• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.386-390
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Acanthopanax divaricatus var. albeofructus (ADA) extract has been reported to have anti-oxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-mutagenic activity. MATERIALS/METHODS: We investigated the effects of ADA extract on two mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD); intracerebroventricular injection of ${\beta}$-amyloid peptide ($A{\beta}$) and amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 (APP/PS1)-transgenic mice. RESULTS: Intra-gastric administration of ADA stem extract (0.25 g/kg, every 12 hrs started from one day prior to injection of $A{\beta}1$-42 until evaluation) effectively blocked $A{\beta}1$-42-induced impairment in passive avoidance performance, and $A{\beta}1$-42-induced increase in immunoreactivities of glial fibrillary acidic protein and interleukin (IL)-$1{\alpha}$ in the hippocampus. In addition, it alleviated the $A{\beta}1$-42-induced decrease in acetylcholine and increase in malondialdehyde levels in the cortex. In APP/PS1-transgenic mice, chronic oral administration of ADA stem extract (0.1 or 0.5 g/kg/day for six months from the age of six to 12 months) resulted in significantly enhanced performance of the novel-object recognition task, and reduced amyloid deposition and IL-$1{\beta}$ in the brain. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that ADA stem extract may be useful for prevention and treatment of AD.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.41-51
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• 2016

Adult hippocampal dentate granule neurons are generated from neural stem cells (NSCs) in the mammalian brain, and the fate specification of adult NSCs is precisely controlled by the local niches and environment, such as the subventricular zone (SVZ), dentate gyrus (DG), and Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the main polyphenolic flavonoid in green tea that has neuroprotective activities, but there is no clear understanding of the role of EGCG in adult neurogenesis in the DG after neuroinflammation. Here, we investigate the effect and the mechanism of EGCG on adult neurogenesis impaired by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). LPS-induced neuroinflammation inhibited adult neurogenesis by suppressing the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in the DG, which was indicated by the decreased number of Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-, Doublecortin (DCX)- and Neuronal Nuclei (NeuN)-positive cells. In addition, microglia were recruited with activating TLR4-NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling in the adult hippocampus by LPS injection. Treating LPS-injured mice with EGCG restored the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs in the DG, which were decreased by LPS, and EGCG treatment also ameliorated the apoptosis of NSCs. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokine production induced by LPS was attenuated by EGCG treatment through modulating the TLR4-NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. These results illustrate that EGCG has a beneficial effect on impaired adult neurogenesis caused by LPS-induced neuroinflammation, and it may be applicable as a therapeutic agent against neurodegenerative disorders caused by inflammation.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.6.1-6.12
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• 2012

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complicated neurodegenerative disorder although it is oftentimes defined by clinical motor symptoms originated from age dependent and progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. The pathogenesis of PD involves dopaminergic and nondopaminergic neurons in many brain regions and the molecular mechanisms underlying the death of different cell types still remain to be elucidated. There are indications that PD causing disease processes occur in a global scale ranging from DNA to RNA, and proteins. Several PD-associated genes have been reported to play diverse roles in controlling cellular functions in different levels, such as chromatin structure, transcription, processing of mRNA, translational modulation, and posttranslational modification of proteins. The advent of quantitative high throughput screening (HTS) tools makes it possible to monitor systemic changes in DNA, RNA and proteins in PD models. Combined with dopamine neuron isolation or derivation of dopamine neurons from PD patient specific induced pluripotent stem cells (PD iPSCs), HTS techonologies will provide opportunities to draw PD causing sequences of molecular events in pathologically relevant PD samples. Here I discuss previous studies that identified molecular functions in which PD genes are involved, especially those signaling pathways that can be efficiently studied using HTS methodologies. Brief descriptions of quantitative and systemic tools looking at DNA, RNA and proteins will be followed. Finally, I will emphasize the use and potential benefits of PD iPSCs-derived dopaminergic neurons to screen signaling pathways that are initiated by PD linked gene mutations and thus causative for dopaminergic neurodegneration in PD.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.237-244
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• 2010

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition that primarily affects women. Here, we investigate the effects of human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in a rodent model of SUI. Female Sprague-Dawley rats at 7 weeks of age were randomly divided into three groups (n=8 per group): sham-operation, SUI-induction by transabdominal urethrolysis, and SUI-induction followed by transplantation of human ADSCs into the urethra. The abdominal leak point pressure at 8 weeks after the operation was markedly decreased by transabdominal urethrolysis, confirming successful induction of SUI. Interestingly, transplantation of human ADSCs into the urethra significantly blunted the decrease of abdominal leak point pressure in SUI-induced rats. Accordingly, we observed expression of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin in a significant proportion of transplanted ADSCs, indicating differentiation of ADSCs into smooth muscle cells in the urethra. Moreover, the SUI-induced elevations of c-Fos immunoreactivities in the pontine micturition center (PMC) and in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) were clearly suppressed by transplantation of human ADSCs. These results imply that human ADSCs can be an effective therapeutic modality to ameliorate the symptoms of SUI.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.110-118
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to induce the production of isthmic organizer (IsO)-like cells capable of secreting fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 8 and WNT1 from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The precise modulation of canonical Wnt signaling was achieved in the presence of the small molecule CHIR99021 ($0.6{\mu}M$) during the neural induction of human ESCs, resulting in the differentiation of these cells into IsO-like cells having a midbrain-hindbrain border (MHB) fate in a manner that recapitulated their developmental course in vivo. Resultant cells showed upregulated expression levels of FGF8 and WNT1. The addition of exogenous FGF8 further increased WNT1 expression by 2.6 fold. Gene ontology following microarray analysis confirmed that IsO-like cells enriched the expression of MHB-related genes by 40 fold compared to control cells. Lysates and conditioned media of IsO-like cells contained functional FGF8 and WNT1 proteins that could induce MHB-related genes in differentiating ESCs. The method for generating functional IsO-like cells described in this study could be used to study human central nervous system development and congenital malformations of the midbrain and hindbrain.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.132-136
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• 2010

This study examined the biostability and drug delivery efficiency of g-$Fe_2O_3$ magnetic nanoparticles (GMNs) by cytotoxicity tests using various tumor cell lines and normal cell lines. The GMNs, approximately 20 nm in diameter, were prepared using a chemical coprecipitation technique, and coated with two surfactants to obtain a water-based product. The particle size of the GMNs loaded on hangamdan drugs (HGMNs) measured 20-50 nm in diameter. The characteristics of the particles were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-TEM) and Raman spectrometer. The Raman spectrum of the GMNs showed three broad bands at 274, 612 and $771\;cm^1$. A 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that the GMNs were non-toxic against human brain cancer cells (SH-SY5Y, T98), human cervical cancer cells (Hela, Siha), human liver cancer cells (HepG2), breast cancer cells (MCF-7), colon cancer cells (CaCO2), human neural stem cells (F3), adult mencenchymal stem cells (B10), human kidney stem cells (HEK293 cell), human prostate cancer (Du 145, PC3) and normal human fibroblasts (HS 68) tested. However, HGMNs were cytotoxic at 69.99% against the DU145 prostate cancer cell, and at 34.37% in the Hela cell. These results indicate that the GMNs were biostable and the HGMNs served as effective drug delivery vehicles.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제59권8호
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• pp.341-345
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• 2016

Purpose: Venous angioma (VA) is the most common congenital abnormality of the intracranial vasculature. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between VA and epilepsy and to identify the characteristics of children with VA and epilepsy. Methods: The records of all patients aged less than 18 years who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at Pusan National University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with isolated VA and patients with normal MRI were compared in terms of the prevalence of epilepsy. Results: In total, 2,385 pediatric patients who underwent brain MRI were enrolled. Isolated VA was identified in 26 patients (VA group). Among the patients with normal MRI findings, 225 age- and sexmatched patients to the VA-group were assigned to the control group. Nine patients in the VA group (9 of 26, 34.6%) and 27 patients in the control group (26 of 225, 11.5%; P<0.001) had epilepsy. In the VA group, 20 patients (76.9%) had the VA in the cerebral hemispheres, and 6 patients (23.1%) had the VA in the brainstem and cerebellum. The latter showed a higher prevalence of epilepsy (5 of 6, 83.3%) than the former (4 of 20, 20.0%; P=0.004). Among the nine patients who had epilepsy with VA, patients whose VA involved the brainstem and cerebellum showed a significantly higher frequency of abnormal Electroencephalographic findings than patients whose VA involved the cerebral hemispheres (P=0.016). Conclusion: VA, especially in the brainstem and cerebellum, might be associated with epilepsy.

• Laboraroty Animal Research
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.257-263
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• 2018

Trefoil factor 1 (TFF1, also known as pS2) is strongly expressed in the gastrointestinal mucosa and plays a critical role in the differentiation of gastric glands. Since approximately 50% of all human gastric cancers are associated with decreased TFF1 expression, it is considered a tumor suppressor gene. Tff1 deficiency in mice results in histological changes in the antral and pyloric gastric mucosa, with severe hyperplasia and dysplasia of epithelial cells, resulting in the development of antropyloric adenoma. Here, we generated Tff1-knockout (KO) mice, without a neomycin resistant ($Neo^R$) cassette, using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (CRSIPR/Cas9) system. Though our Tff1-KO mice showed phenotypes very similar to the previous embryonic stem (ES)-cell-based KO mice, they differed from the previous reports in that a reduction in body weight was observed in males. These results demonstrate that these newly established Tff1-KO mice are useful tools for investigating genetic and environmental factors influencing gastric cancer, without the effects of artificial gene insertion. Furthermore, these findings suggest a novel hypothesis that Tff1 expression influences gender differences.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권12호
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• pp.1397-1405
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• 2018

미토콘드리아는 세포안에서 에너지 공급, 칼슘 이온 저장, 활성산소 생성, 세포 자살과 같은 다양한 기능을 수행한다. 이러한 기능을 통해, 미토콘드리아는 줄기세포의 유지, 증식, 그리고 분화에 관여한다. 뇌에서 뇌실 하 영역(subventricular zone, SVZ)에는 일평생 새로운 신경세포를 생성하는 신경줄기세포(neural stem cell, NSC)가 존재한다. 하지만, SVZ NSCs에서 미토콘드리아의 역할에 대한 연구는 많이 알려져 있지 않다. 이번 연구에서 우리는 미토콘드리아의 complex I 저해제인 rotenone이 SVZ NSCs의 증식과 분화를 다른 방식으로 방해한다는 것을 보여주었다. 증식 중인 신경줄기세포에서, rotenone은 세포분열을 감소시켰는데, 이때 세포분열은 히스톤 H3에 인산기가 붙어있는 지를 측정하여 확인하였다. Rotenone을 50 nM 농도로 증식 중인 신경줄기세포에 처리했을 때, 세포사멸은 발생하지 않았다. 한편, 분화 중인 신경줄기세포에 rotenone을 처리한 경우, 신경세포와 희소 돌기아교 세포(oligodendrocyte)으로의 분화가 억제되었고, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)를 발현하는 성상세포(astrocyte)에는 영향이 없었다. 흥미롭게도, 4-6일 동안의 분화 과정 동안 rotenone이 처리된 신경줄기세포에서 대조군 보다 더 많은 세포 수가 관찰 되었는데, 이는 증식 과정 중의 rotenone의 효과와 다른 것이다. 이에, 우리는 rotenone이 세포 자살은 감소시켰으나, 세포 분열에는 영향을 끼치지 않았음을 관찰하였다. 세포 자살의 경우는 cleaved caspase-3를 측정함으로써 확인하였다. 이러한 결과들은 SVZ 신경줄기세포의 증식과 분화 모두에 제대로 작동하는 미토콘드리아가 있어야 함을 제안하고 있다. 게다가, 이러한 과정에서 미토콘드리아는 세포 분열과 세포자살에 관여할 수도 있을 것이다.

• 인지과학
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.159-219
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• 2016

수학적 사고력은 STEM(science, technology, engineering, mathematics) 분야에서의 학업적인 성취와 과학기술의 혁신에서 중요한 역할을 하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 학제 간 연구 분야인 수 인지(numerical cognition) 및 수학적 인지와 관련된 최근의 인지신경학적 연구 결과들을 종합하여 개관하였다. 첫째로 수학적 사고의 기초가 되는 뇌 기제의 위치와 정보처리 메커니즘을 확인하였다. 수학적 사고는 영역 특정적(domain specific)인 기능인 수 감각과 시공간적 능력뿐만 아니라 영역 일반적(domain general)인 기능인 언어, 장기기억, 작업 기억(working memory) 등을 기초로 하며 이를 토대로 추상화, 추론 등의 고차원적인 사고를 한다. 이 중에서 수 감각과 시공간적 능력은 두정엽(parietal lobe)을 기반으로 한다. 두 번째로는 수학적 사고 능력에서 관찰되는 개인 차이에 대하여 고찰하였다. 특히 수학 영재들의 신경학적인 특성을 신경망 효율성(neural efficiency)의 관점에서 고찰해 보았다. 그 결과 높은 지능이란 두뇌가 얼마나 많이 일하느냐가 아니라 얼마나 효율적으로 일하는가에 달렸다는 사실을 확인하였다. 수학 영재들의 또 다른 특성은 좌반구와 우반구 간의 연결과 반구 내에서 전두엽과 두정엽의 연결이 뛰어나다는 사실이다. 세 번째로는 학습과 훈련, 그리고 성장에 따른 변화 및 발전에 대한 분석이다. 개인이 성장하며, 수학 학습과 훈련을 하게 될 때 이에 따라 두뇌 피질에서도 변화가 반영되어 나타난다. 그 변화를 피질에서의 활성화 수준의 변화, 재분배, 구조적 변화라는 관점에서 해석하였다. 이 중에서 구조적 변화는 결국 신경 가소성(neural plasticity)을 의미한다. 마지막으로 수학적 창의성은 수학적 지식(개념)을 기초로 하여 수학적 개념들을 결합하는 단계가 요구되며, 그 후 결합된 개념들 중에서 심미적인 선택을 통해 수학적 발명(발견)으로 연결된다. 전문성이 높아질수록 결합과 선택이라는 두 단계가 더욱 중요해진다.