• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1118-1127
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• 2020

Alzheimer's disease causes progressive neuronal loss that leads to cognitive disturbances. It is not currently curable, and there is no way to stop its progression. However, since medical treatment for Alzheimer's disease is most effective in the early stages, early detection can provide the best chance for symptom management. Biomarkers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease include amyloid β (Aβ) deposition, pathologic tau, and neurodegeneration. Aβ deposition and phosphorylated tau can be detected by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis or positron emission tomography (PET). However, CSF sampling is quite invasive, and PET analysis needs specialized and expensive equipment. During the last decades, blood-based biomarker analysis has been studied to develop fast and minimally invasive biomarker analysis method. And one of the remarkable findings is the involvement of platelets as a primary source of Aβ in plasma. Aβ can be transported across the blood - brain barrier, creating an equilibrium of Aβ levels between the brain and blood under normal condition. Interestingly, a number of clinical studies have unequivocally demonstrated that plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 ratios are reduced in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Together, these recent findings may lead to the development of a fast and minimally invasive early diagnostic approach to Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, especially the involvement of platelets as a source of peripheral Aβ production and its potential as a blood-based biomarker.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.371-385
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Soy isoflavone (SIF) and soy lecithin (SL) have beneficial effects on many chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. Regretfully, there is little evidence to show the combined effects of these soy extractives on the impairment of cognition and abnormal cerebral blood flow (CBF). This study examined the optimal combination dose of SIF + SL to provide evidence for improving CBF and protecting cerebrovascular endothelial cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: In vivo study, SIF50 + SL40, SIF50 + SL80 and SIF50 + SL160 groups were obtained. Morris water maze, laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), and hematoxylin-eosin staining were used to detect learning and memory impairment, CBF, and damage to the cerebrovascular tissue in rat. The 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and the oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were detected. The anti-oxidative damage index of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in the serum of an animal model was also tested. In vitro study, an immortalized mouse brain endothelial cell line (bEND.3 cells) was used to confirm the cerebrovascular endothelial cell protection of SIF + SL. In this study, 50 µM of Gen were used, while the 25, 50, or 100 µM of SL for different incubation times were selected first. The intracellular levels of 8-OHdG, SOD, GSH, and GSSG were also detected in the cells. RESULTS: In vivo study, SIF + SL could increase the target crossing times significantly and shorten the total swimming distance of rats. The CBF in the rats of the SIF50 + SL40 group and SIF50 + SL160 group was enhanced. Pathological changes, such as attenuation of the endothelium in cerebral vessels were much less in the SIF50 + SL40 group and SIF50 + SL160 group. The 8-OHdG was reduced in the SIF50 + SL40 group. The GSSG showed a significant decrease in all SIF + SL pretreatment groups, but the GSH showed an opposite result. SOD was upregulated by SIF + SL pretreatment. Different combinations of Genistein (Gen)+SL, the secondary proof of health benefits found in vivo study, showed they have effective anti-oxidation and less side reaction on protecting cerebrovascular endothelial cell. SIF50 + SL40 in rats experiment and Gen50 + SL25 in cell test were the optimum joint doses on alleviating cognitive impairment and regulating CBF through protecting cerebrovascular tissue by its antioxidant activity. CONCLUSIONS: SIF+SL could significantly prevent cognitive defect induced by β-Amyloid through regulating CBF. This kind of effect might be attributed to its antioxidant activity on protecting cerebral vessels.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.796-803
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• 2008

Mutations in the APP gene lead to enhanced cleavage by ${\beta}-$ and ${\gamma}-secretase$, and increased $A{\beta}$ formation, which are closely associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like neuropathological changes. Recent studies have shown that exercise training can ameliorate pathogenic phenotypes ($A{\beta}-42$, BDNF, GLUT-1 and HSP70) in experimental models of Alzheimer's disease. Here, we have used NSE/APPsw transgenic mice to investigate directly whether exercise training ameliorates pathogenic phenotypes within Alzheimer's brains. Sixteen weeks of exercise training resulted in a reduction of $A{\beta}-42$ peptides and also facilitated improvement of cognitive function. Furthermore, GLUT -1 and BDNF proteins produced by exercise training may protect brain neurons by inducing the concomitant expression of genes that encode proteins (HSP-70) which suppress stress induced neuron cell damages from APPsw transgenic mice. Thus, the improved cognitive function by exercise training may be mechanistically linked to a reduction of $A{\beta}-42$ peptides, possibly via activation of BDNF, GLUT-1, and HSP-70 proteins. On the basis of the evidences presented in this study, exercise training may represent a practical therapeutic management strategy for human subjects suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2005

Background: Inflammation in the brain has known to be associated with the development of a various neurological diseases. The hallmark of neuro-inflammation is the activation of microglia, brain macrophage. Pro-inflammatory compounds including nitric oxide (NO) are the main cause of neuro-degenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) which is resulted in cell death. Among those pro-inflammatory compounds, NO contributes to the cell death by directly or indirectly. Methods: In the study, we examined whether ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a non-toxic hydrophilic bile acid, inhibits the NO production by a direct method using Griess reagent and by RT-PCR in the gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In signal transduction, we also examined the NF-${\kappa}B$ (p65/p50), IKK, and I ${\kappa}B$, which are associated with the expression of iNOS gene using western blots. Results: In the present study, we found that UDCA effectively inhibited NO production in BV-2 microglial cell, and NF-${\kappa}B$ activation was reduced by suppressing IKK gene expression and by increasing the I${\kappa}B$ in cytosol comparing those to the positive control LPS. Conclusion: Taken together, these data suggested that UDCA may playa crucial role in inhibiting the NO production and the results imply that UDCA suppresses a cue signal of the microglial activation via stimulators, such as ${\beta}$-amyloid peptides which are known to stimulate microglia in AD pathogenesis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.438-445
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• 2016

Cyperi Rhizoma (CR), the rhizome of Cyperus rotundus L., exhibits neuroprotective effects in in vitro and in vivo models of neuronal diseases. Nevertheless, no study has aimed at finding the neuroactive constituent(s) of CR. In this study, we identified active compounds in a CR extract (CRE) using bioactivity-guided fractionation. We first compared the anti-oxidative and neuroprotective activities of four fractions and the CRE total extract. Only the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction revealed strong activity, and further isolation from the bioactive EA fraction yielded nine constituents: scirpusin A (1), scirpusin B (2), luteolin (3), 6'-acetyl-3,6-diferuloylsucrose (4), 4',6' diacetyl-3,6-diferuloylsucrose (5), p-coumaric acid (6), ferulic acid (7), pinellic acid (8), and fulgidic acid (9). The activities of constituents 1-9 were assessed in terms of anti-oxidative, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-amyloid-${\beta}$ activities. Constituents 1, 2, and 3 exhibited strong activities; constituents 1 and 2 were characterized for the first time in this study. These results provide evidence for the value of CRE as a source of multi-functional neuroprotectants, and constituents 1 and 2 may represent new candidates for further development in therapeutic use against neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.762-768
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ladder-climbing exercise training on neurobiological markers in the hippocampus of mice with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Twenty-one C57BL/6 male mice were randomly assigned to the non-diabetic control (NDC, n = 7), diabetic control (DC, n = 7), and diabetic training (DT, n = 7) groups. The DT group performed ladder-climbing training (LCT) five times a week for eight weeks. We measured the levels of hippocampal neurobiological markers (catalase [CAT], brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF], nerve growth factor [NGF], amyloid-beta [Aβ], tau, and CC motif chemokine ligand 11 [CCL11]). The BDNF levels were significantly higher in the DT group than in the DC group (p < 0.05). The Aβ and CCL11 levels were significantly higher in the DC group than in the NDC and DT groups (p < 0.05). The tau levels were significantly higher in the DC group than in the NDC group (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in CAT and NGF levels among the groups (p > 0.05). These results suggest that while T2DM could induce neurodegeneration, LCT may be effective in alleviating neurodegeneration caused by T2DM.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.173-194
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• 2002

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is a geriatric dementia that is widespread in old age. In the future AD will be the largest problem in public health service. From old times, Much medicines have been used for treatment of dementia, but there is no medicine having obvious effect. AD is one of brain retrogression disease. So We studied on herbal medicine that have a relation of brain retrogression. From old times, In Oriental Medicine, Rhizoma Acori Graminei has been used for disease in relation to brain retrogression. We studied on the effects of anti-Alzheimer in pCT105-induced neuroblastoma cell lines by Rhizoma Acori Graminei extract As the result of this study, In RAG group, the apoptosis in the nervous system is inhibited, the repair against the degerneration of Neuroblastoma cells by CT105 expression is promoted. These results indicate that RAG possess strong inhibitory effect of apoptosis in the nervous system and repair effect against the degeneration of Neuroblastoma cells by CT105 expression.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.65-76
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• 2004

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is a geriatric dementia that is widespread in old ages. In the future AD will be the largest problem in public health service. From old times, much medicines have been used for treatment of dementia, but there is no medicine having obvious effects. AD is one of brain retrogression disease. So we studied on herbal medicine that have a relation for brain retrogression. From old times, in oriental medicine, senile disease such as dementia and AD is treated by exclusion of Tan(痰). But Vascular Dementia(VsD) is due to YuXue(瘀血). So in recent studies, Hua Xue Hua Yu(活血化瘀) medicine is used for precautionary and medical treatment. We studied on the effects for anti-Alzheimer in pCT105-induced neuroblastoma cell lines by Hyeolbuchukeo-tang(HCT). As the results of this study, in HCT group, the apoptosis in the nervous system is inhibited, the repair against the degeneration of Neuroblastoma cells by CT105 expression is promoted. These results indicate that HCT possess strong inhibitory effect of apoptosis in the nervous system and repair effect against the degeneration of neuroblastoma cells by CT105 expression.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.87-93
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• 2010

Objectives : The oriental medicine Jangwonhwan originally described in the Korean medical text, DonguiBogam(amnesia chapter). Recently, a modified formula of Jangwonhwan(LMK02-Jangwonhwan), was shown to reduce $\beta$-amyloid deposition in the brain of Tg-APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. This experiment aimed to investigate the acute oral toxicity of LMK02 in SD rats by up-and-down procedure determinations. Methods : Quality control of tablet form of LMK02 was established by estimating indicative components, Ginsenoside Rg3 of Red Ginseng and Decursin of Angelicagigas Nakai. The toxicity of LMK02 was investigated in 6 week old, specific pathogen free(SPF), Sprageu-Dawley rats. 3 female rats received 5,000 mg/10 ml/kg of test substance and their death rate, clinical sings, weight changes and autopsy findings had been observed for 2 weeks. Results : Any specific symptoms or death were resulted in this experiment. No significant changes in rats' weight. No significant differences in atopsy. Conclusions : The minimum lethal dose(MLD) of LMK02 for female Sprauge-Dawley rats were more than 5,000mg/kg in this experiment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.1 s.81
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• pp.18-23
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• 2007

Fe65, a neuron-specific adaptor protein, has two phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domains. The second PTB (PTB2) domain interacts with intracellular domain fragment (AICD) of amyloid beta precursor protein (APP). Recent studies suggested that tile complex is composed of AICD and Fe65 transactivates genes that are responsible for neuronal cell death in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, a compound inhibiting the interaction between Fe65 and AICD can be a drug candidate to treat AD. However, it remains unclear how Fe65 recognizes AICD at a molecular level. Here, we report high-level production of the PTB2 domain of Fe65 in the baculovirus system. We found that the baculovirus system is an efficient method to obtain the Fe65 PTB2 domain, compared with the bacterial and mammalian expression systems. The purified recombinant protein was used for crystallization to determine its crystal structure helping to understand the molecular mechanism of Fe65-dependent signaling and to design its inhibitors.