• Research in Vestibular Science
• /
• 제17권4호
• /
• pp.142-151
• /
• 2018

Objectives: Excitability o medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) in the brainstem can be affected by changes in the arterial blood pressure. Several animal studies have demonstrated that acute hypotension results in the alteration of multiunit activities and expression of cFos protein in the MVN. In the field of extracellular electrophysiological recording, tetrode technology and spike sorting algorithms can easily identify single unit activity from multiunit activities in the brain. However, detailed properties of electrophysiological changes in single unit of the MVN during acute hypotension have been unknown. Methods: Therefore, we applied tetrode techniques and electrophysiological characterization methods to know the effect of acute hypotension on single unit activities of the MVN of rats. Results: Two or 3 types of unit could be classified according to the morphology of spikes and firing properties of neurons. Acute hypotension elicited 4 types of changes in spontaneous firing of single unit in the MVN. Most of these neurons showed excitatory responses for about within 1 minute after the induction of acute hypotension and then returned to the baseline activity 10 minutes after the injection of sodium nitroprusside. There was also gradual increase in spontaneous firing in some units. In contrast small proportion of units showed rapid reduction of firing rate just after acute hypotension. Conclusions: Therefore, application of tetrode technology and spike sorting algorithms is another method for the monitoring of electrical activity of vestibular nuclear during acute hypotension.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제57권3호
• /
• pp.149-154
• /
• 2024

The stomach has emerged as a crucial endocrine organ in the regulation of feeding since the discovery of ghrelin. Gut-derived hormones, such as ghrelin and cholecystokinin, can act through the vagus nerve. We previously reported the satiety effect of hypothalamic clusterin, but the impact of peripheral clusterin remains unknown. In this study, we administered clusterin intraperitoneally to mice and observed its ability to suppress fasting-driven food intake. Interestingly, we found its synergism with cholecystokinin and antagonism with ghrelin. These effects were accompanied by increased c-fos immunoreactivity in nucleus tractus solitarius, area postrema, and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Notably, truncal vagotomy abolished this response. The stomach expressed clusterin at high levels among the organs, and gastric clusterin was detected in specific enteroendocrine cells and the submucosal plexus. Gastric clusterin expression decreased after fasting but recovered after 2 hours of refeeding. Furthermore, we confirmed that stomachspecific overexpression of clusterin reduced food intake after overnight fasting. These results suggest that gastric clusterin may function as a gut-derived peptide involved in the regulation of feeding through the gut-brain axis.

• 동의생리병리학회지
• /
• 제26권6호
• /
• pp.869-873
• /
• 2012

Balance between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts is important in bone homeostasis. Unusual balance between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts leads to bone diseases, such as osteoporosis. Saururus chinensis has been widely used in oriental medicine. Saururus chinensis has been known that has antioxidant and anticancer effect. But, the effect of Saururus chinensis in osteoclast differentation remains unknown. We examined the effect of Saururus chinensis in receptor activator of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation. From the results of our study, we found that saururus chinensis clearly inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in bone marrow macrophages (BMM) in a dose dependent manner without toxicity. Saururus chinensis inhibited the phosphorylation of JNK, P38, AKT, and ERK induced by RANKL. The mRNA expression of NFATc1, TRAP, and OSCAR induced by RANKL was inhibited by Saururus chinensis treatment. Moreover Saururus chinensis suppressed the protein expression of c-Fos and NFATc1 in BMMs treated with RANKL. These results suggest that Saururus chinensis may be a useful drug in the treatment of bone-related disease.

• 동의생리병리학회지
• /
• 제28권1호
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2014

Bone homeostasis is maintained by balance between bone resorbing-osteoclasts and bone forming-osteoblasts. Excessive osteoclastic bone resorption plays a critical role in bone destruction in pathological bone diseases such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and periodontal disease. Many compounds derived from natural products have pharmacological applications and have therapeutic value for treating or preventing several bone diseases characterized by excessive bone resorption. To discover new compounds that can act as anti-resorptive agents, we screened for natural compounds that regulate osteclast differentiation, and found that water extract of Ziziphus Jujuba Mill (WEZJ) has inhibitory effects on osteoclast differentiation. In this study, WEZJ clearly inhibits the osteoclast differentiation in the presence of receptor activator of nuclear factor kB (RANKL), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) without cytoxicity by blocking activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)c1, and c-Fos. In signaling pathway, the phosphorylation of Akt, p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and the expression of osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR), tartrate-resistant acid phosphates (TRAP), Integrin av, Integrin b3, Cathepsin K are suppressed, too. These result suggest that WEZJ may have therapeutic value for treating or preventing several bone diseases characterized by excessive bone destruction.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제26권1호
• /
• pp.34-41
• /
• 2016

학명이 Aronia melanocarpa인 블랙초크베리는 항산화, 항염증, 항암 효능이 뛰어난 것으로 보고되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 블랙초크베리에 대한 collagenase inhibition effects와 산화적 스트레스에 유도된 matrix metalloproteinase(MMP), MAPkinase 그리고 AP-1의 발현 그리고/또는 인산화와 같은 분자생물학적 메카니즘을 조사하였다. Collagenase inhibition 효과는 블랙초크베리 에틸아세테이트 분획물(AE)이 500 μg/ml의 농도에서 77.2% 이상의 저해효능을 나타내었고 이는 대조군인 Epigallocatechin gallate의 결과(500 μg/ml에서 83.9%)와 비교해서 유의할 만한 결과였다. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay는 AE에서 가장 농도의존적으로 ROS 생성이 감소되었고, 75 μg/ml의 농도에서 약 70%로 가장 낮은 활성산소가 생성되었다. MTT assay 결과, H₂O₂에 유도된 CCRF 세포에 AE를 처치하였을 때 농도의존적으로 세포 생존율이 증가하였다. 그리고 특히, AE는 H₂O₂에 유도된 CCRF 세포에서의 MMPs (MMP-1, -3 그리고 -9), MAPK (ERK, JNK 그리고 p38) 그리고 AP-1 (c-Fos와 c-Jun)의 발현과 인산화를 억제하였고, pro-collagen type I의 발현은 증가시켰다. 따라서 블랙초크베리 에틸아세테이트 분획물은 주름억제 및 콜라겐 생성의 효능이 있으며 기능성 식품 및 화장품 소재 개발 산업에서의 응용이 가능할 것으로 기대된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제46권12호
• /
• pp.1186-1193
• /
• 2003

목 적 : 염색체 취약부위는 세포를 특정의 화학물질에 노출시키거나 특수한 배양조건에서 배양 할 때 쉽게 파열되는 염색체상의 특정구역이다. 취약부위는 유전성질환 및 악성종양과 관련이 있으며, 현재에는 분자생물학적 실험기법의 개발로 분자수준에서 이해가 되고 있다. 새로운 취약부위 및 취약부위의 발현을 높이거나 쉽게 관찰할 수 있는 실험실적 조건을 알아보기 위하여 항암제로 사용되는 Ara-C를 이용하여 염색체파열을 조사하여 보았다. 한편 염색체 취약부위가 종양형성과 관련이 있다는 사실에 기초하여 Ara-C에 의해 발열되는 취약부위와 암유전자가 위치하는 부위 및 종양에서 일정하게 염색체변이가 관찰되는 특정의 염색체 부위와의 상관관계도 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 정상 성인 남녀 각각 3명의 말초혈액 내 T-림프구를 세포배양 후 Ara-C를 첨가하고 다시 caffeine을 처리한 뒤 종전에 시행했던 방법과 동일하게 검체 처리하여 염색체파열 부위를 관찰하였다. 염색체 취약부위는 염색체상의 일정부위에서 100개의 염색체파열 당 2회 이상의 염색체파열이 6명 중 4명 이상에서 관찰되는 경우로 정의하였다. 결 과 : 1) T-림프구를 엽산이 부족한 MEN-FA 배지에서 배양 시 Ara-C는 100개의 분열세포 당 252.1개의 염색체파열을 유도하였으며, Ara-C를 처리하지 않은 대조군에서 25.2개가 관찰되어 Ara-C를 처리한 경우에 염색체파열이 의미 있게 많았다(P<0.05). 2) Ara-C에 의한 염색체파열은 엽산이 부족한 MEM-FA 배지에서 엽산이 충분한 RPMI 1640 배지에서 보다 많이 되었다(P<0.05). 한편, 2.0 mM 농도의 caffeine은 엽산만 부족한 배양 배지에서는 염색체파열을 상승시키지 못했으나, Ara-C와 병행사용 시 상승시켰다. 3) Ara-C에 의해 가장 많이 파열된 부위는 3p14.2.이었으며, 발현된 취약부위는 20부위였다. 4) 발현된 취약부위 중 7 부위는 JUN, SKI, REL, N-MYC, FHIT, MET, ETS-1, FOS의 암유전자가 위치하는 부위와 일치하였으며, 15부위는 급성림프구성백혈병, 급성골수성백혈병, 만성림프구성백혈병, 골수이형성성증, 악성흑색종, 신경모세포종, 소세포성폐암, 난소암, 유전성 신장암, 혼합성 지방육종시 염색체상에 이상이 있는 부위와 일치하였다. 결 론 : S기 특이성 항암제인 Ara-C는 정상성인의 T-림프구를 엽산이 부족한 MEM-FA배지에서 배양시 염색체 파열을 대조군에 비해 의미 있게 유도하였다. 한편으로 Ara-C 특이성 염색체 취약부위는 암유전자가 위치하는 부위 및 특정 종양에서 관찰되는 특이한 염색체변이가 있는 부위와 상당 예에서 일치하여 아직 알려지지 않은 암유전자를 찾거나 분석하는데 기초적인 자료를 제공할 뿐 아니라 염색체변화와 종양형성과정의 상관관계를 이해하는데 도움이 될 것으로 사료된다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제15권5호
• /
• pp.802-808
• /
• 2005

사람의 Disabled-2 (Dab2)는 정상세포에서 c-Fos의 발현을 억제하여 세포 성장을 조절하는 암억제 유전자로 추정되어 지고 있다. 많은 암세포에서 Dab2는 유방과 난소의 정상세포에서는 발현이 되지만, 약 $85\%$의 유방과 난소의 종양세포에서는 발현이 줄어들거나, 발현이 억제되는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 bisulfite 반응에 의한 염기서열 분석법과 MSP방법 등을 이용하여 유방암 세포주인 MDA MB-231세포에서 Dab2 유전자의 promoter상에 존재하는 Cpg island의 methylation된 상태를 분석하였다. 그 결과, 사람의 정상 자궁내막세포에서는 Dab2 promoter 부위가 완전하게 methylation되어 있지 않았다. 그러나 MDA MB-231세포에서는 TATA box 근처 의 CpG dinucleotide에서 비정상적으로 methylation되어 있었다. 이런 비정상적인 CpG dinucleotide의 methylation은 MDA MB-231세포를 5-azacytidine으로 처리하였을 때 methylation이 풀리고, Dab2의 발현이 회복되는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 인간 유방암 세포주인 MBA MB-231세포에서 Dab2의 발현억제는 Dab2 유전자의 promoter부위의 CpG island의 비정상적인 methylation과 관련이 있는 것으로 여겨진다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• 제24권6호
• /
• pp.595-603
• /
• 2016

(E)-3-Phenyl-1-(2-pyrrolyl)-2-propenone (PPP) is a pyrrole derivative of chalcone, in which the B-ring of chalcone linked to ${\beta}$-carbon is replaced by pyrrole group. While pyrrole has been studied for possible Src inhibition activity, chalcone, especially the substituents on the B-ring, has shown pharmaceutical, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties via inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activity. Our study is aimed to investigate whether this novel synthetic compound retains or enhances the pharmaceutically beneficial activities from the both structures. For this purpose, inflammatory responses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW264.7 cells were analyzed. Nitric oxide (NO) production, inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) mRNA expression, and the intracellular inflammatory signaling cascade were measured. Interestingly, PPP strongly inhibited NO release in a dose-dependent manner. To further investigate this anti-inflammatory activity, we identified molecular pathways by immunoblot analyses of nuclear fractions and whole cell lysates prepared from LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells with or without PPP pretreatment. The nuclear levels of p50, c-Jun, and c-Fos were significantly inhibited when cells were exposed to PPP. Moreover, according to the luciferase reporter gene assay after cotransfection with either TRIF or MyD88 in HEK293 cells, NF-${\kappa}B$-mediated luciferase activity dose-dependently diminished. Additionally, it was confirmed that PPP dampens the upstream signaling cascade of NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1 activation. Thus, PPP inhibited Syk, Src, and TAK1 activities induced by LPS or induced by overexpression of these genes. Therefore, our results suggest that PPP displays anti-inflammatory activity via inhibition of Syk, Src, and TAK1 activity, which may be developed as a novel anti-inflammatory drug.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• 제31권2호
• /
• pp.119-134
• /
• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the analgesic effects of filiform acupuncture and laser acupuncture at the points of $TE_3{\cdot}GB_{41}$ in neuropathic pain induced rats. Methods : Neuropathic pain in rats was induced by partial resection of the tibial and sural nerves. Three weeks after the neuropathic surgery, each of the experimental groups(AT, LAT, AT + LAT and LAT + AT) was injected at the $TE_3{\cdot}GB_{41}$ twice per week for three weeks. Results : 1. All of the experimental groups(AT, LAT, AT + LAT and LAT + AT) showed a significant decrease in the plantar withdrawal response of allodynia and the thermal allodynia as compared with the control group. During the early phase, the AT and AT + LAT groups have been marked as more significant than the LAT + AT and LAT groups. 2. The expression of c-Fos significantly decreased in the LAT and LAT + AT groups as compared with the control group. 3. The LAT + AT group showed a significant decrease in Bax as compared with the control group. In each experimental groups(AT, LAT, AT + LAT and LAT + AT), Bcl-2 increased and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio decreased as compared with the control group. 4. The LAT, AT + LAT and LAT + AT groups showed a significant increase in mGluR5 as compared with the control group. Conclusions : These results represented that the filiform acupuncture and laser acupuncture at the $TE_3{\cdot}GB_{41}$ exerted anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects on the model of neuropathic pain, thereby suggesting that they should be available for decreasing mechanical allodynia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제13권6호
• /
• pp.417-424
• /
• 2009

Osteoclasts, derived from multipotent myeloid progenitor cells, play homeostatic roles in skeletal modeling and remodeling, but may also destroy bone in pathological conditions such as osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoclast development depends critically on a differentiation factor, the receptor activator of NF-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL). In this study, we found that the hexane soluble fraction of the common fig Ficus carica (HF6-FC) is a potent inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis in RANKL-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). HF6-FC exerts its inhibitory effects by suppression of p38 and NF-${\kappa}B$ but activation of ERK. In addition, HF6-FC significantly decreased the expression of NFATc1 and c-Fos, the master regulator of osteoclast differentiation. The data indicate that components of HF6-FC may have therapeutic effects on bone-destructive processes such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and periodontal bone resorption.