Jin-Hee Seo

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the aqueous extract of corni fructus in murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.

Corni fructus is the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc, which is classified into the dogwood family of Cornaceae. Corni fructus has antineoplastic, antioxidative, and antidiabetic effects, but its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects are unknown. Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of an aqueous extract of corni fructus using murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. For this study, we used the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, western blot analysis, prostaglandin (PG) E(2) immunoassay, and nitric oxide (NO) detection. In addition, the analgesic effect of corni fructus was assessed by the acetic acid-induced writhing response in mice. The aqueous extract of corni fructus suppressed PGE(2) synthesis and NO production by inhibiting the lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The extract also suppressed increases in nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) levels in the nucleus. In vivo study showed that the extract suppressed the acetic acid-induced writhing response in mice. The aqueous extract of corni fructus exerts anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects by suppressing COX-2 and iNOS expression through the down-regulation of NF-kappaB binding activity.

Alcohol exposure induces depression-like behavior by decreasing hippocampal neuronal proliferation through inhibition of the BDNF-ERK pathway in gerbils

Abstract Depression is one of the most prevalent diseases of alcohol abuse. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in cell survival in the hippocampus. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) is induced by BDNF, and it regulates cell proliferation and differentiation in the brain. We investigated the effects of alcohol intake on depression-like behavior, cell proliferation, expressions of BDNF and its downstream molecules in the hippocampus using Mongolian gerbils. The gerbils were divided into four groups: control group, 0.5 g/kg alcohol-treated group, 1 g/kg alcohol-treated group, 2 g/kg alcohol-treated group. Each dose of alcohol was orally administered for 3 weeks. The present results demonstrated that alcohol intake induced depression-like behavior. Both 5-hydroxytryptamine synthesis and its synthesizing enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase expression in the dorsal raphe and cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were decreased by alcohol intake. Alcohol intake suppressed BDNF expression, and resulted in the decrease of its downstream molecules, pERK1/2 and Bcl-2, in the hippocampus. We showed that alcohol intake may lead to a depressed-like state with reduced hippocampal cell proliferation through inhibition of the BDNF-ERK signaling pathway.

Combined exercise ameliorates ovariectomy-induced cognitive impairment by enhancing cell proliferation and suppressing apoptosis.

Objective:Estrogen plays an important role in cognitive function, including attention, learning, and memory, and affects the structure and function of brain areas. We investigated the effects of combined exercise on memory deficits induced by ovariectomy (OVX) in relation to cell proliferation and apoptosis in the hippocampus. Methods:Rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, sham and exercise, OVX, and OVX and exercise. Rats in combined exercise groups were subjected to 3 days of resistance training and 3 days of running (for a total of 6 d/wk) for eight consecutive weeks. Rats were tested in step-down avoidance task and Morris water maze task to verify the effects of OVX on short-term and spatial working memory. Results:In the present study, the number of BrdU-positive and doublecortin-positive cells and expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, TrkB, and Bcl-2 decreased; expression of Bax and the number of caspase-3–positive and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling–positive cells increased; and short-term and spatial working memory decreased in the OVX group compared with the sham group. Conversely, when the combined exercise group was compared with the OVX group, the number of BrdU-positive and doublecortin-positive cells and expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, TrkB, and Bcl-2 increased; expression of Bax and the number of caspase-3–positive and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling–positive cells decreased; and short-term and spatial working memory increased. Conclusions:Combined exercise increases cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in the hippocampus and improves cognitive function despite estrogen deficiency.

Diagnostic utility of skin autofluorescence when patch test results are doubtful

The standard diagnostic test for allergic contact dermatitis is the patch test, which can also be used to identify irritant contact dermatitis. Doubtful reactions (?+) can be often clinically relevant to individuals and can require additional tests.

Effects of amygdalin on the functional recovery and c-Fos expression in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray region after sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats

Peripheral nerve injuries are a commonly encountered clinical problem and often result in a chronic pain and severe functional deficits. The expression of c-Fos is sometimes used as a marker of increased neuronal activity. We have prepared the aqueous extract of amygdalin from Armeniacae semen for pain control. In the present study, we investigated the effects of amygdalin on the recovery rate of the locomotor function and on the expression of c-Fos in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) region following sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. Walking track analysis for the evaluation of functional recovery and immunohistochemistry for the c-Fos expression were used in this study. In the present results, characteristic gait change with dropping of the sciatic function index (SFI) was observed and c-Fos expression in the vlPAG was suppressed following sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. Amygdalin enhanced SFI value and restored c-Fos expression in the vlPAG to the control value. The present our study indicated that amygdalin activates neurons in the vlPAG, and it facilitates functional recovery following peripheral nerve injury.