• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.519-527
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• 2017

Excessive activation of microglia causes the continuous production of neurotoxic mediators, which further causes neuron degeneration. Therefore, inhibition of microglial activation is a possible target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Balanophonin, a natural neolignoid from Firmiana simplex, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-neuroinflammatory effects and mechanism of balanophonin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia cells. BV2 microglia cells were stimulated with LPS in the presence or absence of balanophonin. The results indicated that balanophonin reduced not only the LPS-mediated TLR4 activation but also the production of inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), $Interleukin-1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$), and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), in BV2 cells. Balanophonin also inhibited LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) protein expression and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK. Interestingly, it also inhibited neuronal cell death resulting from LPS-activated microglia by regulating cleaved caspase-3 and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage in N2a cells. In conclusion, our data indicated that balanophonin may delay the progression of neuronal cell death by inhibiting microglial activation.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.43-57
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• 2009

Objectives : This experiment was designed to investigate the effect of the Hwanso-dan hot water extract & ultra-fine powder on microglia and memory deficit model Methods : The effects of the Hwanso-dan hot water extract on expression of IL-l${\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA and production of IL-l${\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$ in BV2 microglial cell line treated by lipopolysacchaide were investigated. The effects of the Hwanso-dan hot water extract & ultra-fine powder on the behavior of the memory deficit mice induced by scopolamine and uric acid & AChE in serum of the memory deficit mice induced by scopolamine were investigated. Results : 1. The Hwanso-dan hot water extract suppressed the expression of IL-l${\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA in BV2 microglial cell line treated by lipopolysacchaide. 2. The Hwanso-dan hot water extract suppressed the production of IL-l${\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$ in BV2 microglial cell line. 3. The Hwanso-dan hot water extract & ultra-fine powder decreased uric acid and AChE significantly in the serum of the memory deficit mice induced by scopolamine. 4. The Hwanso-dan hot water extract & ultra-fine powder groups showed significantly inhibitory effect on the scopolamine${\sim}$induced impairment of memory in the experiment of Morris water maze. Conclusions : This experiment shows that the Hwanso-dan hot water extract & ultra-fine powder might be effective for the prevention and treatment of Memory deficit disease. Investigation into the clinical use of the Hwanso-dan hot water extract & ultra-fine powder for Alzheimer's disease is suggested for future research.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.71-88
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• 2010

Objectives: This research investigates the effect of the DHJHT extract on Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, the effects of the DHJHT extract on (1) the behavior (2) the infarction area of the hippocampus, and brain tissue injury in AD mice induced with ${\beta}A$ were investigated. Methods: The effects of the DHJHT extract on the proinflammation cytokines mRNA expression and production of BACE, APP and ${\beta}A$ in in BV2 microglial cell line treated by lipopolysacchaide(LPS) plus ${\beta}A$ were investigated. The effects of the DHJHT extract on the behavior of the memory deficit mice induced by scopolamine were investigated. Results: 1. The DHJHT extract suppressed the expression of IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$, COX-2, and NOS-II, BACE and APP mRNA in BV2 microglial cell line treated by LPS plus ${\beta}A$. 2. The DHJHT extract suppressed the expression of ${\beta}A$ production in BV2 microglial cell line treated with LPS plus ${\beta}A$. 3. The DHJHT extract showed significantly inhibitory effect on the scopolamine-induced impairment of memory in the experiment of Morris water maze. 4. The DHJHT group suppressed the expression of IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-$\alpha$, MDA, and CD68+/CD11b+ in the brain tissue of the mice with AD induced by ${\beta}A$. 5. The DHJHT group reduced the infarction area of hippocampus, and controlled the injury of the brain tissue in the mice with AD induced by ${\beta}A$. 6. The DHJHT group reduced tau protein, and GFAP in the brain tissue of the mice with AD induced by ${\beta}A$. Conclusions: These results suggest that the DHJHT group may be effective for the treatment of AD. Thus, DHJHT could be considered among the future therapeutic drugs indicated for the treatment of AD.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.566-572
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to determine if the isoflavones from Sophorae fructus (SISO) have potential clinical benefit in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the treat ment of menopausal signs, such as the levels of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). An additional aim was to present the potential antioxidant effect of SISO in a microglial cell line. For the animal model, the ovaries were removed from adult rats and the indicators of menopause were measured at the pre- and post-administration time points. Although no statistically significant correlation was found, SISO tended to decrease the TC level (p=0.15) and the FSH level (p=0.36), but to increase the HDL level (p=0.303).SISO (< 5${\mu}g$/mL) also exerted antioxidant activity on BV-2 microglial cells by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide. This cytoprotective effect was confirmed by trypan blue staining, which was used to test for cellular damage from H$_2O_2$. In conclusion, this study highlights the anti-menopausal and antioxidant effect of SISO in an ovariectomized rat model, as well as in microglial cells, and provides new clinical targets for the screening of phytoestrogens as potential candidates for HRT in menopausal women.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2006

Objectives : On-Bi-Tang(OB) has been prescribed Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disease such as chronic renal failure. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of OB extract in the BV2 murine microglial cells. Methods : After the water extract of OB was treated in BV2 cells, murine microglial line, the cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The production of nitric oxide (NO) and $TNF-{\alpha}$ was determined based on Griess reagent and enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and $TNF-{\alpha}$ was analyzed by RT-PCR. Results : OB extract significantly inhibited the LPS-induced production of NO and TNF-a in BV2 cells. OB extract also suppressed the mRNA expression of iNOS and $TNF-{\alpha}$ in BV2 cells activated with LPS. Conclusion : These data suggests that OB extract may have the anti-inflammatory effect through the modulation of NO production and inflammatory cytokine such as $TNF-{\alpha}$.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.216-230
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• 2005

Although the field of study in immune enhancing compounds is relatively new, natural products from plants represent a rich and promising source of novel molecules with immunomodulating properties, Microglial cells, the main immune effector cells of the brain, usually display a ramified morphology and low expression levels of immunologically relevant antigens such as MHC class I and class II. Since any compound which participates in activation of phagocytic cells contributes to the production of potentially toxic factors, the search for convenient in vitro test-systems and study of mechanisms of action of these agents are of great interest. Human blood polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells and primary microglial cells isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats were used as cellular screening tests for study of phagocytosis-stimulating action of immunomodulating agents. Numbers of phagocytic activity were evaluated by the phagocyte ingestion of yeast cells and NO-synthase activity, nitrite production, and nitroblue tetrazolium test were determined after phagocyte stimulation. It was possible to demonstrate that indexes of phagocytic activity can be used as quantitative indicators for measurement immunomodulating activity. As a positive control, Zymosan A-induced phagocytosis in both PMN cells and primary microglial cells was used. $IFN-{\gamma}$ (0.1 -1 U/ml) stimulated phagocytosis in PMN cells 1.2 times after 2 - 3 h incubation, although at higher concentrations (10 - 100 U/ml) it strongly inhibited phagocytosis. In a similar way, at higher concentrations, $IFN-{\gamma}$ (100 - 500 U/ml) suppressed phagocytosis in zymosan-A stimulated microglial cells. When Polypodium leucotomus, cambricum and vulgare extracts were tested alone, increased levels of phagocytosis were observed in PMN. In addition, microglial cells showed both increased phagocytosis and MHC class-II antigen expressions. Surprisingly, when PMN and microglia were treated with a combination of Polypodium and $IFN-{\gamma}$, phagocytosis was not inhibited. We did not find changes in NO-synthase activity and nitrite production in both microglia and PMN cells activated by different immunomodulating agents. These results indicate that primary microglial cell cultures as well as human PMN cells can provide reproducible quantitative results in screening phagocytic activity of different immunoactive compounds. Furthermore, both inhibitory or activation mechanisms might be studied using these in vitro experimental approaches.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.79-105
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• 2006

Objective : This research aims to investigates the effects of CMT and HCMT on Dementia. and we also want to know the different effect of CMT, HCMT by drug types. Methods : The research is progressed by two types of experiment. one experiment is BV2 microglial cell line treated by LPS in vitro and another experiment is memory deficit mice induced by scopolamine in vivo. Results : The CMT and HCMT is effective in BV2 microglial cell line treated by LPS in vitro and in the serum of the memory deficit mice induced by scopolamine in vivo. But, there is no significant difference between CMT and HCMT extract&nano powder in experimental conclusion. Conclusions : These results suggest that the two drug types of CMT and HCMT may be effective for the prevention and treatment of Dementia. Investigation into the further study two drug types of the CMT and HCMT for Dementia is suggested for future research.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2021

Cells regulate their shapes and motility by sensing the cues from the internal and external microenvironment. Under different circumstances, microglia, the brain resident immune cells, undergo dynamic phenotypic changes, one of which is a remarkable periodic oscillatory migration in vitro. However, very little is known about the kinematic and dynamic perspectives of this oscillatory behavior. In this study, we tracked the changes in cell morphology and nuclear displacement, and visualized the forces using traction force microscopy (TFM). By correlation analyses, we confirmed that the lamellipodia formation preceded the nuclear translocation. Moreover, traction, developed following lamellipodia formation, was found to be localized and fluctuated at two ends of the oscillating cells. Taken together, our results imply that oscillatory microglial cells feature a viscoelastic migration, which will contribute to the field of cell mechanics.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.202.1-202.1
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• 2003

Microglial cell can act for phagocytosis against abnormal particles in brain, which means that beta-amyloid produced from APP(amyloid precursor protein) can be phagocytosed by microglia when released. In contrast. when senile plaque has already been formed in brain cortex and hippocamphal region, microglia can also accelerate the AD pathogenesis due to chronic inflammatory action, which lead to neuron cell cytotoxicity. (omitted)

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.77-93
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• 2008

Objective : This experiment was designed to investigate the effect of the CBD hot water extract & ultra-fine Powder on Alzheimer's Disease Model Induced by ${\beta}A$. Method : The effects of the CBD hot water extract on expression of interleukin-1 beta($IL-1{\beta}$), $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA and production of IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$ in BV2 microglial cell line treated by lipopolysacchaide(LPS). The effects of the CBD hot water extract & ultra-fine powder on (1) the behavior (2) expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, tumor necrosis factor-alpha($TNF-{\alpha}$), (3) the infarction area of the hippocampus in Alzheimer's diseased mice induced with ${\beta}A$ were investigated. Result : The CBD hot water extract suppressed the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA in BV2 microglia cell line treated with LPS. The CBD hot water extract significantly suppressed the production of $IL-1{\beta}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$ in BV2 microglial cell line treated with LPS. The CBD hot water extract & ultra-fine powder a significant inhibitory effect on the memory deficit was shown for the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$ in the Morris water maze experiment, which measured step-through latency and distance movement-through latency. The CBD hot water extract & ultra-fine powder significantly suppressed the expression of $IL-l{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$ protein in the microglial cell of mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. The CBD hot water extract & ultra-fine powder suppressed the over-expression of AChE activity in the serum of the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. The CBD hot water extract & ultra-fine powder reduced infarction area of hippocampus, in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. Conclusions : These results suggest that the CBD hot water extract & ultra-fine powder may be effective for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Investigation into the clinical use of the CBD hot water extract & ultra-fine powder for Alzheimer's disease is suggested for future research.