• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.126-144
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• 2012

Background : Peripheral nerves more rapidly recover than central nerves. However, it has been known that the degree of reaction of axons of peripheral nerves is affected by distinctive characteristics of axons and environmental factors near the axons. Taxol is a widely used medicine as for ovarian, breast, lung and gastric cancer. However it causes patients difficulties under treatment due to its toxic and side effects, which include persistent pain. Objectives : This study reviewed how SJT extract in vitro and in vivo affects nerve tissues of a sciatic nerve damaged by Taxol. It also studied how SJT extract in vivo affects axons of the sciatic nerve after the sciatic nerve was damaged by pressing. Methods : After vehicle, Taxol, and Taxol plus SJT were treated respectively for tissue of the sciatic nerve in vitro and then tissues were observed using Neurofilament 200, Hoechst, ${\beta}$-tubulin, $S100{\beta}$, caspase-3 and anti-cdc2. SJT was also oral medicated by injecting Taxol into the sciatic nerve of in vivo rats. Tissues of the sciatic nerve and axons of DRG sensory nerves were then observed using Neurofilament 200, Hoechst, ${\beta}$-tubulin, $S100{\beta}$, caspase-3 and p-Erk1/2. After inflicting pressing damage to the sciatic nerve of in vivo rats, tissues of the sciatic nerve and DRG sensory nerve were observed using Neurofilament 200, Hoechst, $S100{\beta}$, caspase-3, anti-cdc2, phospho-vimentin, ${\beta}1$-integrin, Dil reverse tracking and p-Erk1/2. Results : The group of in vitro Taxol plus SJT treatment had meaningful effects after sciatic nerve tissue was damaged by Taxol. The group of in vivo SJT treatment had effects of regenerating Schwann cells and axons which were damaged by Taxol treatment. The group of in vivo SJT had effects of regenerating axons in damaged areas after the sciatic nerve was damaged by pressing, and also had variations of distribution in Schwann cells at DRG sensory nerves and axons. Conclusions : This study confirmed that SJT treatment is effective for growth of axons in the sciatic nerve tissues and improvement of Schwann cells after axons of the sciatic nerve tissues was damaged. After tissues of sciatic nerve was damaged by pressing in vivo, SJT treatment had effects on promoting regeneration of axon in the damaged area and reactional capabilities in axons of DRG sensory nerves.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.295-307
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• 2006

Styela clava, called non-native tunicate or sea squirt, is habitat which include bays and harbors in Korea and several sites in the sea faced world. We fabricate cellulose membrane nerve conduit (CMNC) from this native sea squirt skin, and evaluate the capacity of promoting peripheral nerve regeneration in the rat sciatic nerve defect model. After processing the pure cellulose membrane from the sea squirt skin as we already published before, CMNC was designed as a non-tubular sheet with 14 mm length and 4 mm width. Total eleven male Spraque-Dawley rats (12 weeks, weighing 250 to 300g) were divided into sham group (n=2), silicone tube grafted control group (n=3) and experimental group (n=6). Each CMNC grafted nerve was evaluated after 4, 8 and 12 weeks in the experimental group, and after 12 weeks, sciatic function was evaluated with sciatic function index (SFI) and gait analysis, and histomorphology of nerve conduit and the innervated tissues of sciatic nerve were all examined using image analyzer and electromicroscopic methods in the all groups. The regenerated axon and nerve sheath were found only in the inner surface of the CMNC after 4 weeks and became more thicker after 8 and 12 weeks. In the TEM study, CMNC grafted group showed more abundant organized myelinated nerve fibers with thickened extracellular matrix than silicone conduit grafted group after 12 weeks. The sciatic function index (SFI) and ankle stance angle (ASA) in the functional evaluation were $-47.2{\pm}3.9$, $35.5^{\circ}{\pm}4.9^{\circ}$ in CMNC grafted group (n=2) and $-80.4{\pm}7.4$, $29.2^{\circ}{\pm}5.3^{\circ}$ in silicone conduit grafted group (n=3), respectively. And the myelinated axon was 41.59% in CMNC group and 9.51% in silicone conduit group to the sham group. The development of a bioactive CMNC to replace autogenous nerve grafts offers a potential and available approach to improved peripheral nerve regeneration. As we already published before, small peptide fragment derived from the basement membrane matrix proteins of squirt skin, which is a kind of anchoring protein composed of glycocalyx, induced the effective axonal regeneration with rapid growth of Schwann cells beneath the inner surface of CMNC. So the possibilities of clinical application as a peripheral nerve regeneration will be able to be suggested.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.375-387
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• 2009

Objective : Gyehyuldeung (GHD) has been widely used in oriental medicine for the treatments of cardiovascular and neurological disorders. Thus, its potential facilitatory activity on axonal regeneration was investigated in the rats. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were given crush injury at the sciatic nerve and the changes of axon growth after nerve injury on each nerve injury model were investigated with anti-NF-200 antibody, DiI, GAP-43 protein and Cdc2 protein Results : GHD-mediated enhancement of axonal regeneration after crush injury was measured in both qualitative and quantitative ways by immunofluorescence staining with anti-NF-200 antibody and retrograde tracing of fluorescence dye DiI. GAP-43 protein levels were elevated by GHD treatments in the distal injured sciatic nerve and DRG sensory neurons. The neurite outgrowth of DRG sensory neurons was facilitated by GHD treatment when co-cultured with Schwann cells and astrocytes prepared from injured sciatic nerves and injured spinal cord tissues, respectively. It was observed that Cdc2 protein was up-regulated in co-cultured Schwann cells or astrocytes and Cdc2 protein signals were co-localized to a certain extent with those of phospho-vimentin protein. Conclusions : These results suggest that GHD may play a facilitatory role in axonal regeneration by acting on the injured axons and adjacent non-neuronal cells. The current findings may be useful for the development of therapeutic targets through more specific explorations on molecular interactions between herbal components and endogenous factors.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.384-404
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• 2013

Objectives : Effects of Bogijetong-tang (BJT) on peripheral nerve regeneration have been reported in a previous study on BJT but additional study on a damaged peripheral neuropathy where its damage level is physically and chemically more severe was needed. Plus, this study was conducted because there haven't been any studies for BJT on central nerve regeneration. Methods : In order to check the effect on central nerve regeneration, the study on cerebellum cells was started and the sciatic nerve was used to observe the effects on a peripheral nerve which was severely damaged both physically and chemically. Nerve recovery effects were observed by analyzing target proteins such as phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase, ${\beta}1$ integrin, neurofilament 200, growth-associated protein-43, cyclin-dependent kinase 1, phospho-vimentin, phospho-Smad, and caspase 3. Results : The significant changes of target protein in cerebellum neurons have been observed. The changes of index protein on the axon regeneration and the nerve recovery in the sciatic nerve have been observed and the effects on cell protection were observed, as well. Conclusions : This study confirmed that BJT made a significant influence on nerve protection and recovery of a damaged peripheral neuropathy and it also made a possibility of its regeneration in a damaged central nerve injury.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.497-502
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• 2014

Microfluidics can provide unique experimental tools to visualize the development of neural structures within a microscale device, which is followed by guidance of neurite growth in the axonal isolation compartment. We utilized microfluidics technology to monitor the differentiation and migration of neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We co-cultured hESCs with PA6 stromal cells, and isolated neural rosette-like structures, which subsequently formed neurospheres in suspension culture. Tuj1-positive neural cells, but not nestin-positive neural precursor cells (NPCs), were able to enter the microfluidics grooves (microchannels), suggesting that neural cell-migratory capacity was dependent upon neuronal differentiation stage. We also showed that bundles of axons formed and extended into the microchannels. Taken together, these results demonstrated that microfluidics technology can provide useful tools to study neurite outgrowth and axon guidance of neural cells, which are derived from human embryonic stem cells.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.375-395
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• 2006

Purpose: Lingual nerve (LN) damage may be caused by either tumor resection or injury such as wisdom tooth extraction, Although autologous nerve graft is sometimes used to repair the damaged nerve, it has the disadvantage of necessity of another operation for nerve harvesting. Moreover, the results of nerve grafting is not satisfactory. The nerve growth factor (NGF) is well-known to play a critical role in peripheral nerve regeneration and its local delivery to the injured nerve has been continuously tried to enhance nerve regeneration. However, its application has limitations like repeated administration due to short half life of 30 minutes and an in vivo delivery model must allow for direct and local delivery. The aim of this study was to construct a well-functioning $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus for the ultimate development of improved method to promote peripheral nerve regeneration with enhanced and extended secretion of hNGF from the injured nerve by injecting $rhNGF-{\beta}$ gene directly into crush-injured LN in rat model. Materials and Methods: $hNGF-{\beta}$ gene was prepared from fetal brain cDNA library and cloned into E1/E3 deleted adenoviral vector which contains green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene as a reporter. After large scale production and purification of $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus, transfection efficiency and its expression at various cells (primary cultured Schwann cells, HEK293 cells, Schwann cell lines, NIH3T3 and CRH cells) were evaluated by fluorescent microscopy, RT-PCR, ELISA, immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, the function of rhNGF-beta, which was secreted from various cells infected with $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus, was evaluated using neuritogenesis of PC-12 cells. For in vivo evaluation of efficacy of $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus, the LNs of 8-week old rats were exposed and crush-injured with a small hemostat for 10 seconds. After the injury, $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus($2{\mu}l,\;1.5{\times}10^{11}pfu$) or saline was administered into the crushed site in the experimental (n=24) and the control group (n=24), respectively. Sham operation of another group of rats (n=9) was performed without administration of either saline or adenovirus. The taste recovery and the change of fungiform papilla were studied at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Each of the 6 animals was tested with different solutions (0.1M NaCl, 0.1M sucrose, 0.01M QHCl, or 0.01M HCl) by two-bottle test paradigm and the number of papilla was counted using SEM picture of tongue dorsum. LN was explored at the same interval as taste study and evaluated electro-physiologically (peak voltage and nerve conduction velocity) and histomorphometrically (axon count, myelin thickness). Results: The recombinant adenovirus vector carrying $rhNGF-{\beta}$ was constructed and confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA sequence analysis. GFP expression was observed in 90% of $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus infected cells compared with uninfected cells. Total mRNA isolated from $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus infected cells showed strong RT-PCR band, however uninfected or LacZ recombinant adenovirus infected cells did not. NGF quantification by ELISA showed a maximal release of $18865.4{\pm}310.9pg/ml$ NGF at the 4th day and stably continued till 14 days by $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus infected Schwann cells. PC-12 cells exposed to media with $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus infected Schwann cell revealed at the same level of neurite-extension as the commercial NGF did. $rhNGF-{\beta}$ adenovirus injected experimental groups in comparison to the control group exhibited different taste preference ratio. Salty, sweet and sour taste preference ratio were significantly different after 2 weeks from the beginning of the experiment, which were similar to the sham group, but not to the control group.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제45권10호
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• pp.1263-1272
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• 2002

목 적 : 레트증후군이란 1966년 Andreas Rett에 의해 처음 기술되었으며 생후 6개월에서 18개월 정도까지 비교적 정상 발달을 한 후 두위 발달의 감소와 함께 습득했던 인지 및 운동능력의 상실, 언어기능의 상실, 그리고 특징적인 손동작(상동행동)을 보이는 X 염색체 우성유전으로 생각되는 질환이다. 1999년 미국에서 그 결함 유전자인 MECP2 유전자가 Xq28에서 밝혀졌으나 우리 나라에서는 이 질환에 대한 전반적 이해가 부족하며 유전자 연구는 거의 전무한 상태이다. 이에 저자들은 우리 나라의 Rett 증후군 환아에서 MECP2 유전자의 결함이 어느 정도 나타나는지를 알고자 이 연구를 시행하였다. 방 법 : 2000년 2월부터 2001년 3월까지 본원을 방문한 Rett 증후군 환아 34례의 말초혈액을 EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) 처리하여 5 cc 채취하여 냉동 보관한 후 해빙하여 DNA 표본을 추출했다. DNA의 추출은 E.Z.N.A blood DNA kit을 사용하였다. MECP2 유전자 네 종류의 axon은 PCR을 이용해 증폭하였고 primer sequence는 1999년 Amir 등에 의해 디자인 된 것(AF030876)을 사용하였다. ABI 377 DNA sequencer와 ABI PRISM dye cycle sequencing reaction kit을 사용하여 DNA sequencing을 시행하였고 우리 나라에서 최초로 발견된 유전자 변이에 대해서는 RFLP 분석을 통해 확인하였다. 결 과 : 1) MECP2 유전자의 변이를 보인 환아는 23례로 67.6%에서 관찰되었다. 2) 9종의 missense mutation과 3종의 nonsense mutation을 합해 총 12종의 유전자 변이가 관찰되었다. 3) 이들 돌연 변이 중 L100V, G161E, 그리고 T311M은 전세계적으로 우리 나라에서 처음 발견된 변이이다. 4) 23례의 유전자 변이는 대부분(78.3%) MBD와 TRD라는 기능영역에서 발견되었다. 5) 본 연구에서 T158M, R270X, 그리고 R306C가 자주 나타나는 유전자 변이였다. 결 론 : 우리 나라의 Rett 증후군 환아에서도 MECP2 유전자의 변이는 비교적 흔히 관찰되어 MECP2 유전자의 이상이 Rett 증후군을 유발하는 주 유전자 이상임을 확인하였고 Rett 증후군 환아의 확진을 위해 MECP2 유전자 검사가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.