• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

Alzheimer's disease is a common form of dementia occurring among the elderly population and can be identified by symptoms such as cognition impairments, memory loss and neuronal dysfunction. Alzheimer's disease was found to be caused by the deposition of $\beta$-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. In addition, mutation in the APP (Amyloid precursor protein), Presenilin 1 (PSEN1) and Presenilin 2 (PSEN2) genes were also found to contribute to Alzheimer's disease. Since the potential conformational diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease requires histopathological tests on brain through autopsy, potential early diagnosis still remains challenging. In recent years, several researches have proposed the use of biomarkers for early diagnosis. In cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), $\beta$-amyloid(1-42), phosphorylated-tau and total tau were suggested to be effective biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. However, a single biomarker might not be sufficient for potential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Thus, the use of RNA interference (RNAi) through microRNAs (miRNAs) has been proposed by several researchers for simultaneous analysis of several biomarkers using microarray technology. These miRNA based biomarkers can be analysed from both blood and CSF, but miRNAs from blood are advantageous over CSF as they are non-invasive and simple for collection. Moreover, the RNAi based therapeutics by siRNA (short interference RNA) or shRNA (short hairpin RNA) have also been proposed to be effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This review describes the promising application of RNAi technology in therapeutics and as a biomarker for both Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and treatment.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.173-180
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• 2019

Amyloid ${\beta}$-단백질($A{\beta}$)은 알츠하이머 질병의 특징인 노인성 반점의 주요 성분이며 in vivo와 in vitro에서 신경세포를 대상으로 독성효과를 유발한다. 항산화물질과 프로테오글리칸을 포함한 많은 환경인자들에는 $A{\beta}$의 독성을 완화하는 물질들이 존재한다. 특히, 천연물질들 중에서 자신은 독성이 없으며, 알츠하이머 환자에게 치료효능을 나타내는 천연화합물들을 순수 분리하는 것은 매우 가치가 있다. 본 연구에서는 소엽맥문동의 메탄올 추출물로부터 에틸아세테이트 유기용매로 분획한 물질(OJEA)을 대상으로 in vitro상에서 신경세포독성 제어효능을 탐색하였다. 본 실험을 위해 PC12 세포주에 $A{\beta}_{25-35}$로 유발한 독성에 대한 OJEA 분획물의 억제효능을 MTT 환원법 분석으로 측정하였으며, ${\beta}$-secretase 활성에 대한 OJEA 분획물의 억제효능을 세포기반 ${\beta}$-secretase assay system으로 측정하였다. 또한 PC12 세포에서 $A{\beta}_{25-35}$에 의해 유도된 산화적 스트레스에 대한 OJEA 분획물의 억제효과를 지질과산화 분석법으로 수행하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 OJEA 분획물이 PC12 세포에서 $A{\beta}_{25-35}$에 의해 유도된 세포독성을 강하게 예방 또는 억제하는 효과가 있음을 확인하였으며, 또한 ${\beta}$-secretase의 활성을 억제함으로써 $A{\beta}$의 생성을 완화하는 효과를 예상할 수 있었다. OJEA 분획물은 또한 PC12 세포에서 $A{\beta}_{25-35}$에의 노출에 의하여 유도되는 malondialdehyde (MDA)의 생성을 강하게 억제하였다. 결론적으로, 본 연구의 결과에 의하면 OJEA 분획물에는 $A{\beta}$ 독성에 대한 신경세포의 보호효능을 함유하는 생리활성물질이 함유되어 있음을 제시한다.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.283-288
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• 2020

Although the evolution of Arabidopsis thaliana and humans diverged approximately 1.6 billion years ago, recent studies have demonstrated that protein function and cellular processes involved in disease response remain remarkably conserved. Particularly, γ-secretase, a multisubunit protein complex that participates in intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) regulation, is also known to mediate the cleavage of more than 80 substrates including the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the Notch receptor. Although the genes (PS1/2, APH-1, PEN-2, and NCT) coding for the γ-secretase complex components are present in plant genomes, their function remains largely uncharacterized. Given that the deposition of 42 amino acid long amyloid-β peptides (hAβ₄₂) is thought to be one of the main causes of Alzheimer's disease, we aimed to examine the physiological effects of hAβ₄₂ peptides on plants. Interestingly, we found that Arabidopsis protoplast death increased after 24 h of exposure to 3 or 5 µM hAβ₄₂ peptides. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the hAβ₄₂ gene exhibited changes in primary root length and silique phyllotaxy. Taken together, our results demonstrate that hAβ₄₂ peptides, a metazoan protein, significantly affect Arabidopsis protoplast viability and plant morphology.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.332-339
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• 2012

The components of Magnolia officinalis have well known to act anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and neuroprotective activities. These efficacies have been sold many products as nutritional supplement extracted from bark of Magnolia officinalis. Thus, to assess and compare neuroprotective effect in the nutritional supplement (Magnolia $Extract^{TM}$, Health Freedom Nutrition LLC, USA) and our ethanol extract of Magnolia officinalis (BioLand LTD, Korea), we investigated memorial improving and anti-Alzheimer's disease effects of extract products of Magnolia officinalis in a transgenic AD mice model. Oral pretreatment of two extract products of Magnolia officinalis (10 mg/kg/day in 0.05% ethanol) into drinking water for 3 months ameliorated memorial dysfunction and prevented $A{\beta}$ accumulation in the brain of Tg2576 mice. In addition, extract products of Magnolia officinalis also decreased expression of ${\beta}$-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its product, C99. Although both two extract products of Magnolia officinalis could show preventive effect of memorial dysfunction and $A{\beta}$ accumulation, our ethanol extract of Magnolia officinalis (BioLand LTD, Korea) could be more effective than Magnolia $Extract^{TM}$ (Health Freedom Nutrition LLC, USA). Therefore, our results showed that extract products of Magnolia officinalis were effective for prevention and treatment of AD through memorial improving and anti-amyloidogenic effects via down-regulating ${\beta}$-secretase activity, and neuroprotective efficacy of Magnolia extracts could be differed by cultivating area and manufacturing methods.

• 혜화의학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.11-26
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• 2003

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid deposition and associated loss of neunons in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes. Several causes of evidence support that the congnitive disturbance is closed associated with the deficit of cerebral acetylcholine neurotransmission, and the effect of carboxyl terminal 105 amino acid fragment (CT105) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) on the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines. We tested it on the scopolamine-induced amnesia model of the ICR mouse using the Morris water maze with repeated orally administration of 1st Green-Tea extract (200 mg/kg) and 2nd Green-Tea extract (200 mg/kg). The Green-Tea prevents impairment of learning and memory and neuronal loss in mouse models of cognitive disturbance and it demonstrated selectivity for inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Furthermore, the repeated administration of Green-Tea, CT105-induced alzheimer's mouse model showed central cholinergic activity by ameliorates learning and memory impairment, and isolation of CD14 microglia showed significantly decreases intracellular release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because of its composite profile, oral therapeutic index and a prophylactic, Green-Tea is considered the better therapeutic candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• 한국약용작물학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.85-94
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• 2020

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by various factors, such as cholinergic dysfunction, regulation of neurotrophic factor expression, and accumulation of amyloid-beta. We investigated whether or not a combination of Carthamus tinctorius L. seed and Taraxacum coreanum (CT) has a protective effect on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in a mouse model. Methods and Results: Mice were orally pretreated with CT (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day) for 14 days, and scopolamine (1 mg/kg/day) was injected intraperitoneally before subjecting them to behavior tests. CT-administered mice showed better novel object recognition and working memory ability than scopolamine-treated control mice. In T-maze and Morris water maze tests, CT (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) significantly increased space perceptive ability and occupancy to the target quadrant, respectively. In addition, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day of CT attenuated cholinergic dysfunction through inhibition of butyryl cholinesterase in brain tissue. Furthermore, CT-administered mice showed higher cyclic adenosine monophosphate-response element-binding protein (CREB) levels and lower amyloid precursor protein (APP) levels compared to scopolamine-treated control mice. Conclusions: CT improved scopolamine-induced memory impairment through inhibition of cholinergic dysfunction, up-regulation of CREB, and down-regulation of APP. Therefore, CT could be a useful therapeutic agent for AD with protective effects on cognitive impairment.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.299-310
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• 2020

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multi-faceted neurodegenerative disease. Thus, current therapeutic strategies require multitarget-drug combinations to treat or prevent the disease. At the present time, single drugs have proven to be inadequate in terms of addressing the multifactorial pathology of AD, and multitarget-directed drug design has not been successful. Based on these points of views, it is judged that combinatorial drug therapies that target several pathogenic factors may offer more attractive therapeutic options. Thus, we explored that the combination therapy with lower doses of cilostazol and aripiprazole with add-on donepezil (CAD) might have potential in the pathogenesis of AD. In the present study, we found the superior efficacies of donepezil add-on with combinatorial mixture of cilostazol plus aripiprazole in modulation of expression of AD-relevant genes: Aβ accumulation, GSK-3β, P300, acetylated tau, phosphorylated-tau levels, and activation of α-secretase/ADAM 10 through SIRT1 activation in the N2a Swe cells expressing human APP Swedish mutation (N2a Swe cells). We also assessed that CAD synergistically raised acetylcholine release and choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) expression that were declined by increased β-amyloid level in the activated N2a Swe cells. Consequently, CAD treatment synergistically increased neurite elongation and improved cell viability through activations of PI3K, BDNF, β-catenin and α7-nicotinic cholinergic receptors in neuronal cells in the presence of Aβ_1-42. This work endorses the possibility for efficient treatment of AD by supporting the synergistic therapeutic potential of donepezil add-on therapy in combination with lower doses of cilostazol and aripiprazole.

• 대한약학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한약학회 2003년도 Proceedings of the Convention of the Pharmaceutical Society of Korea Vol.2-2
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• pp.132.1-132.1
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• 2003

Biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB) is a by-product produced in process of synthesizing Schizandrin-C. Generally, DDB has known to protect hepatocytes and to decrease the index of liver enzyme (e.g. GOT and GPT) in chronic hepatitis. The present study was aimed to demonstrate whether DDB can protect the brain cell, especially the Alzheimer brain in vitro. As Alzheimers disease can be induced by activated microglia, a macrophage in the brain, through Abeta peptide (A$\beta$) produced from amyloid precursor protein (APP). (omitted)

• 대한한의학방제학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.69-87
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• 2017

Objectives : Cheongnoemyeongsin-hwan (CNMSH) is a herb medicine to treat cognitive impairment. This study was investigated the effects of CNMSH on learning and memory impairment induced by cerebral hypoperfusion. Cerebral hypoperfusion was produced chronically by permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) in rats. Methods : CNMSH was administered orally once a day (250 mg/kg) for 28 days starting at 4th week after the BCCAO. The acquisition of learning and the retention of memory were tested on 9th week after the BCCAO using the Morris water maze. In addition, effect of CNMSH on neuronal apoptosis and ${\beta}-amyloid$ accumulation in the hippocmapus was evaluated with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Results : 1. CNMSH and ChAL significantly shortened the escape latencies on the 2nd day of acquisition training trials. 2. ChAL significantly prolonged the swimming time spent in the target and peri-target zones and CNMSH also significantly prolonged the swimming time spent in the peri-target zone. 3. CNMSH and ChAL significantly increased the number of target heading in the retention test. 4. ChAL significantly shortened the time of the 1st target heading in the retention test, but CNMSH insignificantly shortened the time of that. 5. CNMSH and ChAL significantly increased the memory score in the retention test. 6. CNMSH and ChAL significantly attenuated the reduction of CA1 neurons, but insignificantly attenuated the reduction of CA1 thickness. 7. CNMSH and ChAL significantly attenuated the up-regulation of Bax expression in the CA1 of hippocampus. 8. CNMSH and ChAL significantly attenuated the up-regulation of cascapse-3 expression in the CA1 of hippocampus. 9. CNMSH and ChAL significantly attenuated the ${\beta}-amyloid$ accumulation in the CA1 of hippocampus. 10. CNMSH and ChAL significantly attenuated the up-regulation of APP expression in the CA1 of hippocampus. 11. CNMSH and ChAL significantly attenuated the up-regulation of BACE-1 expression in the CA1 of hippocampus. Conclusions : The results show that CNMSH attenuates neuronal apoptosis and ${\beta}-amyloid$ accumulation in the hippocampus and alleviates the impairment of learning and memory produced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. These results suggest that CNMSH may be a beneficial medicinal herb to treat cognitive impairment associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.224-230
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• 2014

항암, 항염증 및 비만억제 등의 생리활성을 지닌 해조류는 최근 건강기능 식품, 기능성 화장품 그리고 의약품 산업 분야에서 미용과 건강식품 소재로 각광받고 있다. 본 연구에서는 10종의 갈조류 메탄올 추출물을 이용하여 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) 라디칼 소거능과 아밀로이드 베타 단백질($A{\beta}$)의 신경독성에 대한 HT-22 신경세포 보호효과를 조사함으로써 천연물로부터 안전하고 새로운 신경세포 보호소재를 개발해내고자 한다. DPPH 라디칼 소거능의 경우 미역쇠를 포함한 8종의 갈조류에서는 비교적 낮은 활성산소 소거능을 보인 반면, 감태와 패에서 강력한 활성산소 소거능이 나왔다. $A{\beta}$의 신경독성에 대해 10종의 갈조류 추출물이 갖는 HT-22 신경세포 보호효과를 검증하기 위해 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT) 분석과 APP, BACE1, iNOS 단백질의 발현양상 및 ERK1/2, p38, JNK1/2 단백질의 활성화 양상을 분석했다. MTT 분석 결과, $A{\beta}$의 신경독성으로부터 미역쇠가 $25{\mu}g/mL$의 농도에서 가장 효과적으로 세포를 보호하고 있는 것으로 나타났고, 알쏭이모자반, 불레기말, 바위수염, 짝잎모자반도 세포 보호효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 세포 보호효과가 있는 것으로 밝혀진 5종의 갈조류를 가지고 수행한 단백질 발현분석 결과, 미역쇠는 $A{\beta}$의 신경독성에 의해 HT-22 신경세포에서 발현되는 단백질인 BACE1과 iNOS의 발현을 저해하였다. 이는 미역쇠의 세포보호효과가 $A{\beta}$의 신경독성으로부터 일어난 ERK와 p38의 활성화에 연관된 세포신호전달 경로를 억제하는 것으로 보인다. 그러므로 특히 식용 갈조류인 미역쇠는 $A{\beta}$에 의해 유도된 신경독성에 대해서 신경세포 보호효과를 갖는 건강기능 식품 소재로서의 가치가 충분한 것으로 사료된다.