• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.581-589
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• 2020

Neurons have multiple dendrites and single axon. This neuronal polarity is gradually established during early processes of neuronal differentiation: generation of multiple neurites (stages 1-2); differentiation (stage 3) and maturation (stages 4-5) of an axon and dendrites. In this study, we demonstrated that the neuron-specific n-glycosylated protein NELL2 is important for neuronal polarization and axon growth using cultured rat embryonic hippocampal neurons. Endogenous NELL2 expression was gradually increased in parallel with the progression of developmental stages of hippocampal neurons, and overexpression of NELL2 stimulated neuronal polarization and axon growth. In line with these results, knockdown of NELL2 expression resulted in deterioration of neuronal development, including inhibition of neuronal development progression, decreased axon growth and increased axon branching. Inhibitor against extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) dramatically inhibited NELL2-induced progression of neuronal development and axon growth. These results suggest that NELL2 is an important regulator for the morphological development for neuronal polarization and axon growth.

• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.77-81
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• 2014

Mushrooms are considered not only as food but also for source of physiologically beneficial medicines. The culinary-medicinal mushrooms may important role in the prevention of age-associated neurological dysfunctions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Hericium erinaceus (H. erinaceus), is edible mushrooms, is a parasitic fungus that grows hanging off of logs and trees and well established candidate for brain and nerve health. H. erinaceus contains high amounts of antioxidants, beta-glucan, polysaccharides and a potent catalyst for brain tissue regeneration and helps to improve memory and cognitive functions. Its fruiting bodies and the fungal mycelia exhibit various pharmacological activities, including the enhancement of the immune system, antitumor, hypoglycemic and anti-aging properties. H. erinaceus stimulates the synthesis of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) which is the primary protein nutrient responsible for enhancing and repairing neurological disorders. Especially hericenones and erinacines isolated from its fruitin body stimulate NGF, synthesis. This fungus is also utilized to regulate blood levels of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol. H. erinaceus can be considered as useful therapeutic agents in the management and/or treatment of neurodegeneration diseases. However, this review focuses on in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials for neurodegerative disease.

• ALGAE
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.175-187
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• 2016

This study evaluated the effects of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched fermented sea tangle (GFST), as a functional food, on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-related muscle growth and lipolysis, in a sarcopenic obesity high-risk group. Twenty-one middle-aged women (53-63 y) participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study. Participants ingested either 1,000 mg of GFST (n = 10) or a sucrose placebo (CON) (n = 11) everyday, for 8 weeks. Subjects were asked to abstain from any regular exercise. Fasting venous blood samples, body composition and muscular strength were measured before and after supplementation period. Collectively, we demonstrated that GFST significantly decreased total fat mass and triglyceride in body composition, as well as significantly increasing serum BDNF (p < 0.001), angiotensin converting enzyme (p < 0.001), human growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively) accompanied by increased total lean mass (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the reported improvements in total work, knee extension and flexion at 60° s⁻¹ (p < 0.05), and peak torque normalized to body weight of knee flexion at 60° s⁻¹ (p < 0.05), support an ergogenic effect of GABA associated with increased growth factor levels. The use of GFST, as a functional food ingredient, to elicit anti-obesity effects and stimulate the release of muscle-related growth factors with increasing serum BDNF levels may provide a protective intervention for age-related degeneration such as sarcopenic obesity.

• 생물정신의학
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2023

Many psychiatric disorders are associated with brain functional dysfunctions and neuronal degeneration. According to the research so far, enhanced brain plasticity reduces neurodegeneration and recovers neuronal damage. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most extensively studied neurotrophins in the mammalian brain that plays major roles in neuronal survival, development, growth, and maintenance of neurons in brain circuits related to emotion and cognitive function. Also, BDNF plays an important role in brain plasticity, influencing dendritic spines in the hippocampus neurogenesis. Changes in neurogenesis and dendritic density can improve psychiatric symptoms and cognitive functions. BDNF has potent effects on brain plasticity through biochemical mechanisms, cellular signal pathways, and epigenetic changes. There are pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to increase the expression of BDNF and enhance brain plasticity. Non-pharmacological interventions such as physical exercise, nutritional change, environmental enrichment, and neuromodulation have biological mechanisms that increase the expression of BDNF and brain plasticity. Non-pharmacological interventions are cost-effective and safe ways to improve psychiatric symptoms.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.264-272
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• 2021

Background: Gintonin is a ginseng-derived exogenous G-protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, which exhibits in vitro and in vivo functions against Alzheimer disease (AD) through lysophosphatidic acid 1/3 receptors. A recent study demonstrated that systemic treatment with gintonin enhances paracellular permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) through the LPA1/3 receptor. However, little is known about whether gintonin can enhance brain delivery of donepezil (DPZ) (Aricept), which is a representative cognition-improving drug used in AD clinics. In the present study, we examined whether systemic administration of gintonin can stimulate brain delivery of DPZ. Methods: We administered gintonin and DPZ alone or coadministered gintonin with DPZ intravenously or orally to rats. Then we collected the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and serum and determined the DPZ concentration through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Results: Intravenous, but not oral, coadministration of gintonin with DPZ increased the CSF concentration of DPZ in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ was blocked by Ki16425, a LPA1/3 receptor antagonist. Coadministration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) + gintonin with DPZ similarly increased CSF DPZ concentration. However, gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ was blocked by axitinip, a VEGF receptor antagonist. Mannitol, a BBB disrupting agent that increases the BBB permeability, enhanced gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ. Conclusions: We found that intravenous, but not oral, coadministration of gintonin facilitates brain delivery of DPZ from plasma via LPA1/3 and VEGF receptors. Gintonin is a potential candidate as a ginseng-derived novel agent for the brain delivery of DPZ for treatment of patients with AD.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2019

Fish shows great difference in growth rate between individuals during larval development and early growth. This difference seriously reduces the production efficiency in fish culture. Growth hormone (GH)/Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) system is said to play some pivotal roles in fish growth. In this study, we investigated differences of GH, IGF1 and GHR gene expressions in juvenile red spotted grouper (Epinephelus akaara) with different growth performance. Red spotted groupers were reared under the same environmental condition (water temperature $24{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, natural light) for 96 days after hatching. They were divided into 3 groups by size (fast growing, middle growing and slow growing groups: FGG, MGG, and SGG, respectively). RNA was extracted from the brain, liver and muscle tissues from each group, and target gene expression was examined by real-time PCR. In the brain with pituitary gland, expression of GH gene in FGG was significantly higher than the expression in SGG, but the expression of IGF1 and GHR genes in the muscle was highest in SGG. Difference of GHR and IGF1 mRNA in the liver between groups with different growth performance was less clear than that in other tissues, although level of IGF1 mRNA was higher in SGG than in MGG. These results suggest that hormonal governing of growth is not the same in fast growing and slow growing fish, and size grading could cause a shift of hormonal state and growth pattern in this species.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권10호
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• pp.762-767
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• 2016

Fasciclin II (FasII), the Drosophila ortholog of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), plays a critical role in synaptic stabilization and plasticity. Although this molecule undergoes constitutive cycling at the synaptic membrane, how its membrane trafficking is regulated to ensure proper synaptic development remains poorly understood. In a genetic screen, we recovered a mutation in Drosophila mical-like that displays an increase in bouton numbers and a decrease in FasII levels at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Similar phenotypes were induced by presynaptic, but not postsynaptic, knockdown of mical-like expression. FasII trafficking assays revealed that the recycling of internalized FasII molecules to the cell surface was significantly impaired in mical-like-knockdown cells. Importantly, this defect correlated with an enhancement of endosomal sorting of FasII to the lysosomal degradation pathway. Similarly, synaptic vesicle exocytosis was also impaired in mical-like mutants. Together, our results identify Mical-like as a novel regulator of synaptic growth and FasII endocytic recycling.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.23-29
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• 2016

In fish, light (photoperiod, intensity and spectra) is main regulator in many physiological actions including growth. We investigate the effect of light spectra on the somatic growth and growth-related gene expression in the rearing tiger puffer. Fish was reared under different light spectra (blue, green and red) for 8 weeks. Fish body weight and total length were promoted when reared under green light condition than red light condition. Expression of somatostatins (ss1 and ss2) in brain were showed higher expression under red light condition than green light condition. The ss3 mRNA was observed only higher expression in blue light condition. Expression of growth hormone (gh) in pituitary was detected no different levels between experimental groups. However, the fish of green light condition group was showed more high weight gain and feed efficiency than other light condition groups. Our present results suggest that somatic growth of tiger puffer is induced under green light condition because of inhibiting ss mRNA expression in brain by effect of green wavelength.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.265-275
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• 2006

In the developing brain, capillaries are differentiated and matured into the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is composed of cerebral endothelial cells, astrocyte end-feet, and pericytes. Since the BBB regulates the homeostasis of central nervous system (CNS), the maintenance of the BBB is important for CNS function. The disruption of the BBB may result in many brain disorders including brain tumors. However, the molecular mechanism of BBB formation and maintenance is poorly understood. Here, we summarize recent advances in the role of oxygen tension and growth factors on BBB development and maintenance, and in BBB dysfunction related with brain tumors.

• Clinical Nutrition Research
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.169-176
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• 2023

Glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) deficiency syndrome (DS) is a metabolic brain disorder caused by a deficiency resulting from SLC2A1 gene mutation and is characterized by abnormal brain metabolism and associated metabolic encephalopathy. Reduced glucose supply to the brain leads to brain damage, resulting in delayed neurodevelopment in infancy and symptoms such as eye abnormalities, microcephaly, ataxia, and rigidity. Treatment options for GLUT1 DS include ketogenic diet (KD), pharmacotherapy, and rehabilitation therapy. Of these, KD is an essential and the most important treatment method as it promotes brain neurodevelopment by generating ketone bodies to produce energy. This case is a focused study on intensive KD nutritional intervention for an infant diagnosed with GLUT1 DS at Gangnam Severance Hospital from May 2022 to January 2023. During the initial hospitalization, nutritional intervention was performed to address poor intake via the use of concentrated formula and an attempt was made to introduce complementary feeding. After the second hospitalization and diagnosis of GLUT1 DS, positive effects on the infant's growth and development, nutritional status, and seizure control were achieved with minimal side effects by implementing KD nutritional intervention and adjusting the type and dosage of anticonvulsant medications. In conclusion, for patients with GLUT1 DS, it is important to implement a KD with an appropriate ratio of ketogenic to nonketogenic components to supply adequate energy. Furthermore, individualized and intensive nutritional management is necessary to improve growth, development, and nutritional status.