Jeung Hee An

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection of dopamine by DNA Targeting amplification assay in Parkisons's model.

Dopamine is a potent neuromodulator in the brain that influences a variety of motivated behaviors and is involved in several neurologic diseases. We evaluated a bio-barcode amplification assay for its ability to detect dopamine in a mouse model with and without prior administration of the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Our approach uses a combination of DNA barcodes and bead-based immunoassays for detecting neurotransmitters with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). This method relies on a gold nanoplate with adsorbed antibodies and gold nanoparticles that are encoded with DNA and antibodies that can sandwich the target protein captured by the nanoparticle-bound antibodies. C57BL/6 mice were infused intranasally with MPTP (25mg/kg/day) over 7 consecutive days. At 7 and 21 days after the last administration of MPTP, dopamine was found by western blot analysis to have decreased in the midbrain by 37.44% and 92.95%, respectively. Furthermore, the Raman intensity of dopamine in the midbrains of MPTP-treated mice decreased by 56.77% and 61.12% on days 7 and 21, respectively. Our results demonstrate that the concentration of dopamine in midbrain and striatum of MPTP-treated mice can be easily detected using the bio-barcode assay, which is a rapid, high-throughput screening tool for detecting neurotransmitters.

Physicochemical Characteristics and Biological Activities of Makgeolli Supplemented with the Fruit of Akebia quinata during Fermentation

We investigated the characteristics and biological activity of makgeolli supplemented with different levels (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 7%) of Akebia quinata fruit during fermentation. Our results showed that supplementation with Akebia quinata fruit led to an increase in the acidity level, amino acid concentration, alcohol content, and total sugar level. Makgeolli supplemented with 7% Akebia quinata fruit showed the highest total sensory score. Supplementation with Akebia quinata fruit resulted in a significant increase in the antioxidant activity and nitric oxide inhibitory activity. Further, makgeolli supplemented with Akebia quinata fruit showed anticancer activity against DU145, HeLa, MCF-7, and U87cells, and significantly enhanced antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri. Our results indicate that Akebia quinata fruit represents an effective natural additive for enhancing the biological activities of makgeolli.

Calcium Supplement Derived from Gallus gallus domesticus Promotes BMP-2/RUNX2/SMAD5 and Suppresses TRAP/RANK Expression through MAPK Signaling Activation

The present study evaluated the effects of a calcium (Ca) supplement derived from Gallus gallus domesticus (GD) on breaking force, microarchitecture, osteogenic differentiation and osteoclast differentiation factor expression in vivo in Ca-deficient ovariectomized (OVX) rats. One percent of Ca supplement significantly improved Ca content and bone strength of the tibia. In micro-computed tomography analysis, 1% Ca supplement attenuated OVX- and low Ca-associated changes in bone mineral density, trabecular thickness, spacing and number. Moreover, 1% Ca-supplemented diet increased the expression of osteoblast differentiation marker genes, such as bone morphogenetic protein-2, Wnt3a, small mothers against decapentaplegic 1/5/8, runt-related transcription factor 2, osteocalcin and collagenase-1, while it decreased the expression of osteoclast differentiation genes, such as thrombospondin-related anonymous protein, cathepsin K and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B. Furthermore, 1% Ca-supplemented diet increased the levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. The increased expression of osteoblast differentiation marker genes and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling were associated with significant increases in trabecular bone volume, which plays an important role in the overall skeletal strength. Our results demonstrated that 1% Ca supplement inhibited osteoclastogenesis, stimulated osteoblastogenesis and restored bone loss in OVX rats.

Melanin extract from Gallus gallus domesticus promotes proliferation and differentiation of osteoblastic MG-63 cells via bone morphogenetic protein-2 signaling

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Gallus gallus domesticus (GD) is a natural mutant breed of chicken in Korea with an atypical characterization of melanin in its tissue. This study investigated the effects of melanin extracts of GD on osteoblast differentiation and inhibition of osteoclast formation. MATERIALS/METHODS The effects of the melanin extract of GD on human osteoblast MG-63 cell differentiation were examined by evaluating cell viability, osteoblast differentiation, and expression of osteoblast-specific transcription factors such as bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), small mothers against decapentaplegic homologs 5 (SMAD5), runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteocalcin and type 1 collagen (COL-1) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting analysis. We investigated the inhibitory effect of melanin on the osteoclasts formation through tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity and TRAP stains in Raw 264.7 cell. RESULTS The melanin extract of GD was not cytotoxic to MG-63 cells at concentrations of 50-250 µg/mL. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and bone mineralization of melanin extract-treated cells increased in a dose-dependent manner from 50 to 250 µg/mL and were 149% and 129% at 250 µg/mL concentration, respectively (P < 0.05). The levels of BMP-2, osteocalcin, and COL-1 gene expression were significantly upregulated by 1.72-, 4.44-, and 2.12-fold in melanin-treated cells than in the control cells (P < 0.05). The levels of RUNX2 and SMAD5 proteins were higher in melanin-treated cells than in control vehicle-treated cells. The melanin extract attenuated the formation of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand-induced TRAP-positive multinucleated RAW 264.7 cells by 22%, and was 77% cytotoxic to RAW 264.7 macrophages at a concentration of 500 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that the melanin extract promoted osteoblast differentiation by activating BMP/SMADs/RUNX2 signaling and regulating transcription of osteogenic genes such as ALP, type I collagen, and osteocalcin. These results suggest that the effective osteoblastic differentiation induced by melanin extract from GD makes it potentially useful in maintaining bone health.

Evaluation of anticancer drug in a polymer 3D cell chip

Three-dimensional (3D) models play an important role in understanding the behavior of a tumor in a well-defined microenvironment, because some aspects of tumor characteristics cannot be fully recapitulated in cell monolayers. In this study, a novel method is presented for the culture of tumor spheroids and for in vivo 3D cell growth simulation of a tumor on a 3D cell chip fabricated in the 3rd floor structure. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal imaging show that, soon after the adjacent tumor adheres to the micropatterned pillar sidewalls, they are subsequently pulled between the pillars in a suspended position. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of mitroxanthrone in the two-dimensional (2D) plate were at the concentration of 345.65 µg/ml. In contrast, the IC50 value of 3D mitroxanthrone in the 3D cell chip was not detected at the system. Our results indicated that 3D spheroids are generated in uniformly fabricated cancer cell chips, and large numbers of morphologically homogenous spheroids are easily produced. The result showed that the 3D cancer cell chip is more resistant to anticancer agents than 2D plate cell culture. Thus, the 3D cancer cell chip could be used for high-throughput investigations of the efficacy vs. toxicity of drugs or numerous other cancer spheroid cellular and biochemical assays.