Publications by authors named "Hiromi Shimakawa"

Excessive alcohol use often results in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). An early change in the liver due to excessive drinking is hepatic steatosis, which may ultimately progress to hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Among these debilitating processes, hepatic steatosis is reversible with the appropriate treatment.

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We studied the epigenetic regulation of how black carrot extract (BCE) protects against ethanol-induced hepatic damage. We have shown that the butanol-extracted fraction of BCE (BCE-BuOH) increased intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels by suppressing the expression of phosphodiesterase 4b (PDE4b); however, the detailed mechanism remains to be elucidated. We focused on changes in histone modifications involved in the suppression of pde4 expression.

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To enhance water solubility of 10-undecylenic acid, which has anti-fungus, anti-bacterial and anti-virus activity, D-glucose, trehalose and sucrose were regioselectively esterified with vinyl 10-undecylenic acid ester in dimethyl formamide by a commercial protease, Bioprase conc., from Bacillus subtilis. 6-O-(10-Undecylenoyl) D-glucose, 6-O-(10-undecylenoyl) trehalose and 1'-O-(10-undecylenoyl) sucrose were obtained.

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