• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.296-300
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• 2014

The present study investigated the effects of (-)-sesamin on dopamine biosynthesis in PC12 cells. Treatment with (-)-sesamin (25 and $50{\mu}M$) increased intracellular dopamine levels and enhanced L-DOPA-induced increase in dopamine levels in PC12 cells. (-)-Sesamin (25 and $50{\mu}M$) also induced the phosphorylation of cyclic AMP-dependent kinase A (PKA), cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in PC12 cells. These results suggest that (-)-sesamin induces dopamine biosynthesis via the PKA-CREB-TH pathways in PC12 cells. (-)-Sesamin needs to be studied further to serve as an adjuvant phytonutrient in neurodegenerative disease.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.314-318
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• 2004

Microglia are the major inflammatory cells in the central nervous system and become activated in response to brain injuries such as ischemia, trauma, and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, activated microglia are known to release a variety of proinflammatory cytokines and oxidants such as nitric oxide (NO). Minocycline is a semi-synthetic second-generation tetracycline that exerts anti-inflammatory effects that are completely distinct form its antimicrobial action. In this study, the inhibitory effects of minocycline on NO and prostaglandin E$_2$ (PGE$_2$) release was examined in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-challenged BV2 murine microglial cells. Further, effects of minocycline on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression levels were also determined. The results showed that minocycline significantly inhibited NO and PGE$_2$ production and iNOS and COX-2 expression in BV2 microglial cells. These findings suggest that minocycline should be evaluated as potential therapeutic agent for various pathological conditions due to the excessive activation of microglia.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.242-250
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• 2013

The autophagy-lysosomal pathway is an important protein degradation system, and its dysfunction has been implicated in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease. Raphani Semen, one of the herbs of Yeoldahanso-tang (YH), has neuroprotective effects via the autophagy pathway. The activity-guided method was used to isolate and identify the components of Raphani Semen. In this experiment, the total extract of Raphani Semen was partitioned to n-butanol, methylene chloride, and water fractions. Flow cytometry data showed that only the water fraction showed autophagy-inducing activity in vitro. Compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from this water fraction by preparative HPLC separation. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were identified as stachyose and raffinose, respectively, by the analysis of various spectral data ($^1H$ NMR, $^{13}C$ NMR, and MS) and comparisons with standard stachyose and raffinose. Of these two compounds, raffinose showed autophagy-inducing activity in PC12 cells through the mTOR pathway.

• 한국환경독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경독성학회 2002년도 추계국제학술대회
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• pp.167-167
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• 2002

Methylmercury (MeHg), one of the heavy metal compound, can cause severe damage to the central nervous system in humans. Many reports have contributed MeHg poisoning to contaminated foods and release into the environment. Despite many studies on the pathogenesis of MeHg-induced central neuropathy, no useful mechanism of toxicity has been established. To find genes differentially expressed by MeHg in neuronal cell, we peformed forward and reverse suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method on mRNA derived from neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y treated with solvent (DMSO) and 6.25 uM (IC$\sub$50/) MeHg. Differentially expressed CDNA clones were sequenced and the mRNAs were re-examined on Northern blots. These sequences were identified by BLAST homology search to known genes or expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Analysis of these sequences has provided an insight into the biological effects of MeHg in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease and a possibility to develop more efficient and exact monitoring system of heavy metals as common environmental pollutants.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권12호
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• pp.821-827
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• 2019

Aging is the most important single risk factor for many chronic diseases such as cancer, metabolic syndrome, and neurodegenerative disorders. Targeting aging itself might, therefore, be a better strategy than targeting each chronic disease individually for enhancing human health. Although much should be achieved for completely understanding the biological basis of aging, cellular senescence is now believed to mainly contribute to organismal aging via two independent, yet not mutually exclusive mechanisms: on the one hand, senescence of stem cells leads to exhaustion of stem cells and thus decreases tissue regeneration. On the other hand, senescent cells secrete many proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and proteases, collectively termed as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which causes chronic inflammation and tissue dysfunction. Much effort has been recently made to therapeutically target detrimental effects of cellular senescence including selectively eliminating senescent cells (senolytics) and modulating a proinflammatory senescent secretome (senostatics). Here, we discuss current progress and limitations in understanding molecular mechanisms of senolytics and senostatics and therapeutic strategies for applying them. Furthermore, we propose how these novel interventions for aging treatment could be improved, based on lessons learned from cancer treatment.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.80-82
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• 2003

Since reactive oxygen radicals play an important role in carcinogenesis and other human diseases including neurodegenerative states, antioxidants present in natural products have received considerable attention for alleviation of these disease states. Therefore, in order io identify antioxidants in plant extracts, fifty-seven methanolic extracts derided from indigenous Korean plants were primarily assessed for potential to scavenge stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. As a result, nine plant extracts were found to exhibit the DPPH free radical scavenging activity in the criteria of $IC_{50}<40\;{\mu}g/ml$. In particular, the extracts of Melioma oldhami $(IC_{50}=0.1\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Myrica rubra $(IC_{50}=16.2\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Sympolocos paniculata $(IC_{50}=23.0\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Carpinus laxiflora $(IC_{50}=25.1\;{\mu}g/ml)$, and Cleyera japonica $(IC_{50}=26.2\;{\mu}g/ml)$ showed a potent radical scavenging activity. Further study for the identification of active compounds from these lead extracts might be warranted.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제26권8호
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• pp.1251-1254
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• 2005

It has been proposed that oxidation of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. In this study, L-DOPA-Fe(III)-mediated DNA cleavage and the protection by carnosine and homocarnosine against this reaction were investigated. When plasmid DNA was incubated with L-DOPA in the presence of Fe(III), DNA strand was cleaved. Radical scavengers and catalase significantly inhibited the DNA breakage. These results suggest that $H_2O_2$ may be generated from the oxidation of DOPA and then $Fe^{3+}$ likely participates in a Fenton’s type reaction to produce hydroxyl radicals, which may cause DNA cleavage. Carnosine and homocarnosine have been proposed to act as anti-oxidants in vivo. The protective effects of carnosine and homocarnosine against L-DOPA-Fe(III)-mediated DNA cleavage have been studied. Carnosine and homocarnosine significantly inhibited DNA cleavage. These compounds also inhibited the production of hydroxyl radicals in L-DOPA/$Fe^{3+}$ system. The results suggest that carnosine and homocarnosine act as hydroxyl radical scavenger to protect DNA cleavage. It is proposed that carnosine and homocarnosine might be explored as potential therapeutic agents for pathologies that involve damage of DNA by oxidation of DOPA.

• BMB Reports
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.45-50
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• 2016

Salsolinol (SAL), a compound derived from dopamine metabolism, is the most probable neurotoxin involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we investigated the modification and inactivation of human ceruloplasmin (hCP) induced by SAL. Incubation of hCP with SAL increased the protein aggregation and enzyme inactivation in a dose-dependent manner. Reactive oxygen species scavengers and copper chelators inhibited the SAL-mediated hCP modification and inactivation. The formation of dityrosine was detected in SAL-mediated hCP aggregates. Amino acid analysis post the exposure of hCP to SAL revealed that aspartate, histidine, lysine, threonine and tyrosine residues were particularly sensitive. Since hCP is a major copper transport protein, oxidative damage of hCP by SAL may induce perturbation of the copper transport system, which subsequently leads to deleterious conditions in cells. This study of the mechanism by which ceruloplasmin is modified by salsolinol may provide an explanation for the deterioration of organs under neurodegenerative disorders such as PD. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(1): 45-50]

• 약학회지
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• 제47권6호
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• pp.369-375
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• 2003

Xiaoshuan Zaizao Wan (XZW) has been used in China to improve hemiplegia, deviation of eye and mouth, and dysphasia due to cerebral thrombosis. To characterize pharmacological actions of XZW, we evaluated its effects on neuronal cell damage induced in primary cultured rat cortical cells by various oxidative insults, glutamate or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), and $\beta$-amyloid fragment ($A_{\beta(25-35)}$). XZW was found to inhibit the oxidative neuronal damage induced by $H_2O_2$, xanthine/xanthine oxidase, or $Fe^{2+}$/ascorbic acid. It also attenuated the excitotoxic damage induced by glutamate or NMDA. The NMDA-induced neurotoxicity was more effectively inhibited than the glutamate-induced toxicity. In addition, we found that XZW protected neurons against the $A_{\beta(25-35)}$-induced toxicity. Moreover; XZW exhibited dramatic inhibition of lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenates and mild 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. Taken together; these results demonstrate that XZW exerts neuroprotective effects against oxidative, excitotoxic, or $A_{\beta(25-35)}$-induced neuronal damage. These findings may provide pharmacological basis for its clinical usage treating the sequelae caused by cerebral thrombosis. Furthermore, XZW may exert beneficial effects on Alzheimer's disease and other oxidative stress-related neurodegenerative disorders.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.181-186
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• 2009

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), which is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder, results from a CTG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene. Retention of mutant DMPK (mDMPK) transcripts in the nuclei of affected cells has been known to be the main cause of pathogenesis of the disease. Thus, reducing the RNA toxicity through elimination of the mutant RNA has been suggested as one therapeutic strategy against DM1. In this study, we suggested RNA replacement with a trans -splicing ribozyme as an alternate genetic therapeutic approach for amelioration of DM1. To this end, we identified the regions of mDMPK 3'-UTR RNA that were accessible to ribozymes by using an RNA mapping strategy based on a trans-splicing ribozyme library. We found that particularly accessible sites were present not only upstream but also downstream of the expanded repeat sequence. Repair or replacement of the mDMPK transcript with the specific ribozyme will be useful for DM1 treatment through reduction of toxic mutant transcripts and simultaneously restore wild-type DMPK or release nucleus-entrapped mDMPK transcripts to the cytoplasm.