• Applied Microscopy
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.142-146
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• 2012

Doublecortin (DCX) is a microtuble-associated protein that is required for the migration of immature neuroblasts within the chick and mammalian brain. Although it is generally thought that DCX is expressed only in the neuroblasts, some mature neurons maintain DCX expression; for example, horizontal cells in adult rat retina. In this study, we demonstrate that retinal neural progenitors in the early embryonic stage of the chick also expressed DCX, as do developing ganglion cells and horizontal cells in later stages of development. These findings raise the possibility of a role for DCX in retinal neural progenitors, before they become specialized into neuroblasts in the chick.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.155-159
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• 2011

Doublecortin (DCX) is microtubule-associated protein and is required for neuronal migration, differentiation and plasticity. In the retina, it is highly expressed between embryonic day 18 (E18) and E20, and is poorly expressed postnatally. In this study, we investigated the expression and cellular localization of DCX in the rat retina following ischemia induced by transiently increasing the intraocular pressure. While DCX immunoreactivity in control retinas was restricted to the outer border of the inner nuclear layer, it appeared in horizontal cell somata and processes in affected retinas. Quantitative evaluation by immunoblotting confirmed that DCX expression continuously increased after ischemia-reperfusion and showed 370% of control protein levels at 4 weeks after ischemic insult. These results suggest that the DCX in horizontal cells might play a role in neurite remodeling or modulating other neurons in ischemic rat retinas.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.61-81
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• 2004

Background and Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acupuncture and electroacupuncture on the DCX, PSA-NCAM, and pCREB expression in the brain of spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR). Materials and Methods : SHR were divided into five groups: control group, acupuncture group, 2Hz electroacupuncture(EA) group and 100Hz EA group. We evaluated the changes of the DCX, PSA-NCAM, and pCREB positive cells using immunohistochemical method. In the olfactory bulb, we investigate the optical densities of the immunoactive cells. In the dentate gyrus and the piriform cortex, we count the immunoactive cells under the $100{\times}$ visual field optical microscope. Results : 1. The optical densities of DCX-positive cells in the subependymal zone were significantly decreased in all groups, compared to the control group. 2. The counts of DCX-positive cells in the dentate gyrus were significantly increased in all groups, compared to the control group. The counts of DCX-positive cells in the piriform cortex were significantly increased in the acupuncture and 100Hz EA group, compared to the control group. 3. The optical densities of PSA-NCAM-positive cells in the subependymal zone were significantly decreased in the acupuncture and 2Hz EA group, compared to the control group. 4. The counts of PSA-NCAM-positive cells in the dentate gyrus and the piriform cortex were significantly increased in all group, compared to the control group. 5. The counts of pCREB-positive cells in the dentate gyrus were significantly increased in all groups, compared to the control group. The counts of pCREB-positive cells in the piriform cortex were significantly increased in the acupuncture and 100Hz EA group, compared to the control group. Conclusion : We conclude that acupuncture and EA may affect neuronal cell proliferation, differentiation and plasticity in the brain.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.123-134
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• 2003

Objective : This experimental in vitro study investigates the effects of electro acupuncture stimuli to the DCX and PSA-NCAM positive cells in the dentate gyrus of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Methods : We used immunohistochemical methods to observe the change of neuron cells, and then counts the immunoactive cells under the $100{\times}$ visual field optical microscope. Results : 1. The counts of DCX-positive cells in the dentate gyrus significantly increased in the 2Hz group versus control group. Otherwise 100Hz group did not have a significant differance. 2. The counts of PSA-NCAM-positive cells in the dentate gyrus rather decreased in the both 2Hz group and 100Hz group versus control group. Conclusions : We find out the electro acupuncture stimuli have some effects upon cerebral neuron cell in the dentate gyrus spontaneously hypertensive rats.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.122-126
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• 2010

Homozygous staggerer ($RORa^{sg/sg}$) mice showed a severe ataxia caused by cerebellum degeneration. Decreased and dysfunctional Rora is a main cause of this neurologic phenotype. The phenotype of staggerer mice has been well known in cerebellum. However, there has been rarely reported about cerebrum even though of staggerer is expressed in merely cerebellum but hippocampus, thalamus, cortex, and olfactory bulb. The expressions of Ki67, doublecortin (DCX), and NeuN, which are cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation and mature neuron markers, respectively, were measured with immunohistechemistry in dentate gyrus in staggerer mice in order to uncover whether staggerer can affect the change in dentate gyrus. The immunoreactivities of DCX and NeuN were significantly reduced in the dentate gyrus of staggerer mice than normal control, while Ki67 were rarely unchanged in staggerer mice. These results suggest that staggerer mutation has an influence on the neuronal differentiation and development not only in cerebellum but also in dentate gyrus.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.123-128
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• 2012

Evidence suggests that even low-dose irradiation can lead to progressive cognitive decline and memory deficits, which implicates, in part, hippocampal dysfunction in both humans and experimental animals. This study examined whether diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) could attenuate memory impairment, using passive avoidance and object recognition test, and suppression of hippocampal neurogenesis, using the TUNEL assay and immunohistochemical detection with markers of neurogenesis (Kiel 67 (Ki-67) and doublecortin (DCX)) in adult mice treated with gamma radiation (0.5 or 2 Gy). DDC was administered intraperitonially at a dosage of 1,000 $mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ of body weight at 30 min. before irradiation. In passive avoidance and object recognition memory test, the mice, trained for 1 day after acute irradiation (2 Gy) showed significant memory deficits compared with the sham controls. The number of TUNEL-positive apoptotic nuclei in the dentate gyrus (DG) was increased 12 h after irradiation. In addition, the number of Ki-67- and DCX-positive cells were significantly decreased. DDC treatment prior to irradiation attenuated the memory defect, and blocked the apoptotic death. DDC may attenuate memory defect in a relatively low-dose exposure of radiation in adult mice, possibly by inhibiting a detrimental effect of irradiation on hippocampal neurogenesis.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.173-180
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• 2015

To explore the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field on the fate of neuronal cells, we investigated whether exposure to 915 MHz radiofrequency identification (RFID) caused morphological changes in neuronal cells in rat hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). A reverberation chamber was used as a whole-body RFID exposure system. Rats were assigned to two groups: sham- and RFID-exposed groups. Rats in the RFID-exposed group were exposed to RFID at 4 W/kg specific absorption rate (SAR) for 8 hours daily, 5 days per week, for 2 weeks. Morphological evaluation of DG was performed using immunohistochemistry with doublecortin (DCX) as a neuronal precursor cell marker and neuronal nuclei (NeuN) as a mature neuronal cell marker. No significant morphological changes in DCX+ or NeuN+ cells in the DG of RFID-exposed rats were observed. These results suggest that RFID exposure induces no significant change in DCX+ neuronal precursor or NeuN+ neuronal cells in DG of rats.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.200-206
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• 2012

Induction of neurogenesis can occur in the hippocampus in response to various pathological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes that occur in endogenous neural stem cells in response to amyloid beta $(A{\beta})_{25-35}$-induced neuronal cell damage in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures. Cresyl violet staining and Fluoro-Jade B staining were used to detect neuronal cell damage and changes of mossy fiber terminals were observed by Timm's staining. The immunofl uorescence staining was used to detect the newly generated cells in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus with specific marker, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), Ki-67, Nestin, and doublecortin (DCX). In compared to control slices, neuronal cell damage was observed and the mossy fibers were expanded to CA3 area by treatment with $A{\beta}_{25-35}$. Ki-67/Nestin- and BrdU/DCX-positive cells were detected in the SGZ. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that $A{\beta}$-induced neuronal damage results in an increase in endogenous neural stem cells in rat hippocampal slice cultures not only for gliosis but also for neurogenesis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2009

Previous studies suggest that even low-dose irradiation can lead to progressive cognitive decline and memory deficits, which implicates, in part, hippocampal dysfunction in both humans and experimental animals. In this study, whether red ginseng (RG) could attenuate memory impairment was investigated through a passive-avoidance and object recognition memory test, as well as the suppression of hippocampal neurogenesis, using the TUNEL assay and immunohistochemical detection with markers of neurogenesis (Ki-67 and doublecortin (DCX)) in adult mice treated with a relatively low-dose exposure to gamma radiation (0.5 or 2.0 Gy). RG was administered intraperitonially at a dosage of 50 mg/kg of body weight, at 36 and 12 h pre-irradiation and at 30 minutes post-irradiation, or orally at a dosage of 250 mg! kg of body weight/day for seven days before autopsy. In the passive-avoidance and object recognition memory test, the mice that were trained for one day after acute irradiation (2 Gy) showed significant memory deficits compared with the sham controls. The number of TUNEL-positive apoptotic nuclei in the dentate gyrus (DG) was increased 12 h after irradiation. In addition, the number of Ki-67- and DCX-positive cells was significantly decreased. RG treatment prior to irradiation attenuated the memory defect and blocked apoptotic death as well as a decrease in the Ki-67- and DCX-positive cells. RG may attenuate memory defect in a relatively low-dose exposure to radiation in adult mice, possibly by inhibiting the detrimental effect of irradiation on hippocampal neurogenesis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.333-344
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• 2024

Objective : Markers of neuroinflammation during ischemic stroke are well characterized, but additional markers of neural damage are lacking. The study identified associations of behavioral disorders after stroke with histologic neural damage and molecular biological change. Methods : Eight-week-old, 25 g male mice of the C57BL/6J strain were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to induce ischemic stroke. The control group was a healthy wild type (WT), and the experimental group were designed as a low severity MCAO1 and a high severity MCAO2 based on post-stroke neurological scoring. All groups underwent behavioral tests, realtime polymerase chain reaction, triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze statistical significance between groups. Results : In TTC staining, MCAO1 showed 29.02% and MCAO2 showed 38.94% infarct volume (p<0.0001). The pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β was most highly expressed in MCAO2 (WT 0.44 vs. MCAO1 2.69 vs. MCAO2 5.02, p<0.0001). From the distance to target in the Barnes maze test, WT had a distance of 178 cm, MCAO1 had a distance of 276 cm, and MCAO2 had a distance of 1051 (p=0.0015). The latency to target was 13.3 seconds for WT, 27.9 seconds for MCAO1, and 87.9 seconds for MCAO2 (p=0.0007). Prospero homeobox 1 (Prox1) was most highly expressed in MCAO2 (p=0.0004). Doublecortin (Dcx) was most highly expressed in MCAO2 (p<0.0001). Conclusion : The study demonstrated that histological damage to neural cells and changes in brain mRNA expression were associated with behavioral impairment after ischemic stroke. Prox1 and Dcx may be biomarkers of neural damage associated with long-term cognitive decline, and increased expression at the mRNA level was consistent with neural damage and long-term cognitive dysfunction.