• Nutritional Sciences
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.231-236
• /
• 2005

This study investigated the changes in the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) activities during food restriction in the rat brain such as cerebral cortex, cerebellum, caudate pautamen and hypothalamus. The rats were placed on a restricted feeding schedule consisting of half the ad libitum quantity for 3 days and 1, 2, 4, 6 and 9 weeks, and a free feeding schedule for 4 weeks. The loss of body weight peaked after 1 week of food restriction and persisted during the entire 9-week period of food restriction. The dramatic weight change in the first week ($12\%$) and the reduction in weight changes thereafter suggest that major adaptation changes occur early and body maintenance occurs subsequently. In the hypothalamus, the optical densities of the NADPH-d and nNOS immunoreactivities were found to be significantly higher in the 1-week and lower in the 9-week food restricted group than in the ad libitum fed control rats. In contrast, in the cerebral cortex, the optical densities of the NADPH-d- and nNOS-positive neurons were not changed significantly during the period of food restriction. This study provides the morphological evidence showing that food restriction has a significant effect on the nitric oxide synthesizing system of the hypothalamus.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.56 no.6
• /
• pp.488-491
• /
• 2014

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the prenatal hypoxic effect on the fetal brain development. Methods : We used the guinea pig chronic placental insufficiency model to investigate the effect of hypoxia on fetal brain development. We ligated unilateral uterine artery at 30-32 days of gestation (dg : with term defined as -67 dg). At 50 dg, 60 dg, fetuses were sacrificed and assigned to either the growth-restricted (GR) or control (no ligation) group. After fixation, dissection, and sectioning of cerebral tissue from these animals, immunohistochemistry was performed with NeuN antibody, which is a mature neuronal marker in the cerebral cortex. Results : The number of NeuN-immunoreactive (IR) cells in the cerebral cortex did not differ between the GR and control groups at 50 dg. However, the number of NeuN-IR cells was lesser in GR fetuses than in controls at 60 dg (p<0.05). Conclusion : These findings show that chronic prenatal hypoxia affect the number of neuron in the cerebral cortex of guinea pig fetus at 60 dg. The approach used in this study is helpful for extending our understanding of neurogenesis in the cerebral cortex, and the findings may be useful for elucidating the brain injury caused by prenatal hypoxia.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.47-53
• /
• 2008

Hox genes are known to be transcription factors controlling vertebrate pattern formation along the anteroposterior body axis by regulating many target gene expressions during vertebrate embryogenesis. In order to isolate in vivo Hox responsive target genes, ChIP-cloning technique has been applied using Hoxc8 antibody. Here murine embryo of day 11.5 post coitum (E11.5) highly expressing Hoxc8 gene was used after removing head and tail portions where Hoxc8 is rarely expressing. After fixation with formaldehyde, the chromatin DNAs harboring bound proteins were isolated. After sonication, about 0.5- to 1 Kb chromatin DNAs were immunoprecipitated with anti Hoxc8 antibody. After removing the bound proteins with proteinase K, DNAs were isolated, cloned into the pBluescsript II SK vector, and then sequenced. Total 33 random clones sequenced were anlalyzed to be located at 12 different genomic regions. Among these, 8 turned out to be introns and 4 were intergenic regions localized in random chromosomes. The base composition of total cloned genomic sequences (6608 bp) were AT-rich, i.e., 40% GC. When the Hoxc8 core binding sites, such as TAAT, ATTA, TTAT, and ATAA were analyzed total number of 55, 45, 54, and 55 were found, respectively, which are than twice as many as expected number of 26. Although this in silico analysis does not mean that the ChIP-cloned sequence is real Hoxc8 regulatory element in vivo, these results strongly imply that the DNA fragments cloned through chromatin immunoprecipitation could be very much likely the putative Hoxc8 downstream target genes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.8 no.6
• /
• pp.307-312
• /
• 2004

To investigate whether BF-7, extracted from Bombyx mori, improved learning and memory of ordinary people, Rey-Kim Memory Test was performed with placebo group (32 persons), 200 mg BF-7 treated group (33 persons) and 400 mg BF-7 treated group (34 persons). BF-7 enhanced significantly learning and memory function in a dose-dependent manner. To know how BF-T plays such a positive role, we measured the concentration of acetylcholine in the brain from memory impairment animal model. Treatment of BF-7 significantly increased the concentration of acetylcholine. So, it is supposed that the protection of cholinergic neuron and/or keeping proper concentration of acetylcholine might be one of the mechanisms by which BF-7 improve brain function. So, our results suggest that the BF-7 is effective material for improving learning and memory ability.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.272-276
• /
• 2017

HOX genes are transcription factors that play important roles in body patterning and cell fate specification during normal development. In previous study, we found aberrant overexpression of HOXB5 in breast cancer tissues and cell lines, and demonstrated that HOXB5 is important in regulation of cell proliferation, tamoxifen resistance, and invasiveness through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although the relationship between HOXB5 and phenotypic changes in MCF7 breast cancer cells has been studied, the molecular function of HOXB5 as a transcription factor remains unclear. IL-6 has been reported to be involved in not only inflammation but also cancer progression, which is characterized by the increase of growth speed and invasiveness of tumor cells. In this study, we selected Interleukin-6 (IL-6) as HOXB5 putative downstream target gene and discovered that HOXB5 transcriptionally up-regulated the expression of IL-6 in HOXB5 overexpressing MCF7 cells. The upstream region (~1.2 kb) of IL-6 promoter turned out to contain several putative HOX consensus binding sites. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay confirmed that HOXB5 directly binds to the promoter region of IL-6 and positively regulated the expression of IL-6. These data all together, indicate that HOXB5 promotes IL-6 transcription by actively binding to the putative binding sites located in the upstream region of IL-6, which enable to increase its promoter activity in MCF7 breast cancer cells.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.239-244
• /
• 2007

Hoxc8 is one of the homeotic developmental control genes regulating the expression of many downstream target genes, through which animal body pattern is established during embryonic development. In previous proteomics analysis, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) which is also known as cyclin, has been implied to be regulated by Hoxc8 in F9 murine embryonic teratocarcinoma cell. When the 5' upstream region of PCNA was analyzed, it turned out to contain 20 Hox core binding sites (ATTA) in about 1.17 kbp (kilo base pairs) region ($-520{\sim}-1690$). In order to test whether this region is responsible for Hoxc8 regulation, the upstream 2.3 kbp fragment of PCNA was amplified through PCR and then cloned into the pGL3 basic vector containing a luciferase gene as a reporter. When the luciferase activity was measured in the presence of effector plasmid (pcDNA : c8) expressing murine Hoxc8, the PCNA promoter driven reporter activity was reduced. To confirm whether this reduction is due to the Hoxc8 protein, the siRNA against Hoxc8 (5'-GUA UCA GAC CUU GGA ACU A-3' and 5'-UAG UUC CAA GGU CUG AUA C-3') was prepared. Interestingly enough, siRNA treatment up regulated the luciferase activity which was down regulated by Hoxc8, indicating that Hoxc8 indeed regulates the expression of PCNA, in particular, down regulation in NIN3T3 cells. These results altogether indicate that Hoxc8 might orchestrate the pattern formation by regulating PCNA which is one of the important proteins involved in several processes such as DNA replication and methylation, chromatin remodeling, cell cycle regulation, differentiation, as well as programmed cell death.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.214-234
• /
• 2000

This study was carried to identify whether acupuncture of several acupuncture points can affect the brain and to observe which aspects appear in EEG mapping, using electroencephalography. Those results are as follows ; 1. The pattern of resting computerized EEG map in intact human is appered normal 2. Each Acupuncture in Kwan Weon or Jog Sam Ri meridian points bring about the increase in $\theta,\;\alpha-wave$ activity and at various area of the cerebrium and the decrease in $\delta,\;\beta-wave$ activity. It strands to reason that brain function is elevated On the other hand , synchronous acupuncture bring about the decrease of brain function in view of the decrease of $\delta,\;\theta-wave$ activity at frontal area, and the unstable brain state in view of the increase of $\beta-wave$ activity. 3. Acupuncture in Hyeon Jong meridian point bring about the increase of $\delta,\;\theta-wave$ activity at frontal area and $\beta-wave$ activity at temporal area. From these we deduce that brain function is declined and brain is unstable. Synchronous acupuncture with other meridian points reversly showed that brain function is elevated. 4. Synchronous acupuncture in Kwan Weon , Jog Sam Ri, Hyeon Jong bring about the decrease of the brain function and the unstable brain state, showing the pattern of increased $\delta,\;\theta-wave$ activity at frontal, parietal area, and increased $\beta-wave$ activity at temporal area.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.168-181
• /
• 2003

Objective: The neuroanatomical studies on the acupoints(Waiguan(SJ5), Neiguan(Pe6), Sanyinjiao(SP6) and Xuanzhong(GB39)) projecting to the brain area related to dimentia using the pseudorabies virus (PRV-Ba strain) in the mouse was described. Methods: The common locations of the brain projecting to the Waiguan, Neiguan, Sanyinjiao and Xuanzhong following injection of PRV-Ba were histochemically observed. The results were as follows Results : 1. PRV-Ba labeled areas in medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain were similar to 4 acupoints, theses areas were related to autonomic center. 2. PRV-Ba labeled areas in diencephalon and cebrebrum were differently labeled according to the acupoints. 3. CNS labeled areas in Waiguan were dense labeled in CA1-3 area of hippocampus, amygdaloid nucleus, insular cortex, parietal cortex, entorhinal cortex, perirhinal cortex, dorsal endopiriform cortex, piriform cortex, amygdalopiriform transition and bed n. of stria terminalis. 4. CNS labeled areas in Neiguan were dense labeled in insular cortex, amygdaloid nucleus, parietal cortex, entorhinal cortex, perirhinal cortex, dorsal endopiriform cortex, piriform cortex, amygdalopiriform transition and bed n. of stria terminalis. 5. CNS labeled areas in Sanyinjiao were dense labeled in CA1-3 of hippocampus, suprachiasmatic n., dorsal endopiriform cortex, piriform cortex and bed n. of stria terminalis. 6. CNS labeled areas in Xuanzhong were dense labeled in suprachiasmatic n., dorsal endopiriform cortex and piriform cortex. Conclusions : Following these results, labeled acupoints in brain areas related to dimentia are Waiguan and Neiguan. Common labeled areas are amygdaloid n., entorhinal cortex, amygdaopiriform transition, bed n. stria terminalis and perirhinal cortex.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.993-999
• /
• 2005

This research was peformed to investigate protective effect of Sophora Subprostrata fractions against focal ischemic brain damage after middle cerebral artery(MCA) occlusion using intraluminal suture. Rats were divided into six groups: MCA-occluded group(Control): each administered groups with Sophora Subprostrata total phase(Total), Sophora Subprostrata Aqueous phase (Aqueous), Sophora Subprostrata BuOH phase(BuOH), and Sophora Subprostrata Alkaloid phase(Alkaloid) after MCA-occlusion; sham-operated group(Sham). The right MCA was occluded by A poly-L-lysine coated 4-0 nylon suture thread through the internal carotid artery permanently. Sophora Subprostrata and fractions were administered orally(Smg/ml) for 7 days after MCA-occlusion. The Drain tissue was stained with $2\%$ triphenyl tetrazolium chloride on ischemic brain tissue(2mm section). The results showed that 1) Sophora Subprostrata total phase reduced infarct size and total infarct volume compared to the control group at 24 hours after MCA-occlusion, 2) Sophora Subprostrata Aqueous phase reduced infarct size and total infarct volume compared to the control group at 24 hours after MCA-occlusion, 3) Sophora Subprostrata Alkaloid phase reduced infarct size compared to the control group at 24 hours after MCA-occlusion, but 4) at 7 days after MCA-occlusion, Sophora Subprostrata did not show effective recovery compared with control group. Sophora Subprostrata has protective effects against brain damage at the early stage of focal cerebral ischemia. Sophora Subprostrata total and Aqueous phase produced more pronounced protective effect against focal ischemic brain damage.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.69-85
• /
• 2023

Depression is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders and is associated with dysfunction of the neuroendocrine system and alterations in specific brain proteins. Boophone disticha (BD) is an indigenous psychoactive bulb that belongs to the Amaryllidacae family, which is widely used in Southern Africa to treat depression, with scientific evidence of potent antidepressant-like effects. The present study examined the antidepressant effects of BD and its mechanisms of action by measuring some behavioural parameters in the elevated plus maze, brain content of corticosterone, brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), and neuroblast differentiation in the hippocampus of Balb/c mice exposed to the five day repeated forced swim stress (5d-RFSS). Male Balb/c mice were subjected to the 5d-RFSS protocol to induce depressive-like behaviour (decreased swimming, increased floating, decreased open arm entry, decreased time spent in the open arms and decreased head dips in the elevated plus maze test) and treated with distilled water, fluoxetine and BD. BD treatment (10 mg/kg/p.o for 3 weeks) significantly attenuated the 5d-RFSS-induced behavioural abnormalities and the elevated serum corticosterone levels observed in stressed mice. Additionally, 5d-RFSS exposure significantly decreased the number of neuroblasts in the hippocampus and BDNF levels in the brain of Balb/c mice, while fluoxetine and BD treatment attenuated these changes. The antidepressant effects of BD were comparable to those of fluoxetine, but unlike fluoxetine, BD did not show any anxiogenic effects, suggesting better pharmacological functions. In conclusion, our study shows that BD exerted antidepressant-like effects in 5d-RFSS mice, mediated in part by normalizing brain corticosterone and BDNF levels.