefore, our study sought to evaluate the chronic effects of Korean PNO on the long-term regulation of energy balance.MATERIALS/METHODS: Five-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed with control diets containing 10% kcal fat from Korean PNO or soybean oil (SBO) (PC or SC) or high-fat diets (HFDs) containing 35% kcal fat from lard and 10% kcal fat from Korean PNO or SBO (PHFD or SHFD) for 12 weeks. The expression of gastrointestinal satiety hormone receptors, hypothalamic neuropeptides, and genes related to intestinal lipid absorption and adipose lipid metabolism was then measured. RESULTS: There was no difference in the daily food intake between PNO- and SBO-fed mice; however, the PC and PHFD groups accumulated 30% and 18% less fat compared to SC and SHFD, respectively. Korean PNO-fed mice exhibited higher messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Ghsr (ghrelin receptor) and ,Agrp (agouti-related peptide) (P < 0.05), which are expressed when energy consumption is low to induce appetite as well as the appetitesuppressing neuropeptides Pomc and Cartpt (P = 0.079 and 0.056, respectively). Korean PNO downregulated jejunal Cd36 and epididymal Lpl mRNA expressions, which could suppress intestinal fatty acid absorption and fat storage in white adipose tissue. Consistent with these findings, Korean PNO-fed mice had higher levels of fecal non-esterified fatty acid excretion. Korean PNO also tended to downregulate jejunal Apoa4 and upregulate epididymal Adrb3 mRNA levels, suggesting that PNO may decrease chylomicron synthesis and induce lipolysis. CONCLUSIONS In summary, Korean PNO attenuated body fat accumulation, and appeared to prevent HFD-induced dysregulation of the hypothalamic appetite-suppressing pathway.

Purpose: Body adiposity is negatively correlated with hepatic iron status, and Korean pine nut oil (PNO) has been reported to reduce adiposity. Therefore, we aimed to study the effects of PNO on adiposity, hepatic mineral status, and the expression of genes and proteins involved in iron absorption. Methods: Five-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed a control diet containing 10% kcal from PNO (PC) or soybean oil (SBO; SC), or a high-fat diet (HFD) containing 35% kcal from lard and 10% kcal from PNO (PHFD) or SBO (SHFD). Hepatic iron, copper, and zinc content; and expression of genes and proteins related to iron absorption were measured. Results: HFD-fed mice had a higher white fat mass (2-fold; p < 0.001), lower hepatic iron content (25% lower; p < 0.001), and lower hepatic Hamp (p = 0.028) and duodenal Dcytb mRNA levels (p = 0.037) compared to the control diet-fed mice. Hepatic iron status was negatively correlated with body weight (r = −0.607, p < 0.001) and white fat mass (r = −0.745, p < 0.001). Although the PHFD group gained less body weight (18% less; p < 0.05) and white fat mass (18% less; p < 0.05) than the SHFD group, the hepatic iron status impaired by the HFD feeding did not improve. The expression of hepatic and duodenal ferroportin protein was not affected by the fat amount or the oil type. PNO-fed mice had significantly lower Slc11a2 (p = 0.022) and Slc40a1 expression (p = 0.027) compared to SBO-fed mice. However, the PC group had a higher Heph expression than the SC group (p < 0.05). The hepatic copper and zinc content did not differ between the four diet groups, but hepatic copper content adjusted by body weight was significantly lower in the HFD-fed mice compared to the control diet-fed mice. Conclusion HFD-induced obesity decreased hepatic iron storage by affecting the regulation of genes related to iron absorption; however, the 18% less white fat mass in the PHFD group was not enough to improve the iron status compared to the SHFD group. The hepatic copper and zinc status was not altered by the fat amount or the oil type.

Purpose: Although activating thermogenic adipocytes is a promising strategy to reduce the risk of obesity and related metabolic disorders, emerging evidence suggests that it is difficult to induce adipocyte thermogenesis in obesity. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the regulation of adipocyte thermogenesis in diet-induced obesity. Methods: Adipose progenitor cells were isolated from the white and brown adipose tissues of control diet (CD) or high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice, and fully differentiated white and brown adipocytes were treated with β-agonists or 18-carbon fatty acids for β-adrenergic activation or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activation. Results: Compared to the CD-fed mice, the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) was lower in the white adipose tissue of the HFD-fed mice; however, this was not observed in the brown adipose tissue. The expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg) was lower in the brown adipose progenitor cells isolated from HFD-fed mice than in those isolated from the CD-fed mice. Norepinephrine (NE) treatment exerted lesser effect on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator (Pgc1a) upregulation in white adipocytes derived from HFD-fed mice than those derived from CD-fed mice. Regardless which 18-carbon fatty acids were treated, the expression levels of thermogenic genes including Ucp1, Pgc1a, and positive regulatory domain zinc finger region protein 16 (Prdm16) were higher in the white adipocytes derived from HFD-fed mice. Oleic acid (OLA) and γ-linolenic acid (GLA) upregulated Pgc1a expression in white adipocytes derived from HFDfed mice. Brown adipocytes derived from HFD-fed mice had higher expression levels of Pgc1a and Prdm16 compared to their counterparts. Conclusion These results indicate that diet-induced obesity may downregulate brown adipogenesis and NE-induced thermogenesis in white adipocytes. Also, HFD feeding may induce thermogenic gene expression in white and brown primary adipocytes, and OLA and GLA could augment the expression levels.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Consumption of pine nut oil (PNO) was shown to reduce weight gain and attenuate hepatic steatosis in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of PNO on both intestinal and hepatic lipid metabolism in mice fed control or HFD. MATERIALS/METHODS: Five-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed control diets containing 10% energy fat from either Soybean Oil (SBO) or PNO, or HFD containing 15% energy fat from lard and 30% energy fat from SBO or PNO for 12 weeks. Expression of genes related to intestinal fatty acid (FA) uptake and channeling (Cd36, Fatp4, Acsl5, Acbp), intestinal chylomicron synthesis (Mtp, ApoB48, ApoA4), hepatic lipid uptake and channeling (Lrp1, Fatp5, Acsl1, Acbp), hepatic triacylglycerol (TAG) lipolysis and FA oxidation (Atgl, Cpt1a, Acadl, Ehhadh, Acaa1), as well as very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) assembly (ApoB100) were determined by real-time PCR. RESULTS: In intestine, significantly lower Cd36 mRNA expression (P < 0.05) and a tendency of lower ApoA4 mRNA levels (P = 0.07) was observed in PNO-fed mice, indicating that PNO consumption may decrease intestinal FA uptake and chylomicron assembly. PNO consumption tended to result in higher hepatic mRNA levels of Atgl (P = 0.08) and Cpt1a (P = 0.05). Significantly higher hepatic mRNA levels of Acadl and ApoB100 were detected in mice fed PNO diet (P < 0.05). These results suggest that PNO could increase hepatic TAG metabolism; mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and VLDL assembly. CONCLUSIONS: PNO replacement in the diet might function in prevention of excessive lipid uptake by intestine and improve hepatic lipid metabolism in both control diet and HFD fed mice.
Animals ; Apolipoprotein B-48 ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; Intestines ; Lipid Metabolism* ; Lipolysis ; Lipoproteins ; Liver ; Metabolism ; Mice* ; Nuts* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Soybean Oil ; Triglycerides ; Weight Gain

Korean pine nut oil (PNO) has been reported to have favorable effects on lipid metabolism and appetite control. We investigated whether PNO consumption could influence weight gain, and whether the PNO-induced effect would result in an improvement of immune function in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. C57BL/6 mice were fed control diets with 10% energy fat from either PNO or soybean oil (SBO), or HFDs with 45% energy fat from 10% PNO or SBO and 35% lard, 20% PNO or SBO and 25% lard, or 30% PNO or SBO and 15% lard for 12 weeks. The proliferative responses of splenocytes upon stimulation with concanavalin A (Con A) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Con A-stimulated production of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-gamma, and LPS-stimulated production of IL-6, IL-1beta, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by splenocytes were determined. Consumption of HFDs containing PNO resulted in significantly less weight gain (17% less, P < 0.001), and lower weight gain was mainly due to less white adipose tissue (18% less, P = 0.001). The reduction in weight gain did not result in the overall enhancement in splenocyte proliferation. Overall, PNO consumption resulted in a higher production of IL-1beta (P = 0.04). Replacement of SBO with PNO had no effect on the production of IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-6, or PGE2 in mice fed with either the control diets or HFDs. In conclusion, consumption of PNO reduced weight gain in mice fed with HFD, but this effect did not result in the overall improvement in immune responses.
Adipose Tissue, White ; Animals ; Appetite ; Concanavalin A ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; Dietary Fats ; Dinoprostone ; Interferons ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Lipid Metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Obese ; Nuts ; Obesity ; Soybean Oil ; Weight Gain

Background: Stem cell therapies can be a new therapeutic strategy that may rebalance anabolic and anti-resorptive effects in osteoporosis patients. Tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells (TMSCs) can be an alternative therapeutic source for chronic degenerative diseases including osteoporosis. MSCs acquire immune regulatory function under the inflammatory cytokines. Since interleukin (IL) 1β is known to be one of inflammatory cytokines involved in osteoporosis progression, treatment of IL1β with TMSCs may enhance immunomodulatory function and therapeutic effects of TMSCs in osteoporosis. Methods: For IL1β priming, TMSCs were cultured in the presence of the medium containing IL1β for 1 day. Characteristics of IL1β priming TMSCs such as multipotent differentiation properties, anti-inflammatory potential, and suppression of osteoclast differentiation were assessed in vitro. For in vivo efficacy study, IL1β priming TMSCs were intravenously infused twice with ovariectomized (OVX) osteoporosis mouse model, and blood serum and bone parameters from micro computed tomography images were analyzed. Results: IL1β priming TMSCs had an enhanced osteogenic differentiation and secreted factors that regulate both osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis. IL1β priming TMSCs also suppressed proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and decreased expression of Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) in PHA-stimulated PBMCs. Furthermore, osteoclast specific genes such as Nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) were effectively down regulated when co-cultured with IL1β priming TMSCs in RANKL induced osteoclasts. In OVX mice, IL1β priming TMSCs induced low level of serum RANKL/osteoprotegerin (OPG) ratio on the first day of the last administration. Four weeks after the last administration, bone mineral density and serum Gla-osteocalcin were increased in IL1β priming TMSC-treated OVX mice. Furthermore, bone formation and bone resorption markers that had been decreased in OVX mice with low calcium diet were recovered by infusion of IL1β priming TMSCs. Conclusion IL1β priming can endow constant therapeutic efficacy with TMSCs, which may contribute to improve bone density and maintain bone homeostasis in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Therefore, IL1β priming TMSCs can be a new therapeutic option for treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Background: Stem cell therapies can be a new therapeutic strategy that may rebalance anabolic and anti-resorptive effects in osteoporosis patients. Tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells (TMSCs) can be an alternative therapeutic source for chronic degenerative diseases including osteoporosis. MSCs acquire immune regulatory function under the inflammatory cytokines. Since interleukin (IL) 1β is known to be one of inflammatory cytokines involved in osteoporosis progression, treatment of IL1β with TMSCs may enhance immunomodulatory function and therapeutic effects of TMSCs in osteoporosis. Methods: For IL1β priming, TMSCs were cultured in the presence of the medium containing IL1β for 1 day. Characteristics of IL1β priming TMSCs such as multipotent differentiation properties, anti-inflammatory potential, and suppression of osteoclast differentiation were assessed in vitro. For in vivo efficacy study, IL1β priming TMSCs were intravenously infused twice with ovariectomized (OVX) osteoporosis mouse model, and blood serum and bone parameters from micro computed tomography images were analyzed. Results: IL1β priming TMSCs had an enhanced osteogenic differentiation and secreted factors that regulate both osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis. IL1β priming TMSCs also suppressed proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and decreased expression of Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) in PHA-stimulated PBMCs. Furthermore, osteoclast specific genes such as Nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) were effectively down regulated when co-cultured with IL1β priming TMSCs in RANKL induced osteoclasts. In OVX mice, IL1β priming TMSCs induced low level of serum RANKL/osteoprotegerin (OPG) ratio on the first day of the last administration. Four weeks after the last administration, bone mineral density and serum Gla-osteocalcin were increased in IL1β priming TMSC-treated OVX mice. Furthermore, bone formation and bone resorption markers that had been decreased in OVX mice with low calcium diet were recovered by infusion of IL1β priming TMSCs. Conclusion IL1β priming can endow constant therapeutic efficacy with TMSCs, which may contribute to improve bone density and maintain bone homeostasis in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Therefore, IL1β priming TMSCs can be a new therapeutic option for treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.