• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.237-246
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• 2017

Synapse is the basic structural and functional component for neural communication in the brain. The presynaptic terminal is the structural and functionally essential area that initiates communication and maintains the continuous functional neural information flow. It contains synaptic vesicles (SV) filled with neurotransmitters, an active zone for release, and numerous proteins for SV fusion and retrieval. The structural and functional synaptic plasticity is a representative characteristic; however, it is highly vulnerable to various pathological conditions. In fact, synaptic alteration is thought to be central to neural disease processes. In particular, the alteration of the structural and functional phenotype of the presynaptic terminal is a highly significant evidence for neural diseases. In this review, we specifically describe structural and functional alteration of nerve terminals in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington's disease (HD).

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.581-589
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• 2009

The water extract of Dohongsamul-tang(DHSMT) has been traditionally used in treatment of ischemic heart and brain diseases in Oriental Medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which DHSMT protects C6 glial cells from glucose deprevation induced damages. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of DHSMT on 2-deoxy-D-glucose induced autophagy of C6 glial cells. Autophagic phenotype is evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry with specific biological staining dyes, including monodansylcadaverine and acridine orange, as well as Western blot analysis with microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3) and Beclin-1. Treatment with 2-deoxy-D-glucose significantly resulted in a decrease of the viability of C6 glial cells and increase of the extracellular LDH release in a dose and time-dependent manner. However, pretreatment with DHSMT protected C6 glial cells from glucose deprivation with 2-deoxy-D-glucose. The author also observed the fact that autophagy phenotype occurred by 2-deoxy-D-glucose in C6 glial cells. Pretreatment with 3-MA, a pharmacological inhibitior of autophagy, abolished the formation of acidic vesicle organelle in C6 glial cells treated with 2-deoxy-D-glucose. However, pretreatment with DHSMT inhibited the formation of autophagic phenotypes, including formation of acidic vesicle organelle, and increase of the expression of LC-3 II Beclin-1 proteins in C6 glial cells treated with 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Taken together, these data suggest that DHSMT is able to protect C6 glial cells from glucose deprivation with marked inhibition of autophagy formation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.754-765
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• 2023

Exosomes are a type of extracellular vesicle containing proteins and messenger and microRNAs; they are secreted by all cell types. Once released, exosomes are selectively taken up by other cells adjacent or at a distance, releasing their contents and reprogramming the target cells. Since exosomes are natural vesicles produced by cells as small sizes, it is generally accepted that exosomes have a non-toxic nature and non-immunogenic behaviors. Recently, exosomes have elicited scientific attention as drug delivery vehicles to the central nervous system. The central nervous system has a blood-brain barrier that makes it difficult for drugs to penetrate. Thus, the blood-brain barrier has been a major obstacle to the development of drugs for treating neurodegenerative diseases. However, accumulating evidence suggests that exosomes can cross the blood-brain barrier primarily through transcytosis. Consequently, exosomes are expected to become a new delivery vehicle that can cross the blood-brain barrier and deliver drugs into the brain parenchyma. In addition, since different types of exosomes are secreted depending on the cell type and disease state, exosomes can also be utilized as biomarkers for the diagnosis of diseases in the central nervous system. In this review, we summarized recent research trends on exosomes, including clinical trials as biomarkers and treatment options for diseases in the central nervous system.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.334-343
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• 1988

Five types of synaPses were differentiated in the antennal lobe or Pieris rapoe. aev are in general axo-dendritic synapses and have symmetrical contacts. The type I synapses contain the uniformly round vesicles of medium size, and consist of the 11% of all synapses in the antennal lobe. The type synapses are filled with the small flat and densely arranged (19%). The type III synapses possess medium-sized round vesicles and dense core ones(24%). The type IV synapses are characterized by such three kinds of vesicles as small round, small flat and dense core vesicles(33%). The type V synapses exhibit the presence of medium-sized round, large round and dense core vesicles(13%). The removal of the left antenna on its proximal portion caused the type IV boutons of the above ave types in ipsilateral antennal lobe to turn into dark or semidark degenerative changes. Therefore, it was concluded that many of the antennal receptor cells projected into the brain terminate in the antennal lobe to form type IV synapses together with the dendrites. 배추회나비 뇌의 촉각엽에 있는 신경세포들은 5가지의 신경연접을 형성하는 것으로 관찰되었다. 이 신경연접들은 모두 축색과 수상돌기간의 연접으로 대칭연접이었다. 제1형 신경연접은 축색종말내에 중등도크기의 단형 연접소포를 가지고 있었고, 촉각엽에 있는 5가지의 신경연접중 11%의 출현빈도수로 관찰되었다. 제2형 신경연접의 축색종말에는 장형과 도형의 2가지 연접소포가 포함되어 있었는데, 모두 소형이었으며 이같은 연접소포들이 축색 종말내에서 조밀하게 관찰되었다. 제2형 신경연접의 출현 빈도수는 19%이었다. 제3형 신경연접은 축색 종말내에 중등도크기의 도형 연접소포와 DENSE CORE VESICLE을 포함하고 있었고 그 출현빈도수는 24%이었다. 제4형 신경연접은 축색총말내에 소형의 도형, 소형의 장형 연접소포 및 DENSE CORE VESICLE의 3가지 연접소포를 가지고 있었고 출현빈도수는 촉각엽에서 가장 큰 33%이었다. 제5형 신경연접은 축색종말내에 중등도크기의 원형, 대형의 원형연접소포 및 DENSE CORE VESICLE을 포함하였고 13%의 출현빈도수로 관찰되었다. 배추횐나비의 촉각에 있는 지각신경세포가 뇌의 촉각엽으로 뻗어 들어가 위의 5가지 신경연접중 어느 형을 형성하는지를 관찰하기 위하여 좌측 촉각의 기부를 제거하여 지각신경세포를 절단하였는데 그 결과, 좌측 촉각엽에서 제4형의 신경연접이 퇴행성 변화를 나타내었다. 그러므로 촉각의 지각신경세포는 뇌의 같은 족 촉각엽에 뻗어와 제4형 신경연접을 형성한다고 결론되었다.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 1999

In the present study we have analyzed the characteristics and distribution of the mu-opioid receptor(MOR) by raising anti-peptide antisera to the C-terminal peptide of MOR. The antisera against MOR was produced in New Zealand White rabbit against 15 residue corresponding to amino acids, 384-398 of the cloned rat MOR. The antigenic peptide was synthesized using an Applied Biosystems 432 solid-phase peptide synthesizer. The specificity and identification of the antisera were tested by analysis of transfected cells, epitope mapping and immunohistochemical method. COS-7 cells electroporated with MOR cDNA were used to evaluate the characteristics and subcellular distribution of MOR. MOR immunoreactivity was prodominent in the plasmalemma and subcellular compartments such as endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and vesicle like structure. Furthermore, both tissue sections and transfected cell lines could be immunostained with these antisera and the immunoreactivity was abolished when anti-MOR sera were preincubated with the peptide against which they were raised. Based on epitope mapping analysis, all antisera appeared to have a similar epitope, which was determined to be within the last amino acid, 391-398. Moreover, immunohistochemistry showed that MOR immunoreactivity was observed in many brain areas including cerebral cortex, striatum, hippocampus, locus coeruleus and the superficial laminae of the dorsal horn. These stained spinal cord and brain areas showed the mirrored pattern observed in auto radiographic studies of mu-opioid binding as well as a pattern similar to that seen by is situ hybridization for MOR. Thus, several lines of evidence support the conclusion that the antisera produced in the present study most likely recognize mu-opioid receptor. These results suggest that MOR antisera may be utilized as useful tool to analyze the physiological and pharmacological studies for mu-opioid receptor in the future.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to investigate the main sensory trigeminal nucleus in the aging rat brain by means of electron microscope. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, two (control group) and thirty six (aging group) months of age, were used. These animals were sacrificed by perfusion fixation with 2.5% glutaraldehyde-2.0% paraformaldehyde (0.1M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4) under sodium pentobarbital. The objective area was punched out with a sharp-edged metal cylinder of 0.8 mm in diameter. These blocks of tissue were then washed in 0.1M phosphate buffer, postfixed in 2% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in a graded series of ethyl alcohol, and embedded in Epon 812. Thin sections were cut with Super Nova ultramicrotome, pick up on grids and double stained with lead citrate and uranyl acetate, and observed in JEOL 100B electron microscope. The results were as follows: 1. In the control group, the neuronal cell body of the main sensory trigeminal nucleus was filled with nucleus, Golgi complex, Nissl substance, mitochondria, microfilaments and microtubules. However, few Nissl substances are seen in neuronal cell body. Axoaxonic synapse, axodendritic synapse, axosomatic synapse, axospinous synapse, myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers were well organized around cell bodies. Neurons with abnormal changes were not seen. 2. In the aging group, the neuronal cell body of the main sensory trigeminal nucleus contained large number of lipofuscin granules, dense body and swollen mitochondria. Terminal boutons contained glycogen, crystal-like vesicle and membranous indicating first signs of degeneration. The dendrites were found to be in synaptic contact with altered axon terminals. Frequently axons filled with dark axoplasn and splitted myelin sheath were noticed.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2007

The late pupal stage of Drosophila melanogaster occurs immediately before the completion of retinal development, during which the rhabdomere rapidly forms. In this period, the photoreceptor cells were fixed and dehydrated using a high-pressure freezer (HPF) and freeze substitution (FS) technique, which is the most effective in preserving the cell structures, and observed using high-voltage electron microscopy (HVEM) at 1000 KV. The rhabdomere was classified structurally into three types of formation patterns using stereo-tiling image of thick sections. Initially, hexagonal arrays of rhabdomere existed in different angles. In addition, small pieces of rhabdomere could be observed in the cytoplasm of the photoreceptor rolls, which were visible during the profess of rhabdomere formation. In addition, multiple layers of rhabdomere strings were observed. We observed there are at least three types of vesicles related to rhabdomere formation in photoreceptor cells. In addition, it was found that these vesicles initiate the formation of the rhabdomeres during the pupal stage. Collectively, these data suggest that rhabdomeres were mainly formed through vesicles, and that parts of the rhabdomere formed first and then gathered and formed rhabdomeres in the late pupal stage.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.302-314
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• 2007

N type calcium channels (CaV2.2) play a key role in the gating of transmitter release at presynaptic nerve terminals. These channels are generally regarded as parts of a multimolecular complex that can modulate their open probability and ensure their location near the vesicle docking and fusion sites. However, the proteins that comprise this component remain poorly characterized. We have carried out the first open screen of presynaptic CaV2.2 complex members by an antibody-mediated capture of the channel from purified rat brain synaptosome lysate followed by mass spectroscopy. 589 unique peptides resulted in a high confidence match of 104 total proteins and 40 synaptosome proteome proteins. This screen identified several known CaV2.2 interacting proteins including syntaxin 1, VAMP, protein phosphatase 2A, $G_{o\alpha}$, G$\beta$ and spectrin and also a number of novel proteins, including clathrin, adaptin, dynamin, dynein, NSF and actin. The unexpected proteins were classified within a number of functional classes that include exocytosis, endocytosis, cytoplasmic matrix, modulators, chaperones, and cell-signaling molecules and this list was contrasted to previous reports that catalogue the synaptosome proteome. The failure to detect any postsynaptic density proteins suggests that the channel itself does not exhibit stable trans-synaptic attachments. Our results suggest that the channel is anchored to a cytoplasmic matrix related to the previously described particle web.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.272-274
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• 2002

The anterior brain vesicle of ascidian larvae contains two distinct pigment cells. Ultrastructure of these pigment cells has been shown that the anterior pigment cell is an otolith for perception of gravity and the posterior pigment cell is an ocellus for light reception. The larva has remarkably simple central nervous system (CNS) composed of about 330 cells. We focused to study neural networks of visual systems. In the present paper, we report the whole structure of the photoreceptors of the ascidian larva visualized by an antibody against arrestin. Visual arrestin is the key protein for the termination of phototransduction and one of the abundant proteins in photoreceptors. Recently, we cloned an arrestin homologue gene, Ci-arr and the expression of Ci-arr was found to be restricted to the photoreceptors in the ocellus. To study the whole structure of the photoreceptors in the larva, we prepared an antibody against Ci-Arr. It is found that anti Ci-Arr antibody specifically stains the photoreceptors, including the cell bodies, the axons, and the nerve terminals. The photoreceptor cell bodies lies in row outside the pigment cup which penetrate the pigment cell and is continuous with the outer segments of the photoreceptor cell, inside the concavity of the pigments. The axons form bundle into a single tract. The tract extends toward the midline, where the nerve terminals diverge and seem to form synapses

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1076-1082
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• 2011

Microtubule-based kinesin motor proteins are used for long-range vesicular transport. KIF5s (KIF5A, KIF5B and KIF5C) mediate the transport of various membranous vesicles along microtubules, but the mechanism behind how they recognize and bind to a specific cargo has not yet been completely elucidated. To identify the interaction protein for KIF5B, yeast two-hybrid screening was performed and a specific interaction with the unconventional myosin Myo9b, an actin-based vesicle transport motor, was found. The GTPase-activating protein (GAP) domain of Myo9s was essential for interaction with KIF5B in the yeast two-hybrid assay. Myo9b bound to the carboxyl-terminal region of KIF5B and to other KIF5 members. In addition, glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-downs showed that Myo9s specifically interact to the complete Kinesin-I complex. An antibody to KIF5B specifically co-immunoprecipitated KIF5B associated with Myo9s from mouse brain extracts. These results suggest that kinesin-I motor protein interacts directly with actin-based motor proteins in the cell.