• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.723-729
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• 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by dopaminergic neuronal loss in the substantia nigra, resulting in reduced dopamine levels and consequent motor dysfunction. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to oxidative stress in PD. Cicadidae Periostracum (CP), a traditional Korean medicine, has shown neuroprotective effects against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity in PD. However, its effects on the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) model have not been established. This study examined CP's effects on a 6-OHDA-induced PD model. CP protected against 6-OHDA damage in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, CP reduced the production of reactive oxygen species, inhibited apoptosis, preserved dopamine levels, protected tyrosine hydroxylase in the substantia nigra, and improved motor function. These findings suggest that CP may delay PD progression by maintaining the redox balance.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.219-228
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• 2015

Excessive microglial activation and subsequent neuroinflammation lead to synaptic loss and dysfunction as well as neuronal cell death, which are involved in the pathogenesis and progression of several neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, the regulation of microglial activation has been evaluated as effective therapeutic strategies. Although dieckol (DEK), one of the phlorotannins isolated from marine brown alga Ecklonia cava, has been previously reported to inhibit microglial activation, the molecular mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated here molecular mechanism of DEK via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), Akt and nicotinamide adenine dinuclelotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase-mediated pathways. In addition, the neuroprotective mechanism of DEK was investigated in microglia-mediated neurotoxicity models such as neuron-microglia co-culture and microglial conditioned media system. Our results demonstrated that treatment of anti-oxidant DEK potently suppressed phosphorylation of ERK in lipopolysaccharide (LPS, $1{\mu}g/ml$)-stimulated BV-2 microglia. In addition, DEK markedly attenuated Akt phosphorylation and increased expression of $gp91^{phox}$, which is the catalytic component of NADPH oxidase complex responsible for microglial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Finally, DEK significantly attenuated neuronal cell death that is induced by treatment of microglial conditioned media containing neurotoxic secretary molecules. These neuroprotective effects of DEK were also confirmed in a neuron-microglia co-culture system using enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-transfected B35 neuroblastoma cell line. Taken together, these results suggest that DEK suppresses excessive microglial activation and microglia-mediated neuronal cell death via downregulation of ERK, Akt and NADPH oxidase-mediated pathways.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.11-26
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• 2003

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid deposition and associated loss of neunons in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes. Several causes of evidence support that the congnitive disturbance is closed associated with the deficit of cerebral acetylcholine neurotransmission, and the effect of carboxyl terminal 105 amino acid fragment (CT105) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) on the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines. We tested it on the scopolamine-induced amnesia model of the ICR mouse using the Morris water maze with repeated orally administration of 1st Green-Tea extract (200 mg/kg) and 2nd Green-Tea extract (200 mg/kg). The Green-Tea prevents impairment of learning and memory and neuronal loss in mouse models of cognitive disturbance and it demonstrated selectivity for inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Furthermore, the repeated administration of Green-Tea, CT105-induced alzheimer's mouse model showed central cholinergic activity by ameliorates learning and memory impairment, and isolation of CD14 microglia showed significantly decreases intracellular release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because of its composite profile, oral therapeutic index and a prophylactic, Green-Tea is considered the better therapeutic candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.10
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• pp.649-655
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• 2010

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common age-dependent neurodegenerative disorder and shows progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. Intraneuronal filaments composed of aggregated hyperphosphorylated tau protein, called neurofibrillary tangles, along with extracellular accumulations of amyloid $\beta$ protein (A$\beta$), called senile plaques, are known to be the neuropathological hallmarks of AD. In light of recent studies, epigenetic modification has emerged as one of the pathogenic mechanisms of AD. Epigenetic changes encompass an array of molecular modifications to both DNA and chromatin, including transcription factors and cofactors. In this review, we summarize how DNA methylation and changes to DNA chromatin packaging by post-translational histone modification are involved in AD. In addition, we describe the role of SIRTs, histone deacetylases, and the effect of SIRT-modulating drugs on AD. Lastly, we discuss how amyloid precursor protein (APP) intracellular domain (AICD) regulates neuronal transcription. Our understanding of the epigenomes and transcriptomes of AD may warrant future identification of novel biological markers and beneficial therapeutic targets for AD.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.207-212
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• 2006

Mitochondrial permeability transition has been shown to be involved in neuronal cell death. Mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B is considered to play a part in the progress of nigrostriatal cell death. The present study examined the effect of MAO inhibitors against the toxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium $(MPP^+)$ in relation to the mitochondrial permeability transition. Chlorgyline (a selective inhibitor of MAO-A), deprenyl (a selective inhibitor of MAO-B) and tranylcypromine (nonselective inhibitor of MAO) all prevented cell viability loss, cytochrome c release, caspase-3 activation, formation of reactive oxygen species and depletion of GSH in differentiated PC12 cells treated with $500\;{\mu}M$$MPP^+$. The MAO inhibitors at $10\;{\mu}M$ revealed a maximal inhibitory effect and beyond this concentration the inhibitory effect declined. On the basis of concentration, the inhibitory potency was tranylcypromine, deprenyl and chlorgyline order. The results suggest that chlorgyline, deprenyl and tranylcypromine attenuate the toxicity of $MPP^+$ against PC12 cells by suppressing the mitochondrial permeability transition that seems to be mediated by oxidative stress.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.150-151
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• 2003

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive deterioration of cognition and memory in association with widespread neuronal loss. AD is supposed to be very often associated with missense mutation located on homologous protein Presenilin (PS1) and (PS2). Up to now, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of the gene mutation in AD still remain unclear. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.65-72
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• 2007

Phytochemicals have long been known to hold a number of physiological benefits, including antioxidant, anticardiovascular activities and anticancer. The profitable effects of phytochemicals from food sources such as vegetables and fruits, with respect to neurodegeneration, are only beginning to receive increased attention. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the major neurodegenerative diseases for which no treatment is available, and characterized by loss of cognition and memory. Many recent studies show that the brain of AD patient is subjected to increased oxidative stress resulting from free radical damage, and the resulting cellular malfunctions are widely believed to be responsible for neuronal degeneration in AD. In this study, the relative relation between AD and phytochemicals were surveyed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.49-52
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• 2008

Parkinson's disease is characterized by motor disturbances and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. parkin and PINK1, two most critical Parkinson's disease-associated genes, have been intensively studied to address the underlying molecular pathogenesis of the disease, but our understanding still remains unclear. Through generation and characterization of Drosophila mutants for PINK1, we show that PINK1 is required for mitochondrial integrity and function in both indirect flight muscles and dopaminergic neurons. Surprisingly, we find that PINK1 mutants share striking phenotypic similarities with parkin mutants. Indeed, transgenic expression of parkin dramatically ameliorates all PINK1 loss-of-function phenotypes, but not vice versa, implicating that Parkin acts downstream of PINK1 in maintaining mitochondrial integrity and function in both muscles and dopaminergic neurons. With the establishment of the PINK1-Parkin pathway, we are trying to further investigate the detailed molecular relationship between PINK1 and Parkin using both mammalian dopaminergic neuronal cells for biochemical analysis and Drosophila model animal for genetic analysis. We believe that elucidating the molecular function of Parkinson's disease-associated genes will be of big help for the ultimate understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of this disease and also for the development of effective drugs for Parkinson's disease.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.71-79
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• 2013

Local pain management is the most critical aspect of patient care in dentistry. Local anesthesia is a reversible blockade of nerve conduction in an applied area that produces loss of sensation. The chemical agents used to produce local anesthesia stabilize neuronal membranes by inhibiting the ionic fluxes required for the propagation of neural impulses. Proper local anesthesia permits the dental surgeon to perform the necessary surgical procedure in a careful, gentle fashion that will be less stressful for both the operator and the patient. The improvements in agents for local anesthesia are probably the most significant advances that have occurred in dental science. Today's anesthetics are safe, effective, and can be administered with insignificant soft tissue damage and minimal concerns for allergic reactions. This article reviews the widely used local anesthetic agents for obtaining local anesthesia, and also discusses some frequently seen complications.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.132-140
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• 2007

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder that is mainly caused by dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra. Several radiopharmaceutics have been developed to evaluate the integrity of dopaminergic neuronal system. In vivo PET and SPECT imaging of presynaptic dopamine imaing are already applied to Parkinson's disease and other parkinsonism, and can demonstrate the dopaminergic dysfunction. This review summarized the use of the presynaptic dopaminergic imaging in PD as biomarkers in evaluation of disease progression as well as in diagnosis of PD.