It is noted that chalcone derivatives have characteristic diverse pharmacological properties, and that precise evidence has been growing that they could regulate a tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induced insulin resistance. The purpose of the present investigation is to elucidate the effects of the identified chalcone derivatives on adipogenesis, and to find the underlying mechanism of action in that case. Consequently, we first investigated whether the chalcone derivatives could affect the identified PPARγ-induced transcriptional activity on the proliferator-activated receptor response elements (PPRE) at target promoters, and find that trans-chalcone most significantly increased the PPARγ -induced transcriptional activity. Additionally, we confirmed that there were up-regulatory effects of trans-chalcone during the adipogenesis and lipid accumulation, and on the mRNA of adipogenic factors in 3T3-L1 cells. Next, we examined the effect of trans-chalcone on the inhibition induced by TNF-α on adipogenesis. To that end, we noted that the treatment with trans-chalcone attenuated the effect of TNF-α mediated secretion of various adipokines that are involved in insulin sensitivity. For this reason, we noted that this study clearly demonstrates that trans-chalcone enhanced adipogenesis, in part, by its potent effect on PPARγ activation and by its reverse effect on TNF-α.

Fluorenylidene chalcone derivatives were synthesized by condensation. The structure of these compounds were ascertained by means of UV, melting point, IR and 1H-NMR spectra. The nucleophilic addition reaction kinetics of Thioglycolic acid to fluorenylidene chalcone was investigate by UV in 20% dioxane-H2O at 25℃. The rate equation which were applied over a wide pH1.0~13.0 range. On the basis of general base catalysis and confirmation of addition reaction product, the nucleophilic addtion reaction kinetics of thioglycolic acid to fluorenylidene chalcone were measured by the pH change. From the result of the above caption, a plausible nucleophilic addition reaction mechanism of thioglycolic acid to fluorenylidene chalcone was proposed. These compounds may be used as the starting materials for the preparation of the engineering plastics or the germicide.

The hydrolysis reaction kinetics of 2-thienyl chalcone derivatives [II]~[V] was investigated by ultraviolet spectrophotometery in 20% dioxane-H2O at 25℃ and the structure of these compounds were ascertained by means of ultraviolet, infrared and NMR spectra. The rate equations which were applied over a wide pH range(pH 1.0~13.0) were obtained. The substituent effects on 2-thienyl chalcone derivatives[II]~[V] were studied, and the hydrolysis were facilitated by electron attracting groups. On the basis of the rate equation, substitutent effect and final product, the plausible hydrolysis reaction mechanism was proposed : At pH 1.0~9.0, not relevant to the hydrogen ion concentration, neutral H2O molecule competitvely attacked on the double bond. By contraries, above pH 9.0, it was proportional to concentration of hydroxide ion.

The hydrolysis kinetics of 2-furyl chalcone derivatives [I]~[V] was investigated by ultraviolet spectrophotometery in 30% dioxane-H2O at 25℃ and the structure of these compounds were ascertained by means of ultraviolet, infrared and NMR spectra. The rate equations which were applied over a wide pH range(pH 1.0~12.0) were obtained. The substituent effects on 2-furyl chalcone derivatives [I]~[V] were studied, and the hydrolysis were facilitated by the electron attrecting groups. On the basis of the rate equation, substituent effect, general base effect and final product. the plausible hydrolysis mechaism was proposed: Below pH 4.0, it was only proportional to concentration of hydronium ion, at pH 4.0~9.0, neutral H2O molecule competitively attacked on the double bond. By contrast, above pH 9.0, it was proportional to concentration of hydroxide ion.

Anthocyanins are the major pigments contributing to flower coloration. A 1584 bp 5' upstream sequence of ALCHS2 gene was isolated from Acapulco lily (Lilium Oriental hybrid cv. Acapulco). Computer-based analyses (GeneScan, AtPAN) predicted a CAATBOX1 and putative transcription factor-binding sites, including tissue-specific elements. When gALCHS7 promoter–gus fusion was introduced to petunia ('Dream Red'), all ten putative transgenic plants showed localized GUS activity in the anther, but five of them also showed weak GUS activity in the ovule. No distinctive signal in the leaf and petal was detected in the same stage. To clearly determine the operation of the promotor region, anther and ovule tissues of transgenic line 6 were fixed in paraffin for dark-field analysis. At 1 cm length of floral bud, a GUS signal was not observed in the anther, but weak expression was observed in the ovule. Before anthesis, GUS protein was highly expressed in the pollen, endothecium, and epidermis. Fluorometric GUS assays of individual organs taken from four transgenic plants demonstrated that all lines showed high GUS activity in the anther compared to 35S CaMV promoter (pBI1 121), except line 34. Using the truncated promoters by cis-acting elements, we found that minimal region (gALCHS7-7, 270 bp) displayed GUS expression only in the anther, though at weaker activity than in the original promoter.

In this work, we analyzed the activity of control enzymes of flower color biosynthesis, chalcone synthase (CHS) and flavanone 3-hydroxylase (FHT) using biochemical and enzymological methods in Lilium longiflorum and 11 Lilium cultivars. The results obtained are as follows ; Naringenin (NAR) was synthesized in all Lilium cultivars tested by the catalytic activity of CHS which used malonyl-CoA and 4-coumaryol-CoA as substrates. Substrate-specific activity of CHS was observed because eridictiol (ERI), which uses caffeoyl-CoA as a substrate, was not detected in tested cultivars. In next step, dihydroflavone product was synthesized by FHT using flavanones as a substrate. FHT synthesized dihydrokaempferol (DHK) by using NAR as substrates. A remarkable activity of FHT was observed in other 11 cultivars.