Neurite outgrowth deficits caused by rare PLXNB1 mutation in pediatric bipolar disorder.

Pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) is a severe mood dysregulation condition that affects 0.5-1% of children and teens in the United States. It is associated with recurrent episodes of mania and depression and an increased risk of suicidality. However, the genetics and neuropathology of PBD are largely unknown. Here, we used a combinatorial family-based approach to characterize cellular, molecular, genetic, and network-level deficits associated with PBD. We recruited a PBD patient and three unaffected family members from a family with a history of psychiatric illnesses. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), we detected altered resting-state functional connectivity in the patient as compared to an unaffected sibling. Using transcriptomic profiling of patient and control induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived telencephalic organoids, we found aberrant signaling in the molecular pathways related to neurite outgrowth. We corroborated the presence of neurite outgrowth deficits in patient iPSC-derived cortical neurons and identified a rare homozygous loss-of-function PLXNB1 variant (c.1360C>C; p.Ser454Arg) responsible for the deficits in the patient. Expression of wild-type PLXNB1, but not the variant, rescued neurite outgrowth in patient neurons, and expression of the variant caused the neurite outgrowth deficits in cortical neurons from PlxnB1 knockout mice. These results indicate that dysregulated PLXNB1 signaling may contribute to an increased risk of PBD and other mood dysregulation-related disorders by disrupting neurite outgrowth and functional brain connectivity. Overall, this study established and validated a novel family-based combinatorial approach for studying cellular and molecular deficits in psychiatric disorders and identified dysfunctional PLXNB1 signaling and neurite outgrowth as potential risk factors for PBD.

Isopanepoxydone inhibits oxidative damage in murine alveolar macrophages via NRF2 and NLRP3 inflammasome.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory diseases due to particulate matter are a serious health issue. We sought to investigate the efficacy of isopanepoxydone (ISO) isolated from the Panus rudis as a therapeutic against particulate matter-induced respiratory complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ISO was isolated from a culture broth of Panus rudis using solvent partition, silica gel, and column chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Its chemical structure was determined spectroscopically. Murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S) were treated with ISO to investigate the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) while cytotoxicity was investigated via a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. The expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, cytokines, and protein expression levels in the oxidative protective and inflammasome pathway were also investigated. Reactive oxygen species in MH-S cells were investigated using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate while immunofluorescence was performed to investigate the expression of activated apoptosis-associated speck-like proteins (ASC) containing a caspase recruitment domain in MH-S cells. RESULTS: ISO effectively inhibited CFA-induced NO production with no cytotoxicity on MH-S cells and pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines were also inhibited (except tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-6). ISO enhanced the protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, while suppressing proteins in the inflammasome pathway, but did not suppress the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B. ISO also reduced detectable ROS other than preventing the activation of ASC. CONCLUSION: Pathways of action of ISO in MH-S cells that prevent oxidative damage and suppress the expression of proteins in the inflammasome pathway were investigated. ISO may be developed as a treatment for respiratory inflammation.

Isoleucilactucin Ameliorates Coal Fly Ash-Induced Inflammation through the NF-κB and MAPK Pathways in MH-S Cells.

We investigated whether isoleucilactucin, an active constituent of Ixeridium dentatum, reduces inflammation caused by coal fly ash (CFA) in alveolar macrophages (MH-S). The anti-inflammatory effects of isoleucilactucin were assessed by measuring the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in MH-S cells exposed to CFA-induced inflammation. We found that isoleucilactucin reduced CFA-induced NO generation dose-dependently in MH-S cells. Moreover, isoleucilactucin suppressed CFA-activated proinflammatory mediators, including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and the proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-(IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α). The inhibiting properties of isoleucilactucin on the nuclear translocation of phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B (p-NF-κB) were observed. The effects of isoleucilactucin on the NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were also measured in CFA-stimulated MH-S cells. These results indicate that isoleucilactucin suppressed CFA-stimulated inflammation in MH-S cells by inhibiting the NF-κB and MAPK pathways, which suggest it might exert anti-inflammatory properties in the lung.

Evaluation of antinociceptive, in-vivo & in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic extract of Curcuma zedoaria rhizome.

BACKGROUND: The present study was aimed to investigate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of the Curcuma zedoaria (family Zingiberaceae) ethanolic rhizome extract in laboratory using both in vitro and in vivo methods so as to justify its traditional use in the above mentioned pathological conditions. METHODS: Phytochemical screening was done to find the presence of various secondary metabolites of the plant. In vivo antinociceptive activity was performed employing the hot plate method, acidic acid induced writhing test and formalin induced writhing test on Swiss albino mice at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight. Anti-inflammatory activity test was done on Long Evans rats at two different doses (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight) by using carrageenan induced paw edema test. Finally in vitro anti-inflammatory test by protein-denaturation method was followed. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Dunnett's t-test was used as the test of significance. P value <0.05 was considered as the minimum level of significance. RESULTS: Phytochemical screening revealed presence of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, gums & carbohydrates, steroids, alkaloids, reducing sugars and terpenoids in the extract. In the hot plate method, the extract increased the reaction time of heat sensation significantly to 61.99% and 78.22% at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg BW respectively. In acetic acid induced writhing test, the percent inhibition of writhing response by the extract was 48.28% and 54.02% at 250 and 500 mg/kg doses respectively (p < 0.001). The extract also significantly inhibited the licking response in both the early phase (64.49%, p < 0.01) and the late phase (62.37%, p < 0.01) in formalin induced writhing test. The extract significantly (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) inhibited carrageenan induced inflammatory response in rats in a dose related manner. In in-vitro anti-inflammatory test, the extract significantly inhibited protein denaturation of 77.15, 64.43, 53.04, 36.78 and 23.70% for doses of 500, 400, 300, 200 and 100 µg/mL respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained from the tests indicate that the plant might have one or more secondary metabolite(s) having central and peripheral analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity.

Stem cell-derived brain organoids for controlled studies of transcranial neuromodulation.

Transcranial neuromodulation methods have the potential to diagnose and treat brain disorders at their neural source in a personalized manner. However, it has been difficult to investigate the direct effects of transcranial neuromodulation on neurons in human brain tissue. Here, we show that human brain organoids provide a detailed and artifact-free window into neuromodulation-evoked electrophysiological effects. We derived human cortical organoids from induced pluripotent stem cells and implanted 32-channel electrode arrays. Each organoid was positioned in the center of the human skull and subjected to low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound. We found that ultrasonic stimuli modulated network activity in the gamma and delta ranges of the frequency spectrum. The effects on the neural networks were a function of the ultrasound stimulation frequency. High gamma activity remained elevated for at least 20 minutes following stimulation offset. This approach is expected to provide controlled studies of the effects of ultrasound and other transcranial neuromodulation modalities on human brain tissue.

Probiotics and Postbiotics as an Alternative to Antibiotics: An Emphasis on Pigs.

Probiotics are being used as feed/food supplements as an alternative to antibiotics. It has been demonstrated that probiotics provide several health benefits, including preventing diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and immunomodulation. Alongside probiotic bacteria-fermented foods, the different structural components, such as lipoteichoic acids, teichoic acids, peptidoglycans, and surface-layer proteins, offer several advantages. Probiotics can produce different antimicrobial components, enzymes, peptides, vitamins, and exopolysaccharides. Besides live probiotics, there has been growing interest in consuming inactivated probiotics in farm animals, including pigs. Several reports have shown that live and killed probiotics can boost immunity, modulate intestinal microbiota, improve feed efficiency and growth performance, and decrease the incidence of diarrhea, positioning them as an interesting strategy as a potential feed supplement for pigs. Therefore, effective selection and approach to the use of probiotics might provide essential features of using probiotics as an important functional feed for pigs. This review aimed to systematically investigate the potential effects of lactic acid bacteria in their live and inactivated forms on pigs.

Restorative effects of Rg3-enriched Korean Red Ginseng and Persicaria tinctoria extract on oxazolone-induced ulcerative colitis in mice.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is the large intestine disease that results in chronic inflammation and ulcers in the colon. Rg3-enriched Korean Red Ginseng extract (Rg3-RGE) is known for its pharmacological activities. Persicaria tinctoria (PT) is also used in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the attenuating effects of Rg3-RGE with PT on oxazolone (OXA)-induced UC in mice. Methods: A total of six groups of mice including control group, OXA (as model group, 1.5%) group, sulfasalazine (75 mg/kg) group, Rg3-RGE (20 mg/kg) group, PT (300 mg/kg) group, and Rg3-RGE (10 mg/kg) with PT (150 mg/kg) group. Data on the colon length, body weight, disease activity index (DAI), histological changes, nitric oxide (NO) assay, Real-time PCR of inflammatory factors, ELISA of inflammatory factors, Western blot, and flow cytometry analysis were obtained. Results: Overall, the combination treatment of Rg3-RGE and PT significantly improved the colon length and body weight and decreased the DAI in mice compared with the treatment with OXA. Additionally, the histological injury was also reduced by the combination treatment. Moreover, the NO production level and inflammatory mediators and cytokines were significantly downregulated in the Rg3-RGE with the PT group compared with the model group. Also, NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) were suppressed in the combination treatment group compared with the OXA group. Furthermore, the number of immune cell subtypes of CD4+ T-helper cells, CD19+ B-cells, and CD4+ and CD25+ regulatory T-cells (Tregs) was improved in the Rg3-RGE with the PT group compared with the OXA group. Conclusion: Overall, the mixture of Rg3-RGE and PT is an effective therapeutic treatment for UC.

Modeling human telencephalic development and autism-associated SHANK3 deficiency using organoids generated from single neural rosettes.

Human telencephalon is an evolutionarily advanced brain structure associated with many uniquely human behaviors and disorders. However, cell lineages and molecular pathways implicated in human telencephalic development remain largely unknown. We produce human telencephalic organoids from stem cell-derived single neural rosettes and investigate telencephalic development under normal and pathological conditions. We show that single neural rosette-derived organoids contain pallial and subpallial neural progenitors, excitatory and inhibitory neurons, as well as macroglial and periendothelial cells, and exhibit predictable organization and cytoarchitecture. We comprehensively characterize the properties of neurons in SNR-derived organoids and identify transcriptional programs associated with the specification of excitatory and inhibitory neural lineages from a common pool of NPs early in telencephalic development. We also demonstrate that neurons in organoids with a hemizygous deletion of an autism- and intellectual disability-associated gene SHANK3 exhibit intrinsic and excitatory synaptic deficits and impaired expression of several clustered protocadherins. Collectively, this study validates SNR-derived organoids as a reliable model for studying human telencephalic cortico-striatal development and identifies intrinsic, synaptic, and clustered protocadherin expression deficits in human telencephalic tissue with SHANK3 hemizygosity.

Duchesnea indica Extract Attenuates Coal Fly Ash-Induced Inflammation in Murine Alveolar Macrophages through the NF-Kappa B Pathway.

Duchesnea indica is known as false strawberry, is found in East Asia, and has numerous biological properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of Duchesnea indica extract (DIE) on coal fly ash- (CFA-) induced inflammation in murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S). Following the induction of inflammation in MH-S cells by CFA, nitric oxide (NO) was measured to evaluate the anti-inflammatory property of DIE. Cell viability and inflammatory gene expression were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The inflammatory pathway in MH-S cells was determined via western blotting and immunofluorescence (IF) analysis. Finally, the major components of the DIE were identified and separated through ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Our results showed that the DIE dose-dependently inhibited the CFA-induced NO production in MH-S cells. Moreover, the DIE could suppress the CFA-induced proinflammatory mediators, such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In addition, the inhibitory effect of the DIE on proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), was detected with PCR. Moreover, the effect of the DIE on the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway in CFA-activated MH-S cells was measured via western blotting. Furthermore, the inhibition of the phosphorylated NF-κB (p-NF-κB) translocation was analyzed using IF assay. The findings of this study indicated that the DIE potentially inhibited the CFA-induced inflammation by blocking the NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway in MH-S cells and that the DIE might contain favorable anti-inflammatory compounds which may be effective in attenuating lung inflammation.

Inhibitory Effect of Phellinus baumii Extract on CFA-Induced Inflammation in MH-S Cells through Nuclear Factor-κB and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways.

Phellinus baumii is a mushroom utilized as a traditional medicine for a wide range of human ailments, including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and cancer, in Asia. The purpose of this study was to find out whether Phellinus baumii extract (PBE) could reduce inflammation caused by coal fly ash (CFA) in alveolar macrophages (MH-S). The anti-inflammatory effect of PBE was evaluated by measuring the nitric oxide (NO) concentration after the onset of CFA-stimulated inflammation in MH-S cells. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine inflammatory gene expression. Western blotting and immunofluorescence (IF) studies were used to investigate the inflammatory mechanism in MH-S cells. According to our results, the PBE suppressed CFA-induced NO generation in the MH-S cells dose-dependently. Furthermore, PBE inhibited the proinflammatory mediators and cytokines generated by exposure to CFA, including cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Real-time PCR was also used to determine the inhibiting effect of the PBE on proinflammatory factors such as COX-2, iNOS, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α. Moreover, Western blot was used to assess the effects of the PBE on the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in the CFA-stimulated MH-S cells. The suppressive effect of the PBE on phosphorylated (p)-NF-κB translocation was also investigated using IF analysis. This study showed that the PBE suppressed the CFA-induced inflammation in the MH-S cells by suppressing the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, which suggests its potential usefulness in reducing lung inflammation.

Red Ginseng Oil Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Offers Protection against Ultraviolet-Induced Photo Toxicity.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is a well-known herbal medicine that has been used for a long time in Korea to treat various diseases. This study investigated the in vitro and in vivo protective effects of red ginseng extract (RGE) and red ginseng oil (RGO). Liver injury was produced in BALB/c mice by 400 mg/kg of acetaminophen intraperitoneal injection. The antioxidant effects of RGE and RGO on the free radicals 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) were measured. In addition, the hepatoprotective activities of RGE and RGO on liver markers, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) enzyme activity, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in serum and histopathological analysis, were evaluated. The protective effect of RGO on UV-induced phototoxicity was also evaluated in Balb/c 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell line. RGE and RGO effectively inhibited the radicals DPPH and ABTS compared with ascorbic acid and trolox, respectively. Moreover, RGE and RGO significantly decreased the liver enzyme (ALT and AST) levels, increased the antioxidant enzyme (SOD and CAT) levels, and decreased the DNA oxidation product (8-OHdG) content in mice serum. RGO also exhibited protective effect against UV irradiation compared with chlorpromazine hydrochloride, a known phototoxic drug, in Balb/c 3T3 cell line. RGE and RGO possess antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties in mice, and RGO exerts nonphototoxic activity in Balb/c 3T3 cells.

Nogo-A Is Critical for Pro-Inflammatory Gene Regulation in Myocytes and Macrophages.

Nogo-A (Rtn 4A), a member of the reticulon 4 (Rtn4) protein family, is a neurite outgrowth inhibitor protein that is primarily expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). However, previous studies revealed that Nogo-A was upregulated in skeletal muscles of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Additionally, experiments showed that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress marker, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), was upregulated in gastrocnemius muscle of a murine model of ALS. We therefore hypothesized that Nogo-A might relate to skeletal muscle diseases. According to our knocking down and overexpression results in muscle cell line (C2C12), we have found that upregulation of Nogo-A resulted in upregulation of CHOP, pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, while downregulation of Nogo-A led to downregulation of CHOP, IL-6 and TNF-α. Immunofluorescence results showed that Nogo-A and CHOP were expressed by myofibers as well as tissue macrophages. Since resident macrophages share similar functions as bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM), we therefore, isolated macrophages from bone marrow to study the role of Nogo-A in activation of these cells. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BMDM in Nogo-KO mice showed low mRNA expression of CHOP, IL-6 and TNF-α compared to BMDM in wild type (WT) mice. Interestingly, Nogo knockout (KO) BMDM exhibited lower migratory activity and phagocytic ability compared with WT BMDM after LPS treatment. In addition, mice experiments data revealed that upregulation of Nogo-A in notexin- and tunicamycin-treated muscles was associated with upregulation of CHOP, IL-6 and TNF-α in WT group, while in Nogo-KO group resulted in low expression level of CHOP, IL-6 and TNF-α. Furthermore, upregulation of Nogo-A in dystrophin-deficient (mdx) murine model, myopathy and Duchenne muscle dystrophy (DMD) clinical biopsies was associated with upregulation of CHOP, IL-6 and TNF-α. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate Nogo-A as a regulator of inflammation in diseased muscle and bone marrow macrophages and that deletion of Nogo-A alleviates muscle inflammation and it can be utilized as a therapeutic target for improving muscle diseases.

Nogo-A regulates myogenesis via interacting with Filamin-C.

Among the three isoforms encoded by Rtn4, Nogo-A has been intensely investigated as a central nervous system inhibitor. Although Nogo-A expression is increased in muscles of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, its role in muscle homeostasis and regeneration is not well elucidated. In this study, we discovered a significant increase in Nogo-A expression in various muscle-related pathological conditions. Nogo-/- mice displayed dystrophic muscle structure, dysregulated muscle regeneration following injury, and altered gene expression involving lipid storage and muscle cell differentiation. We hypothesized that increased Nogo-A levels might regulate muscle regeneration. Differentiating myoblasts exhibited Nogo-A upregulation and silencing Nogo-A abrogated myoblast differentiation. Nogo-A interacted with filamin-C, suggesting a role for Nogo-A in cytoskeletal arrangement during myogenesis. In conclusion, Nogo-A maintains muscle homeostasis and integrity, and pathologically altered Nogo-A expression mediates muscle regeneration, suggesting Nogo-A as a novel target for the treatment of myopathies in clinical settings.

Sertoli Cell Tumor (SCT) in a Captive Black Bear (Ursus americanus).

A black bear of 29-year-old (Ursus americanus) died unexpectedly in captivity without any gross lesions or clinical signs. We identified a firm, lobulated, yellowish tan, and well-circumscribed mass embedded inside the testicular tissue at the time of necropsy. The tumor sections exhibited soft necrotic and hemorrhagic areas beneath its capsule. Histologically, the tumor comprised Sertoli cells arranged in tubules and solid sheets supported by prominent fibrous connective tissues. The Sertoli cells were positive for vimentin and ER-ß expression, whereas it showed negative staining for inhibin-α, cytokeratin 19, and S-100. To the best of our knowledge, this is the rare case report of testicular Sertoli cell tumor in black bear.

Preventive effect of anti-VacA egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) on Helicobacter pylori-infected mice.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative bacterium, is the causative agent of gastric disorders and gastric cancer in the human stomach. Vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) is among the multi-effect protein toxins released by H. pylori that enables its persistence in the human stomach. METHODS: To evaluate the effect of anti-VacA egg yolk immunoglobulin (anti-VacA IgY) on H. pylori infection, a highly specific anti-VacA IgY was produced from egg yolks of hens immunized with a mixture of two purified recombinant VacAs. Female C57BL/6 mice were supplemented anti-VacA IgY daily with drinking water for 2 weeks before and 4 weeks after H. pylori ATCC 43504 inoculation. Anti-VacA IgY recognized both native and denatured structures of VacA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting analyses, respectively. RESULTS: Oral administration of anti-VacA IgYs significantly (p < .05) reduced the serum levels of anti-H. pylori antibodies compared to those in the H. pylori-infected, untreated group. The reduction in the immune response was accompanied by a significant (p < .05) decrease in eosinophilic infiltration of the stomach in anti-VacA IgY treated group compared to other groups. Concomitantly, H. pylori-induced histological changes and H. pylori antigen-positivity in gastric tissues were decreased significantly (p < .05) in anti-VacA IgY treated group similar to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Oral administration of anti-VacA IgY is correlated with a protective effect against H. pylori colonization and induced histological changes in gastric tissues. Our experimental study has proved that it is expected to be a new drug candidate of Hp infection by further study.

Preventive Effects of Vitamin C on Diethylnitrosamine-induced Hepatotoxicity in Smp30 Knockout Mice.

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is well known as a free radical scavenger that protects cells against damage from oxidative stress. Herein, we investigated the effects of vitamin C against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatotoxicity. Male wild-type (C57BL/6) and senescence marker protein-30 (Smp30) knockout (KO) mice were used and divided in the following four groups: WT group (n=15): Wild-type (WT) mice fed vitamin C-free diet with tap water; WV group (n=14): WT mice fed vitamin C-free diet with water supplemented with 1.5 g/kg vitamin C; KT group (n=12): Smp30 KO mice fed vitamin C-free diet with tap water; and KV group (n=13): Smp30 KO mice fed vitamin C-free diet with water supplemented with 1.5 g/kg vitamin C. A single intraperitoneal injection of DEN (5 mg/kg body weight) was injected in the second week during the experimental period. Mice were sacrificed after 17 weeks of treatment to investigate the effect of dietary vitamin C on DEN-induced hepatotoxicity. The results showed that vitamin C significantly increased the mean lifespan (p<0.05) in the WT, WV and KV groups compared with the KT group. The serum concentrations of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase did not significantly differ among groups. The WT group exhibited significantly more acute cellular swelling accompanied by centrilobular necrosis, focal lymphocyte infiltration, and eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies as compared with the WV and KV groups, suggesting that vitamin C had a hepatoprotective effect. Dysplastic, large, and binucleated hepatocytes were also observed in the WT group, but these pathological signs were absent from the WV and KV groups. Our experimental evidence suggests that vitamin C supplementation in Smp30 KO mice was effective for the treatment of DEN-induced hepatotoxicity.

Inhibition of Formation of Azoxymethane-induced Colonic Aberrant Crypt Foci in Rats by Edible Green Algae Capsosiphon fulvescens and Brown Algae Hizikia fusiforme.

Capsosiphon fulvescens (green seaweed) and Hizikia fusiforme (brown seaweed) are marine algae consumed as food supplements, especially in Japan, China and Korea, and are considered traditional medicinal tonics for certain ailments. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible inhibitory effects of dietary C. fulvescens and H. fusiforme on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colorectal cancer (CRC) in rats. F344 male rats (5 weeks, 150 g) were divided into six groups as follows. Group 1: Injected with normal saline solution and fed control diet (untreated control). Group 2: Injected with AOM and fed control diet (treated control). Group 3: Injected with AOM and fed 1% C. fulvescens diet. Group 4: Injected with AOM and fed 2% C. fulvescens diet. Group 5: Injected with AOM and fed 2% H. fusiforme diet. Group 6: Injected with AOM and fed 6% H. fusiforme diet. Test animals received subcutaneous injections of AOM (15 mg/1 ml/kg body weight) once a week for 2 weeks to induce aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in treated control and experimental groups. We evaluated the effects of dietary C. fulvescens and H. fusiforme at two different dose levels: 1 and 2% C. fulvescens, and 2 and 6% H. fusiforme, on colonic carcinogenesis by AOM in rats. Our results suggest that body weights were not significantly different amongst groups. We found that feeding C. fulvescens and H. fusiforme with a control diet significantly (p<0.05) inhibited the development of ACF in experimental groups. C. fulvescens and H. fusiforme in food also significantly (p<0.05) reduced the proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index in the colonic tissues of experimental groups. These results demonstrate the chemopreventive potential of C. fulvescens and H. fusiforme against CRC in an AOM-induced rats.

Effects of oral glucosamine hydrochloride and mucopolysaccharide protein in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis.

AIM: The aim was to study whether oral glucosamine hydrochloride (GlcN.HCl) or mucopolysaccharide protein (MucoP) has a structure-modifying effect on an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) rabbit model of osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: OA was surgically induced in the right knees of rabbits by transection of the ACLT. The left knees served as a sham-operated control. The animals were divided into four groups (n = 6 each): negative control (phosphate buffered saline, orally), positive control (oral celecoxib 10 mg/kg body weight/day), GlcN.HCl (oral 100 mg/kg/day) and MucoP (oral 100 mg/kg/day). Experimental animals were sacrificed after 8 weeks of treatment and the distal femur was removed for macroscopic examination, histological assessment, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay of the OA rabbits. RESULTS: On gross morphology, severe lesions were observed in articular cartilage in the negative control group. In the GlcN.HCl and MucoP treatment groups, fibrillations and cartilaginous lesions were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased compared to the negative control group. In particular, degenerative changes in cartilage and chondrocyte cellularity were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in the positive control (celecoxib) group, GlcN.HCl treatment group and MucoP treatment group compared with the negative control group. TUNEL assay showed that apoptotic chondrocytes were significantly suppressed in the celecoxib group. Similar significant (P < 0.05) results were seen in the GlcN.HCl group and MucoP group but apoptosis of chondrocytes were high in the negative control group. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the protective effects of GlcN.HCl and MucoP may play a useful role in the clinical treatment of OA.