Effects of Customized Communication Training on Nonviolent Communication, Nonverbal Communication, and Self-Acceptance: Evidence from Korean Nursing Students.

Background: We aimed to investigate the effects of a nonviolent and nonverbal communication and self-acceptance training program among Korean nursing students. Methods: We enrolled students in nursing departments at three universities in Busan Metropolitan City, South Korea. The students were randomly allocated to the experimental (n = 38) and control groups (n = 36); subsequently, they completed questionnaires before and after training. Data were collected on March 2023. The experimental group was enrolled in a program comprising 390 minutes of lecture, practice, role play, discussion, and reflection in 8-h daily sessions, with a total of eight sessions. The training sought to allow students to understand and practice nonviolent and nonverbal communication. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and a paired t-test. Results: Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a significant post-intervention improvement in the nonviolent communication scores (t = -2.442, P= 0.020); however, there were no significant between-group differences in the post-intervention nonverbal communication or self-acceptance scores. Conclusion: Customized communication training programs are required to address communication competencies among medical personnel, including nursing students. Moreover, it is crucial to set standards for communication competency. Specifically, from a long-term perspective, a continuous educational strategy is required to effectively improve the communication capabilities of nursing students in Korea. It is possible to develop training programs that can systematically improve communication competency among nursing students.

The Risk Factors of COVID-19 Infection and Mortality among Older Adults in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and mortality among older adults in South Korea. METHODS: Using Korean National Health Insurance data from January 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022, we analyzed the impact of various factors, including age, comorbidity burden, and insurance type, on COVID-19 infection and mortality rates. RESULTS: Age was the most significant risk factor for mortality in older adults. A higher comorbidity burden was also associated with increased infection (odds ratio [OR]=1.33 for Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI] ≥2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.321-1.339) and mortality (OR=1.537 for CCI ≥2, 95% CI 1.459-1.618) rates. While Medical Aid recipients exhibited lower infection rates (OR=0.898, 95% CI 0.89-0.906) than National Health Insurance beneficiaries, they had higher mortality rates (OR=1.692, 95% CI 1.623-1.763). CONCLUSION: These results emphasized the need to prioritize vaccination and allocate healthcare resources for older adults, particularly those with multiple comorbidities. Addressing socioeconomic disparities and ensuring equitable access to testing and healthcare services are crucial for mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on older adults.

Erratum: Cedrol, a Sesquiterpene Isolated from Juniperus chinensis, Inhibits Human Colorectal Tumor Growth associated through Downregulation of Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins.

[This corrects the article on p. 221 in vol. 27, PMID: 36713942.].

Induction of Cell Cycle Arrest, Apoptosis, and Reducing the Expression of MCM Proteins in Human Lung Carcinoma A549 Cells by Cedrol, Isolated from Juniperus chinensis.

Proteins related to DNA replication have been proposed as cancer biomarkers and targets for anticancer agents. Among them, minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins, often overexpressed in various cancer cells, are recognized both as notable biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and as targets for cancer treatment. Here, we investigated the activity of cedrol, a single compound isolated from Juniperus chinensis, in reducing the expression of MCM proteins in human lung carcinoma A549 cells. Remarkably, cedrol also strongly inhibited the expression of all other MCM protein family members in A549 cells. Moreover, cedrol treatment reduced cell viability in A549 cells, accompanied by cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and enhanced apoptosis. Taken together, this study broadens our understanding of how cedrol executes its anticancer activity while demonstrating that cedrol has potential application in the treatment of human lung cancer as an inhibitor of MCM proteins.

The preventive effect of loganin on oxidative stress-induced cellular damage in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells.

Loganin is a type of iridoid glycosides isolated from Corni fructus and is known to have various pharmacological properties, but studies on its antioxidant activity are still lacking. Therefore, in this study, the preventive effect of loganin on oxidative stress-mediated cellular damage in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells was investigated. Our results show that loganin pretreatment in a non-toxic concentration range significantly improved cell survival in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated HaCaT cells, which was associated with inhibition of cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and induction of apoptosis. H2O2-induced DNA damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were also greatly reduced in the presence of loganin. Moreover, H2O2 treatment enhanced the cytoplasmic release of cytochrome c, upregulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and degradation of cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, whereas loganin remarkably suppressed these changes. In addition, loganin obviously attenuated H2O2-induced autophagy while inhibiting the increased accumulation of autophagosome proteins, including as microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II and Beclin-1, and p62, an autophagy substrate protein, in H2O2-treated cells. In conclusion, our current results suggests that loganin could protect HaCaT keratinocytes from H2O2-induced cellular injury by inhibiting mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy and apoptosis. This finding indicates the applicability of loganin in the prevention and treatment of skin diseases caused by oxidative damage.

Three-Dimensional Skin Tissue Printing with Human Skin Cell Lines and Mouse Skin-Derived Epidermal and Dermal Cells.

Since the skin covers most surfaces of the body, it is susceptible to damage, which can be fatal depending on the degree of injury to the skin because it defends against external attack and protects internal structures. Various types of artificial skin are being studied for transplantation to repair damaged skin, and recently, the production of replaceable skin using three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology has also been investigated. In this study, skin tissue was produced using a 3D bioprinter with human skin cell lines and cells extracted from mouse skin, and the printing conditions were optimized. Gelatin was used as a bioink, and fibrinogen and alginate were used for tissue hardening after printing. Printed skin tissue maintained a survival rate of 90% or more when cultured for 14 days. Culture conditions were established using 8 mM calcium chloride treatment and the skin tissue was exposed to air to optimize epidermal cell differentiation. The skin tissue was cultured for 14 days after differentiation induction by this optimized culture method, and immunofluorescent staining was performed using epidermal cell differentiation markers to investigate whether the epidermal cells had differentiated. After differentiation, loricrin, which is normally found in terminally differentiated epidermal cells, was observed in the cells at the tip of the epidermal layer, and cytokeratin 14 was expressed in the lower cells of the epidermis layer. Collectively, this study may provide optimized conditions for bioprinting and keratinization for three-dimensional skin production.

Cedrol, a Sesquiterpene Isolated from Juniperus chinensis, Inhibits Human Colorectal Tumor Growth associated through Downregulation of Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins.

Cedrol, a sesquiterpene alcohol, isolated from Juniperus chinensis has been reported to inhibit minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins as cancer biomarkers in human lung cancer in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity of cedrol in vitro and in vivo using human colorectal cancer HT29 cells and a human colorectal tumor xenograft model. Cedrol inhibited MCM protein expression and cell growth in HT29 cells, which are associated with G1 arrest and the induction of apoptosis. We demonstrated that cedrol effectively reduced HT29 tumor growth without apparent weight loss in a human tumor xenograft model. Compared with vehicle- and adriamycin-treated tumor tissues, cedrol induced changes in the tumor tissue structure, resulting in a reduced cell density within the tumor parenchyma and reduced vascularization. Moreover, the expression of MCM7, an important subunit of MCM helicase, was significantly suppressed by cedrol in tumor tissue. Collectively, these results suggest that cedrol may act as a potential anti-cancer agent for colorectal cancer by inhibiting MCM protein expression and tumor growth.

Characterization of a Bacillus sp. KRF-7 isolated from the intestine of rockfish and effects of dietary supplementation with mannan oligosaccharide in rockfish aquaculture.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the bacteria isolated from rockfish intestines and to investigate the effects of feed supplementation in rockfish aquaculture. Bacillus sp. KRF-7 isolated from the intestine of rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) was demonstrated to be safe based on in vitro tests confirming the absence of hemolysis, cytotoxicity, and genes with toxigenic potential. In a feeding trial, providing a supplemental diet of 1 × 108 CFU g-1Bacillus sp. KRF-7 was observed to positively alter the weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio of juvenile rockfish. KRF-7 supplementation showed positive regulation of nonspecific immune parameters, such as superoxide dismutase, lysozyme activity, and myeloperoxidase activity. This analysis also revealed a change in the composition of the intestinal microbiota at the phylum level from Proteobacteria to Firmicutes. In both the kidney and spleen, the expression levels of IL-10, NF-κB, and B cell activating factors in the KRF-7-supplemented group were significantly increased compared to those in the control group. Therefore, this study verified the safety of KRF-7 isolated from the intestine of rockfish and suggests that dietary supplementation with KRF-7 enhances the growth performance of rockfish and has beneficial effects on the regulation of the intestinal microbiota and immune response.

The anti-cancer effect of betulinic acid in u937 human leukemia cells is mediated through ROS-dependent cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Although previous studies have shown anti-cancer activity of betulinic acid (BA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid, against various cancer lines, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the mechanisms involved in the anti-cancer efficacy of BA in U937 human myeloid leukemia cells. BA exerted a significant cytotoxic effect on U937 cells through blocking cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and inducing apoptosis, and that the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels increased after treatment with BA. The down-regulation of cyclin A and cyclin B1, and up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1 revealed the G2/M phase arrest mechanism of BA. In addition, BA induced the cytosolic release of cytochrome c by reducing the mitochondrial membrane potential with an increasing Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio. BA also increased the activity of caspase-9 and -3, and subsequent degradation of the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. However, quenching of ROS by N-acetyl-cysteine, an ROS scavenger, markedly abolished BA-induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis, indicating that the generation of ROS plays a key role in inhibiting the proliferation of U937 cells by BA treatment. Taken together, our results provide a mechanistic rationale that BA exhibits anti-cancer properties in U937 leukemia cells through ROS-dependent induction of cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and apoptosis.

Characterization of Latilactobacillus curvatus MS2 isolated from Korean traditional fermented seafood and cholesterol reduction effect as synbiotics with isomalto-oligosaccharide in BALB/c mice.

This study investigated the properties of Latilactobacillus curvatus MS2 isolated from Korean traditional fermented seafood as probiotics and the effect of reducing cholesterol as a synbiotic with isomalto-oligosaccharide (IMO) in BALB/c mice. The isolated strain showed high resistance to acids and bile acids and exhibited a high DPPH scavenging capacity of 72.27 ± 0.38 %. In the intestinal adhesion test using HT-29 cells, the adhesion rate of MS2 was 17.10 ± 1.78 %, which was higher than the adhesion rate of the other investigated probiotics. MS2 showed good antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens, especially Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Vibrio vulnificus. This strain had high availability for IMO among the prebiotics of fructo-oligosaccharide, inulin and IMO. Oral administration of MS2 and IMO to BALB/c mice for 5 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in blood cholesterol levels by regulating liver lipid metabolism. These results suggest that the combination of MS2 and IMO has potential for application in functional foods.

Alcohol stimulates the proliferation of mouse small intestinal epithelial cells via Wnt signaling.

The intestinal epithelium is one of the fastest renewing tissues in mammals and is a barrier against toxic substances such as alcohol. Excessive alcohol can induce intestinal damage leading to intestinal bowel diseases. Thus, the control of small intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) regeneration is thought to be important for homeostasis in response to epithelium damage. However, reports on how epithelial cells respond to small intestinal damage are scarce. We investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on small intestinal epithelial cells of mice. To verify that alcohol altered the small intestinal epithelium, we used 8-10 weeks old male C57BL/6J mice for models of chronic and binge alcohol consumption (the NIAAA model) in addition to an organoid model. Alcohol promoted the proliferative activity of IECs and intestinal stem cells (ISCs) in intestinal crypts. Alcohol consumption increased expression of the proliferation marker cyclin D1 and activated the p44/42 MAPK (Erk1/2) signaling pathway in small intestinal epithelial cells. The Wnt target genes were markedly increased in IECs from alcohol-treated mice. In the small intestinal organoid model exposed to alcohol, the organoid area and numbers of buds increased with alcohol concentrations up to 0.5% similar to in vivo observations. These results suggest that alcohol consumption stimulates the proliferation of small intestinal epithelial cells via Wnt signaling.

Regulation of Anti-Oxidative, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Apoptotic Activity of Advanced Cooling Composition (ACC) in UVB-Irradiated Human HaCaT Keratinocytes.

We recently demonstrated that advanced cooling composition (ACC) has effective ingredients that exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and exhibit strong antimicrobial effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Candida albicans, and Streptococcus mutans. To further investigate whether ACC has beneficial effects in ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), HaCaT cells were pretreated with ACC prior to UVB irradiation. Our data showed that ACC, which is effective at 100 µg/mL, is nontoxic and has an antioxidative effect against UVB-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HaCaT cells. In addition, ACC exerts cytoprotective effects against UVB-induced cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells by inhibiting abnormal inflammation and apoptosis through the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signals, such as jun-amino-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Therefore, these results indicate that ACC is a potentially beneficial raw material that possesses antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects against UVB-induced keratinocytes and may have applications in skin health.

Effects of Mechanical Drying on the Removal of Pollen Allergens.

PURPOSE: Pollen may spread indoors through clothes contaminated during outdoor activities. This study aimed to evaluate the pollen removal efficacy of a mechanical dryer. METHODS: Cotton clothes served as laundry, and fabrics measuring 2 × 5 cm served as test samples. Pollen was spread evenly on the test fabrics. The fabrics were then fixed on the cloth and left for 8 h to imitate real-life conditions. This experiment was conducted under 2 conditions, wet (after washing clothes) and dry (without washing). After drying, we counted pollen on the test fabrics to evaluate the pollen removal rate. We measured the remaining allergens in extracts from the contaminated fabrics after mechanical drying. The concentrations of allergens (Amb a 1, Bet v 1, Crp j 1, and Phl p 1) in each extracted solution were measured using 2-site ELISA. RESULTS: For ragweed, Japanese cedar, birch, and timothy grass, the mean pollen removal ratios for the dry samples were 99.88 ± 0.09%, 99.96 ± 0.03%, 99.89 ± 0.02%, and 99.82 ± 0.11%, respectively, and those for the wet samples were 98.83 ± 0.87%, 97.91 ± 1.81%, 97.29 ± 1.19%, and 96.3 ± 0.92%, respectively. Further, for the pollen allergens Amb a 1 [ragweed], Crp j 1 [Japanese cedar], Bet v 1 [birch], and Phl p 1 [timothy grass], the mean pollen allergen removal ratios for the dry samples were 99.81 ± 0.06%, 99.94 ± 0.23%, 99.90 ± 0.11%, and 99.84 ± 0.17%, respectively, and those for the wet samples were 98.11 ± 0.14%, 96.04 ± 1.52%, 97.21 ± 0.83%, and 95.23 ± 0.92%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference for each species. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical drying effectively removed pollen and allergens from dry and wet fabrics. We expect that further studies on the removal of other indoor allergens would contribute to improved environmental control for allergy patients.

Bioinspired inorganic nanoparticles and vascular factor microenvironment directed neo-bone formation.

Various strategies have been explored to stimulate new bone formation. These strategies include using angiogenic stimulants in combination with inorganic biomaterials. Neovascularization during the neo-bone formation provides nutrients along with bone-forming minerals. Therefore, it is crucial to design a bone stimulating microenvironment composed of both pro-angiogenic and osteogenic factors. In this respect, human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) has been shown to promote blood vessel formation and bone formation. Furthermore, in recent years, whitlockite (WH), a novel phase of magnesium-containing calcium phosphate derivatives that exist in our bone tissue, has been synthesized and applied in bone tissue engineering. In this study, our aim is to explore the potential use of hVEGF and WH for bone tissue engineering. Our study demonstrated that hVEGF and a WH microenvironment synergistically stimulated osteogenic commitment of mesenchymal stem cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Sterilization efficiency of pathogen-contaminated cottons in a laundry machine.

Pathogenic bacteria on abiotic surfaces such as fabrics, bedding, patient wears, and surgical tools are known to increase the risk of bacterial diseases in infants and the elderly. The desiccation tolerance of bacteria affects their viability in cotton. Thus, washing and drying machines are required to use conditions that ensure the sterilization of bacteria in cotton. The objective of this study is to determine the effects of various sterilization conditions of washing and drying machines on the survival of three pathogenic bacteria (Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus) commonly presented in contaminated cotton and two non-pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli) in cotton. High survival rates of A. baumannii and S. aureus in desiccated cotton were observed based on scanning electron microscope and replicate organism direct agar contact assay. The survival rates of A. baumannii and S. aureus exposed in desiccated cotton for 8 h were higher (14.4 and 5.0%, respectively) than those of other bacteria (< 0.5%). All tested bacteria were eradicated at low-temperature (< 40°C) washing with activated oxygen bleach (AOB). However, bacterial viability was shown in low temperature washing without AOB. High-temperature (> 60°C) washing was required to achieve 99.9% of the sterilization rate in washing without AOB. The sterilization rate was 93.2% using a drying machine at 60°C for 4 h. This level of sterilization was insufficient in terms of time and energy efficiency. High sterilization efficiency (> 99.9%) at 75°C for 3 h using a drying machine was confirmed. This study suggests standard conditions of drying machines to remove bacterial contamination in cotton by providing practical data.

The anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of advanced anti-inflammation composition (AAIC) in heat shock-induced human HaCaT keratinocytes.

BACKGROUND: The development of natural cosmetic materials without side effects to protect skin from heat shock is necessary. We recently reported that advanced cooling composition (ACC) has anti-inflammatory effect in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and strong anti-microbial effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Candida albicans, and Streptococcus mutans. AIMS: To further investigate whether advanced anti-inflammation composition (AAIC), newly developed from existing ACC has beneficial effects in heat shock-induced immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), HaCaT cells were pretreated with AAIC before heat shock treatment. METHODS: Cell viability for heat shock treatment and different concentrations of AAIC in HaCaT cells were assessed by MTT assay. Anti-oxidative activity of AAIC was measured using the DPPH assay. The protein expression in heat shock-induced HaCaT cells treated with AAIC was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis. RESULTS: AAIC, which is effective at 100 µg/mL concentration, was nontoxic in HaCaT cells and had an anti-oxidative effect demonstrated by scavenging DPPH free radicals. AAIC treatment significantly attenuated the aberrant levels of pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic signaling molecules in heat shock-induced HaCaT cells compared with control cells. CONCLUSION: AAIC potentially includes effective anti-oxidative activity, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties against heat shock-induced keratinocytes, suggesting that it can be provided as a raw material for imparting skin health.

Protection of nigral dopaminergic neurons by AAV1 transduction with Rheb(S16H) against neurotoxic inflammation in vivo.

We recently reported that adeno-associated virus serotype 1 (AAV1) transduction of murine nigral dopaminergic (DA) neurons with constitutively active ras homolog enriched in brain with a mutation of serine to histidine at position 16 [Rheb(S16H)] induced the production of neurotrophic factors, resulting in neuroprotective effects on the nigrostriatal DA system in animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD). To further investigate whether AAV1-Rheb(S16H) transduction has neuroprotective potential against neurotoxic inflammation, which is known to be a potential event related to PD pathogenesis, we examined the effects of Rheb(S16H) expression in nigral DA neurons under a neurotoxic inflammatory environment induced by the endogenous microglial activator prothrombin kringle-2 (pKr-2). Our observations showed that Rheb(S16H) transduction played a role in the neuroprotection of the nigrostriatal DA system against pKr-2-induced neurotoxic inflammation, even though there were similar levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1-beta (IL-1ß), in the AAV1-Rheb(S16H)-treated substantia nigra (SN) compared to the SN treated with pKr-2 alone; the neuroprotective effects may be mediated by the activation of neurotrophic signaling pathways following Rheb(S16H) transduction of nigral DA neurons. We conclude that AAV1-Rheb(S16H) transduction of neuronal populations to activate the production of neurotrophic factors and intracellular neurotrophic signaling pathways may offer promise for protecting adult neurons from extracellular neurotoxic inflammation.

Enhanced osteogenic commitment of murine mesenchymal stem cells on graphene oxide substrate.

BACKGROUND: Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field that attempts to restore or regenerate tissues and organs through biomimetic fabrication of scaffolds with specific functionality. In recent years, graphene oxide (GO) is considered as promising biomaterial due to its nontoxicity, high dispersity, and hydrophilic interaction, and these characteristics are key to stimulating the interactions between substrates and cells. METHOD: In this study, GO substrates were fabricated via chemically immobilizing GO at 1.0 mg/ml on glass slides. Furthermore, we examined the osteogenic responses of murine mesenchymal-like stem cells, C3H10T1/2 cells, on GO substrates. RESULTS: C3H10T1/2 cells on GO substrates resulted in increased cell surface area, enhanced cellular adhesions, and instigated osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, priming of C3H10T1/2 cells with chondrocyte-conditioned medium (CM) could further induce a synergistic effect of osteogenesis on GO substrates. CONCLUSIONS: All of these data suggest that GO substrate along with CM is suitable for upregulating osteogenic responses of mesenchymal stem cells.

Biomimetic whitlockite inorganic nanoparticles-mediated in situ remodeling and rapid bone regeneration.

Bone remodeling process relies on complex signaling pathway between osteoblasts and osteoclasts and control mechanisms to achieve homeostasis of their growth and differentiation. Despite previous achievements in understanding complicated signaling pathways between cells and bone extracellular matrices during bone remodeling process, a role of local ionic concentration remains to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that synthetic whitlockite (WH: Ca18Mg2(HPO4)2(PO4)12) nanoparticles can recapitulate early-stage of bone regeneration through stimulating osteogenic differentiation, prohibiting osteoclastic activity, and transforming into mechanically enhanced hydroxyapatite (HAP)-neo bone tissues by continuous supply of PO43- and Mg2+ under physiological conditions. In addition, based on their structural analysis, the dynamic phase transformation from WH into HAP contributed as a key factor for rapid bone regeneration with denser hierarchical neo-bone structure. Our findings suggest a groundbreaking concept of 'living bone minerals' that actively communicate with the surrounding system to induce self-healing, while previous notions about bone minerals have been limited to passive products of cellular mineralization.

Naringenin ameliorates kainic acid-induced morphological alterations in the dentate gyrus in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Granule cell dispersion (GCD) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus is a morphological alteration characteristic of temporal lobe epilepsy. Recently, we reported that treatment with naringin, a flavonoid found in grapefruit and citrus fruits, reduced spontaneous recurrent seizures by inhibiting kainic acid (KA)-induced GCD and neuronal cell death in mouse hippocampus, suggesting that naringin might have beneficial effects for preventing epileptic events in the adult brain. However, it is still unclear whether the beneficial effects of naringin treatment are mediated by the metabolism of naringin into naringenin in the KA-treated hippocampus. To investigate this possibility, we evaluated whether intraperitoneal injections of naringenin could mimic naringin-induced effects against GCD caused by intrahippocampal KA injections in mice. Our results showed that treatment with naringenin delayed the onset of KA-induced seizures and attenuated KA-induced GCD by inhibiting activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 in both neurons and reactive astrocytes in the DG. In addition, its administration attenuated the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) from microglial activation in the DG following KA treatment. These results suggest that naringenin may be an active metabolite of naringin and help prevent the progression of epileptic insults in the hippocampus in vivo; therefore, naringenin may be a beneficial metabolite of naringin for the treatment of epilepsy.