• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.692-698
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• 2003

This study was designed to investigate the effects of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb et Zucc) needle on membrane fluidity (MF), basal and induced oxygen radical (BOR and IOR), lipid peroxide (LPO) and oxidized protein (OP) as a oxidative stress, and lipofuscin (LF) in brain membranes of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Male SD rats were fed basic diets (control) and experimental diets (EtOAc-25, EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100) for 45 days. MF was significantly increased (about 10%) in mitochondria of EtOAc-100 group. BOR and IOR formations in mitochondria were significantly inhibited (about 9∼10% and 17∼24%, respectively) in EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100 groups, while BOR and IOR formations in microsomes were significantly inhibited (about 12∼17% and 12∼16%, respectively) in EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100 groups compared with control group. LPO levels in mitochondria and microsomes were significantly inhibited (about 9∼l2% and 12∼19%, respectively) in EtOAc-50 and EtOAc-100 groups, whereas significant difference between OP or LF levels and control group in these membranes could not be obtained. These results suggest that administrations of ethyl acetate fraction of pine needle may play an effective role in an attenuating an oxidative stress and in increasing membrane fluidity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1994

Sprague-Dawley rats were given freely with 15% ethanol (control) and 15% ethanol containing (1) 0.1% ginseng saponin, (2) 0.02% ginsenoside $Rb_1$, and (3) $Rg_1$ (tests) instead of water for 7 days and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in different regions of brain were examined. In control group, total ALDH activity with indoleacetaldehyde and acetaldehyde as substrate in all different regions was lower than that of normal group except in the hippocampus. The inhibitory effect on the activity was prominent in the corpus striatum and was not in the hippocampus. However, low-$K_m$ ALDH activity in all different regions was much lower than that of normal group. A considerable decrease in mitochondria ALDH activity in cerebellum and striatum was also observed in control group. In test groups total, low-$K_m$, and mitochondria AkDH activities in all different regions were higher than those in control group. Although ALDH activity in the striatum of test group was higher than control group, it was relatively depressed as compared with normal. There was not found a remarkable difference in extent of stimulating effect on the AkDH activity according to the ginseng saponin components. When biogenic aldehydes were used as substrate, ALDH activity with 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) in all brain regions of control group was lower than that using 5-hydroxy-indoleacetaldehyde (HIAL) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycolaldehyde (NORAL) as substrate. In control group, ALDH activity with biogenic aldehydes above mentioned was markedly inhibited in the striatum contrary to other regions. The higher ALDH activity with biogenic aldehydes in test group than in control was found in the striatum, cerebrum, and cerebellum. MAO activity in the cerebellum was inhibited in control group and slightly increased in test group. The results of present study suggest that the corpus striatum is significantly affected by ethanol exposure while the hippocampus is not and that ginseng saponin fraction and ginsenosid es might have a preventive effect against depression of brain ALDH activity by chronic administration of ethanol.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.367-378
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• 2016

Recently, it was reported that the role of mitochondria-reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating pathway in cisplatin-induced apoptosis is remarkable. Since a variety of molecules are involved in the pathway, a comprehensive approach to delineate the biological interactions of the molecules is required. However, quantitative modeling of the mitochondria-ROS generating pathway based on experiment and systemic analysis using the model have not been attempted so far. Thus, we conducted experiments to measure the concentration changes of critical molecules associated with mitochondrial apoptosis in both human mesothelioma H2052 and their ${\rho}^0$ cells lacking mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Based on the experiments, a novel mathematical model that can represent the essential dynamics of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway induced by cisplatin was developed. The kinetic parameter values of the mathematical model were estimated from the experimental data. Then, we have investigated the dynamical properties of this model and predicted the apoptosis levels for various concentrations of cisplatin beyond the range of experiments. From parametric perturbation analysis, we further found that apoptosis will reach its saturation level beyond a certain critical cisplatin concentration.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.12-26
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• 1985

The generation of $O^{-}_{2}{\cdot}$ and its toxic effects were studied with rat brain mitochondria. The production of $O^{-}_{2}{\cdot}$ from mitochondria in the presence of succinate and antimycin was demonstrated by SOD-inhibitable reduction of NBT. Although succinate can support the $O^{-}_{2}{\cdot}$ formation, the highest rate needs antimycin indicating that blockade of electron flow in the respiratory chain augments the univalent reduction of molecular oxygen. Under this condition, $H_2O_2$ was also observed to be produced. But its formation appears to be derived from the dismutation of the primary product, $O^{-}_{2}{\cdot}$ since the rate of $H_2O_2$ production was markedly decreased by NBT and ferricytochrome c. The $O^{-}_{2}{\cdot}$ and $H_2O_2$ produced were able to cause toxic actions to mitochondrial and extra-mitochondrial components as shown by lipid peroxidation of mitochondrial membrane, and inactivation and lysis of isocitrate dehydrogenase and erythrocytes added to the medium, respectively. In all the toxic actions observed, $Fe^{++}$ was required. It appears that in the toxic actions $OH{\cdot}$ generated from the iron-catalyzed Haber-Weiss reaction acts as a mediator. This was supported by the finding that mitochondria in the presence of succinate and antimycin produced ethylene from methional, and $Fe^{++}$ added increased the ethylene production. The observed toxic actions of mitochondrial $O^{-}_{2}{\cdot}$ may provide evidence supporting a potential role of mitochondria as a source of oxygen radicals to cause tissue damage.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.68-73
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• 2014

With wide use of nano-materials, it is increasingly important to address their potential toxicity to mammalian cells. However, toxic effects of these materials have been mainly assessed by the cell survival assays. Considering that mitochondrial morphology and quality are highly sensitive to the condition of the cells, and the impairment of mitochondrial function greatly affect the survival of cells, here we tested the impact of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) on the survival, mitochondrial morphology, and their membrane potential in HeLa cells. Interestingly, although MWNT did not induce cell death until 24 hours as assessed by pyknotic cell assay, mitochondrial length was elongated and the mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly reduced by exposure of HeLa cells to MWNT. These results suggest that MWNT exposure is potentially harmful to the cell, and the mechanism how MWNT alters mitochondrial quality should be further explored to assess the safety of MWNT use.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.873-879
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• 2011

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), an anticancer agent was covalently attached to the recently developed sorbitol-based G8 transporter, and the conjugate (7) with FITC was found to have an affinity toward mitochondria and to readily cross BBB to gain an entry into mouse brain. Measured by $IC_{50}$, the conjugate (9) without the fluorophore showed enhanced cytotoxic activity toward two types of multidrug-resistant cell lines. These results strongly suggest that the sorbitol-based G8 transporter can be utilized as a good CNS delivery vector.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.259-266
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• 1984

Present study was undertaken to elucidate the changes of the ultrastructure of Naegleria fowleri trophozoite in brain tissue of mice and culture medium. Naegleria fowleri, 0359 strain, which used in this study was cultured in axonic liquid medium, CGVS medium. Each mouse was inoculated with amoebas intranasally under secobarbital anesthesia, and sacrificed on 7th day after the infection. Comparative observation of the ultrastructure of the amoebas in axonic culture and experimentally infected mice brain was done with transmission electron microscope. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The amoebas in mouse brain tissue were round in outline, whereas those of amoebas from axonic culture showed irregular appearance. 2. Mitochondria in the amoebas from axonic culture was oval, round and cylindrical shape and darkly stained, whereas those of the amoebas from mouse brain tissue showed dumbbell shape together with above forms. The stain was not unique, but light and/or dark. 3. Rough endoplasmic reticulum of amoebas in brain tissue was tubular, but from culture it was vesicular or tubular in shape. 4. Emity vacuoles were demonstrated in amoebas from culture, while food vacuoles with myelinated structures were abundant in those from tissue, suggesting a strong phagocytic activity. 5. Mouse brain tissue in ected were extensively destroyed, and Polymorphonuclear leukocytes were infiltrated predominantly with inflammatory lesion. Amoebas were observed in the vicinity of the capillary.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.137-144
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• 2022

This paper presents the effect of the supramolecular complex of GA (Glycyrrhizic acid) and Mt(menthol) and GA: Mt (4: 1) obtained on their basis can restore functional dysfunction of the liver mitochondria in alloxan diabetes, ie, inhibit lipid peroxidation. The hypoglycemic activity and mitochondrial membrane stabilizing properties of the supramolecular compound GA: Mt (4: 1) in alloxan diabetes were more pronounced than those of menthol, GA and its GK: Mt (2: 1) and GA: Mt (9: 1) compounds. According to the results obtained, the concentration of GA did not affect the peroxidation of lipid membranes of the liver mitochondria. However, a concentration of 15 μM of GA was found to reduce LPO (lipid peroxidation) formed by the effect of Fe²+ / ascorbate on the mitochondrial membrane by 58.0 ± 5.0% relative to control. The inhibitory effect of GA and its supramolecular compounds in different proportions with menthol on the peroxidation of lipids in rat heart and brain tissue has been studied

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.178-184
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• 1996

Aloe(Aloe vera LINNE) has been used as a home medicine for the past several thousand in the world, and has been studied on various chronic degenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardiac infarction and hypertension. SMAP8, learning and memory impairment animal mode, were fed basic or experimental diets with 1.0% of freeze dried(FD)-Aloe powder for 8 months. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Aloe on body weight gain, grading score of senescence(GSS), triglyceride, total and LDL-cholesterol levels, and atherogenic index in serum of SAMP8, and also designed to investigate the effects of Aloe on cholesterol accumultions in mitochondria and microsome fractions of SAMP8 brain. Body weight gain was consistently lower in aloe group than in control group, but no significantly differences between them. Grading score of senescence resulted ina marked decreases pf 20% in 1.0% Aloe group compared with control group. Administrations of 1.0% aloe resulted ina marked decreases in 15% and 20% of triglyceride and cholesterol levels, respectively, and also significantly decreased in 15% of LDL-cholesterol levels and atherogenic index in serum of SAMP8 compared with control group. Cholesterol accumulations were significantly inhibited in 20% and 10% of mitochondria and microsome fractions of SAMP8 brain, respectively, by administration of 1.0% Aloe. These results suggest that administration of Aloe mau not only effectively inhibit chronic degenerative diseases in serum of SAMP8, but may also improve learning and memory impairments of SAMP8 brain.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.401-410
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• 1996

The microwave fixator has recently been introduced in morphological research. The present study was carried out to investigate the ultrastructural effects of microwave fixation of rat brain. kidney, liver and skeletal muscle tissues. The results are as follows: In the case of microwave fixed cerebrum. the cytoplasmic processes of neurons and the various membranous organelles such as nuclear envelope, mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus were well preserved, The myelin sheath wrapping neuronal axon was prominent. Microwave fixed hepatocytes showed the microvilli on the free surface of bile canaliculus, the evident nucleolar components, and typical organelles. In nephron, ultrastructures of glomerulus and Bowman's capsule were preserved, and also tubular wall were structurally observed. Among the skeletal muscle cells, plentiful collagen fibers were appeared, myofibrils and mitochondria were typically observed. In conclusion, the microwave fixation procedures result in an good preservation of the tissues and would be time- and reagent-saving.