• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.165-177
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• 1995

Dissociated cell cultures from rat embryonic ventral mesencephalon were used to evaluate the mechanisms of $MPP^+$ neurotoxicity. The cells were treated with MPTP or $MPP^+$ and the viability of the cells was assessed biochemically; tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity, protein, intracellular ATP and lactate content and lipid peroxidation. Also the generation of the intracellular oxidants was measured after loading 2', 7‘-dichlorofluorescin diacetate to the cells. When cultures were exposed to 0.1 mM $MPP^+$, at 2 hour incubation lactate was significantly accumulated in the cells and then the intracellular ATP content and TH immunoreactivity were decreased dose- and time-dependently. But, malondialdehyde as an index for lipid peroxidation was not changed even though the generation of the intracellular oxidants was stimulated by the addition of $MPP^+$. On the other hand, 1 mM MPTP significantly reduced the TH immunoreactivity at 24 hour exposure without any change in the intracellular A TP, lactate and MDA content until 6 hour exposure. And also MPTP inhibited the generation of the intracellular oxidants from control cells and $MPP^+$ exposed cells. These results indicate that cytotoxicity of $MPP^+$ is mediated by inhibiting the mitochondrial energy metabolism rather than generating the intracellular oxidants. And MPTP would have direct action in addition to conveting to the toxic metabolite, $MPP^+$ to exert the toxicity on the dopaminergic neurons.

• Genes and Genomics
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.1309-1317
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• 2018

It is well known that dopaminergic genes affect the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in various populations. Many studies have shown that variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) located within the 3′-untranslated region of DAT1 and in exon 3 of DRD4 are associated with ADHD development; however, these results were inconsistent. Therefore, we investigated the genetic association between two VNTRs and ADHD in Korean children. We determined the VNTRs using PCR. We examined genotype and allele frequency differences between the experimental and control groups, along with the odds ratios, using Chi square and exact tests. We observed a significant association between the children with ADHD and the control group in the 10R/10R genotype of DAT1 VNTRs (p=0.025). In addition, the 11R allele of DAT1 VNTRs showed a higher frequency in the control group than in the ADHD group (p=0.023). Also, the short repeat (without 11R) and long repeat alleles (including 11R) were associated with ADHD (p<0.05). The analysis of DRD4 VNTRs revealed that the 2R allele is associated with ADHD (p=0.025). A significant result was also observed in long and short repeats (p<0.05). Additionally, ADHD subtypes showed that the DRD4 VNTRs are associated with combined and hyperactive-impulsive subtype groups (p<0.05). Therefore, our results suggest that DAT1 VNTRs and DRD4 VNTRs play a role in the genetic etiology of ADHD in Korean children.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.454-464
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• 2022

DJ-1 is one of the causative genes of early-onset familial Parkinson's disease (PD). As a result, DJ-1 influences the pathogenesis of sporadic PD. DJ-1 has various physiological functions that converge to control the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Based on genetic analyses that sought to investigate novel antioxidant DJ-1 downstream genes, pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinase (PDK) was demonstrated to increase survival rates and decrease dopaminergic (DA) neuron loss in DJ-1 mutant flies under oxidative stress. PDK phosphorylates and inhibits the PDH complex (PDC), subsequently downregulating glucose metabolism in the mitochondria, which is a major source of intracellular ROS. A loss-of-function mutation in PDK was not found to have a significant effect on fly development and reproduction, but severely ameliorated oxidative stress resistance. Thus, PDK plays a critical role in the protection against oxidative stress. Loss of PDH phosphatase (PDP), which dephosphorylates and activates PDH, was also shown to protect DJ-1 mutants from oxidative stress, ultimately supporting our findings. Further genetic analyses suggested that DJ-1 controls PDK expression through hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a transcriptional regulator of the adaptive response to hypoxia and oxidative stress. Furthermore, CPI-613, an inhibitor of PDH, protected DJ-1 null flies from oxidative stress, suggesting that the genetic and pharmacological inhibition of PDH may be a novel treatment strategy for PD associated with DJ-1 dysfunction.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1168-1177
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• 2022

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second-most prevalent neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by dopaminergic neuronal death in the midbrain. Recently, the association between alterations in PD pathology and the gut microbiota has been explored. Microbiota-targeted interventions have been suggested as a novel therapeutic approach for PD. Agathobaculum butyriciproducens SR79^T (SR79) is an anaerobic bacterium. Previously, we showed that SR79 treatment induced cognitive improvement and reduced Alzheimer's disease pathologies in a mouse model. In this study, we hypothesized that SR79 treatment may have beneficial effects on PD pathology. To investigate the therapeutic effects of SR79 on PD, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced mouse models were used. D-Amphetamine sulfate (d-AMPH)-induced behavioral rotations and dopaminergic cell death were analyzed in unilateral 6-OHDA-lesioned mice. Treatment with SR79 significantly decreased ipsilateral rotations induced by d-AMPH. Moreover, SR79 treatment markedly activated the AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway in the striatum. In addition, SR79 treatment affected the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway and its downstream target genes in the striatum of 6-OHDA-lesioned mice. Our findings suggest a protective role of SR79 in 6-OHDA-induced toxicity by regulating the AKT/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway and astrocyte activation. Thus, SR79 may be a potential microbe-based intervention and therapeutic strategy for PD.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.147-155
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• 2022

Background: Methamphetamine (METH) is the most widely used psychostimulant and has been known to exhibit reinforcing effects even after long abstinence. We showed the inhibitory effect of Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) on METH-induced addictive behaviors in animal models mimicking the human drug-use pattern. Methods: We first investigated the effect of RGE on the acquisition of METH-induced dependence using self-administration and conditioned place preference (CPP) tests. Additionally, further experiments such as METH-induced motivational behavior and seeking behavior were conducted. To study the underlying mechanism, dopamine receptor, dopamine transporter, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor were assessed through Western blot analysis. Results: Treatment with RGE significantly reduced METH-induced self-administration on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule of reinforcement. It could be also decreased a progressive ratio schedule, and inhibited METH-primed reinstatement. In CPP, RGE significantly prevented the development of METH-induced CPP. Moreover, RGE not only shortened the withdrawal period clearly, but also prevented the reinstatement of CPP. RGE treatment also reversed METH-induced overexpression of dopamine transporter, dopamine receptor D1, and NMDA receptor in the nucleus accumbens. Conclusion: Our findings reflect that RGE has therapeutic potential to suppress METH-induced addictive behaviors by regulating dopaminergic and NMDAergic system.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.417-424
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• 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) which has various pathological mechanisms, recently, it is attracting attention to the mechanism via microbiome-gut-brain axis. 6-Shogaol, a representative compound of ginger, have been known for improving PD phenotypes by reducing neuroinflammatory responses. In the present study, we investigated whether 6-shogaol and ginger attenuate degeneration induced by Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) on the intestine and brain, simultaneously. C57BL/6J mice received P. mirabilis for 5 days. Ginger (300 mg/kg) and 6-shogaol (10 mg/kg) were treated by gavage feeding for 22 days including the period of P. mirabilis treatment. Results showed that 6-shogaol and ginger improved motor dysfunction and dopaminergic neuronal death induced by P. mirabilis treatment. In addition, they suppressed P. mirabilis-induced intestinal barrier disruption, pro-inflammatory signals such as toll-like receptor and TNF-α, and intestinal α-synuclein aggregation. Moreover, ginger and 6-shogaol significantly inhibited neuroinflammation and α-synuclein in the brain. Taken together, 6-shogaol and ginger have the potential to ameliorate PD-like motor behavior and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons induced by P. mirabilis in mice. Here, these findings are meaningful in that they provide the first experimental evidence that 6-shogaol might attenuate PD via regulating gut-brain axis.

• Journal of Interdisciplinary Genomics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.35-41
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• 2023

Background: Ca²⁺ signaling plays a vital role in neuronal signaling and altered Ca²⁺ homeostasis in Parkinson's disease (PD). Overexpression of αSYN significantly promote the Ca²⁺-Calmodulin (CaM) activity and subsequent nuclear translocation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factor in dopaminergic neurons of midbrain. However, the exact role of Ca²⁺-CaM and NFAT in PD pathology is yet to be elucidated. Methods: We designed the CaM-NFAT-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN), a synthetic short DNA containing complementary sequence for NFAT transcription factor and CaM mRNA. Then, the effect of CaM-NFAT-ODN on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-mediated neurotoxicity was investigated in mimic PD model in vitro. Results: First, the expression of αSYN and CaM was strongly increased in substantia nigra (SN) of PD and the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was strongly increased in control SN. Additionally, the expression of apoptosis marker proteins was strongly increased in SN of PD. Transfection of CaM-NFAT-ODN repressed CaM and pNFAT, the target genes of this ODN in rat embryo primary mesencephalic neurons. It also reduced ERK phosphorylation, a downstream target of these genes. These results demonstrated that CaM-NFAT-ODN operated successfully in rat embryo primary mesencephalic neurons. Transfection of CaM-NFAT-ODN repressed TH reduction, αSYN accumulation, and apoptosis by MPP⁺-induced neurotoxicity response through Ca²⁺ signaling and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling. Conclusion: Synthetic CaM-NFAT-ODN has substantial therapeutic feasibility for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.782-784
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• 1998

Ginseng total saponin (GTS) can modulate dopaminergic activity at both presynaptic and postsynaptic dopamine receptors (Kim et al, 1998). The present study investigated t he effect of GTS on the bovine adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), which catalyze L/tyrosine to DOP. GTS inhibited the bovine adrenal TH by 42.4, 51.5 and 55.3% at concentrations of 40, 80 and 100${\mu}g$/ml, respectively. The IC50 value of GTS was 77.5${\mu}g$/ml. GTS exhibited noncompetitive inhibition with a substrate L-tyrosine. The Ki value was 155${\mu}g$/ml.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 1986

Bilateral lesion of nucleus accumbens septi (N, AB), one of the mesolimbic nuclei, resulted in hyperirritability and muricide including mouse eating behavior in rats. The effects of various drugs on hyperirritability and muricide induced by NAB lesion were investigated in rats. Hyperirritability in NAB rats were significantly reduced by L-DOPA L-5-HTP major and minor tranquilizers but not reduced by MA, ATP and imipriamine-like antidepressants. On the other hand, muricide in NAB rats was significantly suppressed by L-DOPA, L-5-HTP, major and minor tranquilizers, furthermore, selectively suppressed by MA, ATP and antidepressants. These results suggested that the neural mechanism for inducing muricide is distinct from for hyperirritability in NAB rats, and that muricide in NAB rats is resulted from the increasing of cholinergic activity and reduction of dopaminergic and serotonergic activity.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.251-252
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• 2007