Journal of cellular biochemistry
-
Plant products have always been considered for many important metabolic disorders due to its abundant medicinal properties. Alarming adverse effects of overuse of statins has been reported for patients with dyslipidemia. This study was aimed to identify compounds with potent anti-dyslipidemic property from selected plants and analyze them for their efficiency in binding with HMG-CoA reductase, a key enzyme in lipid metabolism. ⋯ J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 52-57, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
-
Apoptosis occurs at an extraordinary rate in the human body and the effective clearance of dead cells (efferocytosis) is necessary to maintain homeostasis and promote healing, yet the contribution and impact of this process in bone is unclear. Bone formation requires that bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) differentiate into osteoblasts which direct matrix formation and either become osteocytes, bone lining cells, or undergo apoptosis. A series of experiments were performed to identify the regulators and consequences of macrophage efferocytosis of apoptotic BMSCs (apBMSCs). ⋯ J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2697-2706, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
-
α-Solanine, a trisaccharide glycoalkaloid, has been reported to possess anti-cancer effects. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of α-solanine isolated from "Jayoung" a dark purple-fleshed potato by examining its in vitro inhibitory effects on inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and its in vivo effects on LPS-induced septic shock in a mouse model. α-Solanine suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2 both at protein and mRNA levels and consequently inhibited nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. α-Solanine also reduced the production and mRNA expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) induced by LPS. Furthermore, molecular mechanism studies indicated that α-solanine inhibited LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) by reducing nuclear translocation of p65, degradation of inhibitory κBα (IκBα), and phosphorylation of IκB kinaseα/β (IKKα/β). ⋯ J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2327-2339, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
-
The neurohypophysial hormone oxytocin (OXT) and its receptor (OXTR) have critical roles in the regulation of pro-social behaviors, including social recognition, pair bonding, parental behavior, and stress-related responses. Supporting this hypothesis, a portion of patients suffering from autism spectrum disorder have mutations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or epigenetic modifications in their OXTR gene. We previously reported that OXTR-deficient mice exhibit pervasive social deficits, indicating the critical role of OXTR in social behaviors. ⋯ We demonstrated that this construct is expressed in OXTR-expressing neurons specifically after an infection with the recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying the flip-excision switch vector. Using this system, we showed the transport of the wheat-germ agglutinin tracing molecule from the OXTR-expressing neurons to the innervated neurons in knock-in mice. This study might contribute to the monosynaptic analysis of neuronal circuits and to the optogenetic analysis of neurons expressing OXTR.
-
A natural compound C23 H32 O4 Cl, ascochlorin (ASC) isolated from an incomplete fungus, Ascochyta viciae has been known to have several biological activities as an antibiotic, antifungal, anti-cancer, anti-hypolipidemic, and anti-hypertension agent. In this study, anti-inflammatory activity has been investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, since ASC has not been observed on the inflammatory events. The present study has clearly shown that ASC (1-50 μM) significantly suppressed the production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) and decreased the gene expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose-dependent manner. ⋯ In addition, ASC suppressed nuclear translocation and DNA binding affinity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Furthermore, ASC down-regulated phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) and p-p38. These results demonstrate that ASC exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.