MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin' source. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:17:26 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323234&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190388%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Itabe H PMID: 20190388 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323234 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323234 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323233&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190389%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yamaguchi T The surfaces of lipid droplets (LDs) constitute major sites of regulated accumulation and degradation of lipid in cells, and hence play important roles in lipid homeostasis of the whole body. CGI-58 (also called alpha/beta hydrolase domain-containing protein 5 (ABHD5)) is a member of the alpha/beta-hydrolase family of proteins and is a product of the causal gene of Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome (CDS), which is characterized by excessive storage of triacylglycerol (TG) in various tissues. CGI-58 is distributed predominantly on the surface of LDs and plays a crucial role in TG degradation in cells. In the process of lipolysis, CGI-58 coordinates with several proteins, including perilipin, a member of the PAT family of proteins, and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), a p... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323233 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323232&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190390%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Matsusue K Fat specific protein 27 (FSP27) was originally isolated by screen for genes specifically expressed in fully differentiated mouse adipocytes. FSP27 and cell death-inducing DFF45-like effector C (CIDEC), the human homologue of FSP27, belong to the CIDE family. The FSP27 in adipocytes was recently reported to be a lipid droplet (LD)-associated protein, that promotes the formation of unilocular LDs. An FSP27 knockout mouse demonstrated lean phenotypes with atrophic adipose tissue as a result of high-energy expenditure; this mouse line was also resistant to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Interestingly, FSP27 was also expressed in the steatoic liver of a type II diabetes model mouse. The expression of FSP27 was markedly decreased in livers lacking the nuclea... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323232 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323231&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190391%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Aishan H, Horiguchi Y, Motojima K The liver is not a storage site of excess energy as triacylglycerides but a major site of carbohydrate storage, playing a vital role in glucose homeostasis, and the hepatic lipid droplets (LDs) should have a distinct physiologic role from those in lipid-storing tissues. Most studies so far have been limited to characterization of the LDs in cultured cells or of the liver of animals maintained on a normal laboratory diet, and little is known about the properties of the LDs in the liver responding to dietary excess, irregular fats, and potentially toxic compounds contained in a natural food diet. We started to characterize the hepatic LDs in wild-type and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha)-null mice fed various natural ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323231 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323230&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190392%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fukasawa M Lipid droplets (LDs) are cellular lipid storage organelles involved not only in lipid homeostasis but also in a variety of diseases. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects host lipid metabolism, and thus induces LD accumulation in the liver. Recent studies have suggested that cellular LDs also play a crucial role in the HCV life cycle. Interactions between HCV proteins, especially the core protein, and LDs are required for the morphogenesis of infectious HCV. The present minireview will summarize the recent research progress about this unique relationship between LDs and the HCV life cycle. PMID: 20190392 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323230 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323230 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323229&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190393%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Shimada TL, Hara-Nishimura I Oilseeds accumulate a large amount of storage lipids, which are used as sources of carbon and energy for seed germination and seedling growth. The storage lipids are accumulated in oil bodies during seed maturation. Oil bodies in seeds are surrounded with three oil-body-membrane protein families, oleosins, caleosins and steroleosins. These proteins are plant-specific and much abundant in seeds. Here we show a unique function of oleosins in preventing fusion of oil bodies and maintaining seed germination. Reverse genetic analysis using oleosin-deficient mutants shows the inverse proportion of oil-body sizes to total oleosin contents. The double mutant ole1 ole2 with the lowest levels of oleosins has irregularly-enlarged oil bodies throughout the see... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323229 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323228&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190394%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we describe an improved method for assessing DHA in biological samples. The use of 35 mM tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP) as a reductant completely reduced DHA to AA after 2 h on ice in a 5% solution of metaphosphoric acid containing 1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) at pH 1.5. This method enabled us to measure the DHA content in multiple tissues and plasma of 6-weeks-old mice. The percentages of DHA per total AA differed markedly among these tissues, i.e., from 0.8 to 19.5%. The lung, heart, spleen and plasma had the highest levels at more than 10% of DHA per total AA content, whereas the cerebrum, cerebellum, liver, kidney and small intestine had less than 5% of DHA per total AA content. This difference in DHA content may indicate an important d... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323228 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323227&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190395%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, the present study showed the difference of monomeric and multimeric linear Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-containing compound in integrin selectivity and affinity. Our data provide useful information for the design of novel RGD peptides. PMID: 20190395 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323227 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323226&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190396%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Takechi S, Nakahara K, Yamaguchi T Dihydropyrazine (DHP), which is produced during the Maillard reaction, generates radicals that not only cause breakage of chromosomal DNA leading to mutagenic lesions but also induce oxidative damage to cellular proteins. In the present study, we show that three DHP derivatives, which generated superoxide anions, caused inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). SH-compounds, such as cysteine, dithiothreitol (DTT), 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-mercaptoethylamine, and N-acetyl-cysteine, suppressed the inhibition of GAPDH by DHP in vitro, although the effect of DHP on GAPDH was not reversed by DTT. In addition, DHP-exposed Escherichia coli showed almost unaffected growth on plates containing a rich medium, but poor growth on plates... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323226 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323225&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190397%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, due to the somaclonal variation and on the basis of some virtue of intersimple sequence repeats (ISSR) analysis, we firstly utilized the ISSR primers to investigate the genetic stability of A. formosanus propagated in vitro for a period of more than 5 years. Among the total 100 bands amplified by 17 ISSR markers, 77 bands were distributed in size from 500 bp to 1.5 kbp, while only 5 bands were beyond 1.8 kbp in size. Meanwhile, according to the cluster analysis, genetic similarity was more than 94% and the polymorphism rate was only 2.76% among the total 1810 scorable bands. All results demonstrate A. formosanus, multiplied by axillary branching, maintained high genetic fidelity even after a period of more than 5 years under in vitro propagation with only a low risk of genet... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323225 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323224&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190398%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Watabe Y, Nazuka N, Tezuka M, Shimba S The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates a spectrum of toxic and biological effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and related compounds. Several reports have shown that the AhR plays an important role in the control of cell-cycle progression, and this function is thought to be partly associated with the tumor promotion activity of dioxin. However, the underling mechanisms are not fully understood. We have previously shown that overexpression of AhR, as well as AhR ligand treatment, stimulates cell proliferation of human lung cancer A549 cells. In AhR-activated cells, the expression levels of DNA synthesis-related genes such as proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and RFC38 ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323224 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323224 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323223&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190399%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yamakawa N, Suemasu S, Kimoto A, Arai Y, Ishihara T, Yokomizo K, Okamoto Y, Otsuka M, Tanaka K, Mizushima T Pro-drugs of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as loxoprofen are widely used for clinical purposes because they are not so harmful to the gastrointestinal mucosa. We recently showed that NSAIDs such as indomethacin and celecoxib have direct cytotoxicity (ability to induce necrosis and apoptosis in gastric mucosal cells) due to their membrane permeabilizing activities, which is involved in NSAID-induced gastric lesions. We show here that under conditions where indomethacin and celecoxib clearly induce necrosis and apoptosis, loxoprofen and its active metabolite loxoprofen-OH, do not have such effects in primary culture of guinea pig gastric mucosal cell... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323223 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323223 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323222&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190400%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the roles of these four genes during MCE. Knockdown of the expression of TCL/TC10betaL impaired MCE, while that of RGS2 or fad104 had a rather weak effect and that of fad158 had no effect. The suppression of TCL/TC10betaL inhibited the incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), indicating that DNA synthesis was prevented by the knockdown. Interestingly, the knockdown of TCL/TC10betaL inhibited the expression of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) family, C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta, during MCE. The results strongly suggest that TCL/TC10betaL regulates adipocyte differentiation by controlling MCE and this regulatory effect is closely linked to C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta expression. PMID: 20190400 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323222 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323221&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190401%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Imada K, Oka H, Kawasaki D, Miura N, Sato T, Ito A To clarify the exact anti-arthritic action mechanisms of chondroitin sulfate (CS), we evaluated the effects of CS derived from shark cartilage (CS-SC) composed mainly of chondroitin-6-sulfate and porcine trachea cartilage (CS-PC) composed mostly of chondrotin-4-sulfate on the functions of human articular chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts. Both CS-SC and CS-PC (from 1 to 100 mug/ml) effectively suppressed the interleukin (IL)-1beta (10 ng/ml)-enhanced gene expression of aggrecanase-1/a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin-like motifs (ADAMTS)-4 and aggrecanase-2/ADAMTS-5 in articular chondrocytes embedded in alginate beads and synovial fibroblasts. In addition, CS-SC and CS-PC overcame the IL-1beta-mediated... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323221 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323220&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190402%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Li Q, Cheng H, Zhu G, Yang L, Zhou A, Wang X, Fang N, Xia L, Su J, Wang M, Peng D, Xu Q Although anticancer effect of gambogic acid (GA) and its potential mechanisms were well documented in past decades, limited information is available on the anticancer effect of gambogenic acid (GNA), another major active component of Gamboge. Here we performed a study to determine whether GNA possesses anticancer effect and find its potential mechanisms. The results suggested that GNA significantly inhibited the proliferation of several tumor cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with GNA dose and time dependently induced A549 cells apoptosis, arrested the cells to G0/G1 phase in vitro and down-regulated the expression of cyclin D1 and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in mRNA level. In addition,... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323220 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323219&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190403%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Choi MJ, Kim BK, Park KY, Yokozawa T, Song YO, Cho EJ The anti-aging effects of cyanidin were investigated under stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS) using WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts. WI-38 cells that were treated with 300 muM H(2)O(2) showed losses of cell viability, increased lipid peroxidation, and shortened cell lifespans. However, treatment with cyanidin attenuated cellular oxidative stress through increase of cell viability and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. In addition, the life spans of young-, middle-, and old-aged WI-38 cells were prolonged by cyanidin treatment. Furthermore, H(2)O(2)-treated WI-38 cells significantly increased mRNA and protein expressions of nuclear factor-kappaB, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, while those t... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323219 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323218&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190404%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zhang GS, Wang RJ, Zhang HN, Zhang GP, Luo MS, Luo JD The present study was performed to evaluate the antihypertensive effects of honokiol in vivo in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The effects of honokiol were investigated by determination of the blood pressure, vascular reactivity, oxidative parameters, and histologic change in the aorta. Long-term administration of honokiol (400 mg/kg/d) to SHR decreased systolic blood pressure significantly. Honokiol (200, 400 mg/kg/d) enhanced the aortic relaxation in response to acetylcholine after 49-d treatment, but had no significant effects on the relaxation to sodium nitroprusside. The oral administration of honokiol significantly increased the plasma level of NO(2(-))/NO(3(-)), but decreased the level of malondialdehyde in l... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323218 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323217&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190405%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ou Y, Dong X, Liu XY, Cheng XC, Cheng YN, Yu LG, Guo XL A tetramethylpyrazine analogue, CXC195, was synthesized by the Boekelheide reaction, in which the second methyl group of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) was replaced with (4,4'-fluorine) diphenyl-methyl-1-piperazidine, the active group of flunarizine. We have observed protective effects of CXC195 on vascular endothelial cell survival under oxidative stress in previous study. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of CXC195 against apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Accordingly, a biochemical approach to elucidate the apoptotic signal pathways was attempted. HUVECs were exposed to 150 muM H(2)O(2) for 12 h, resulting in an increase of apoptotic cells as... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323217 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323216&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190406%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Saito S, Okada A, Ouwa T, Kato A, Akagi M, Kamei C To clarify the interaction between hippocampal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) receptor and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the retention of spatial working memory, the effects of muscimol, (+)MK-801, cyclosporin A and combined use of these drugs were studied on the retention of spatial working memory in a delayed spatial win-shift (SWSh) task. Intrahippocampal injection of muscimol at a dose of 3 nmol/side caused a significant decrease in the number of correct choices and an increase in the number of across-phase errors. On the other hand, (+)MK-801 showed no significant effect on the number of correct choices, across-phase errors and within-phase errors, even at a dose of 1.5 nmol/side; however, (+)MK-801 1.5 nmol/... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323216 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323215&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190407%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Xiao J, Lv Y, Lin S, Jin L, Zhang Y, Wang X, Ma J, Hu K, Feng W, Cai L, Li X, Tan Y Diabetes impairs the expression and function of endogenous growth factors, leading to increased cardiovascular events in diabetic patients. Supplementation of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) protected the heart from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced injury in animal models. However, it has not yet been tested in diabetic heart. The present study was thus to clarify whether basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) could protect the heart from I/R-induced damage under diabetic conditions using a rat model. Male Sprague Dawley rats were used to induce diabetes by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Eight weeks later, I/R injury was generated in diabetic rats and age-matched non-diabetic ra... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323215 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323214&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190408%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was carried out to investigate effects of root of PG on fatty liver inhibition in high fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice were divided into control, total extract of PG (T-PG, 500 mg/kg) and saponin fraction (S-PG, 50 mg/kg)-treated groups. Significant decreases in body weight, associated with fat mass reduction, were observed in PG-treated groups (p<0.05). Hepatic lipid content and score index calculated from morphometric observations on fatty liver were significantly decreased in the PG-treated groups (p<0.05). Moreover, activities of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and carnitine palmitoyl-transferase (CPT) were significantly suppressed and increased as compared with the control group, respectively (p<0.05). mRNA expressions of the sterol regulatory element bindi... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323214 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323213&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190409%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ma H, Chung MH, Lu Y, Nishihara T, Hattori M Despite the health risks for postmenopausal women, the indications and ideal candidates for hormone replacement therapy remain unclear. The present study used ovariectomized rats to examine the safety and effects of the Chinese herbal formula Menoprogen (MPG), which is prescribed for menopausal syndrome. Daily oral MPG (1000 mg/kg body weight) for 2 weeks significantly recovered uterine and adrenal gland atrophy and restored serum estradiol, estrone and progesterone levels that were decreased in rats by bilateral ovariectomy. However, yeast two-hybrid and nuclear receptor cofactor assays showed that MPG did not bind estrogen receptors alpha (ERalpha) and beta, and immunohistochemical staining revealed that unlike 17beta-estradiol, M... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323213 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323212&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190410%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ock J, Hong SH, Suk K Neuroinflammation has recently been implicated as an important mechanism responsible for the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Activated microglia produce various proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) that are toxic to neurons. Thus, inhibition of microglial activation may alleviate neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes. Among several fluorovinyloxyacetamide derivatives that were screened by microglia cell-based assay, a novel synthetic compound KT-15073 was identified to strongly attenuate the microglial production of NO and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). This compound also suppressed the gene expression of interleukin-1beta, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and TNF-alpha. KT-15073 inhibited the nuclear translocat... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323212 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323211&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190411%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kwak YS, Kyung JS, Kim JS, Cho JY, Rhee MH It has been reported that red ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAP), isolated from Korean red ginseng, displays immunostimulatory and anti-tumor activities. In a follow-up study, we have carried out a study on the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of RGAP using hyperlipidemic rats acutely induced by Triton WR1339 or corn oil intravenously injected. Oral administration of RGAP (100 to 1000 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced the serum levels of triglyceride (TG) up-regulated by Triton WR1339, an inducer of endogenous model hyperlipidemia. Moreover, RGAP treatment was shown to significantly decrease the levels of non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concomitant with TG reduction. However, such reduction effects were not observed in cases of total chol... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323211 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323210&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190412%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hata M, Yoshida K, Ishii C, Otani T, Ando A Aminopiperidine derivatives, Compound 1a and 1b, are novel small molecules that inhibit C-14 reduction catalyzed by Erg24p in ergosterol synthesis of Candida albicans. We evaluated the properties of the in vitro and in vivo activities of these compounds against pathogenic fungi and compared their activities with those of fluconazole. Compound 1a and 1b exhibited potent in vitro activities against clinically important fungi such as Candida species, including both of fluconazole-resistant strains of C. albicans and non-albicans Candida, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Against C. albicans, its mode of action was fungistatic. Furthermore, orally administered Compound 1b clearly prolonged the survival of infected mice ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323210 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323209&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190413%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sanzen Y, Ito M, Ohta Y, Yoshida Y, Kawada T, Sato H, Yamamoto T, Nakazawa M Experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM)-induced heart failure in rats is used to study the pathogenesis of heart failure. Based on a proteomic analysis of soluble (S) and membranous (M) fractions extracted from ventricles of rats with a stable chronic form of EAM-induced heart failure, we assessed changes in protein levels and their correlation to heart functions to gain insights into the pathogenesis and to explore new targets for the treatment of heart failure. Proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and silver stained spots were analyzed. In the S-fraction, 274+/-3 spots were detected in the normal (N)-group and 273+/-6 in the heart failure (HF)-group. In the HF-group, 26 o... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323209 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323208&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190414%26dopt%3DAbstract This study investigated the effects of honokiol on the differentiation and function of osteoclasts induced by receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL). Honokiol markedly inhibited RANKL-induced tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity and the formation of TRAP-positive multinucleated cells in both bone marrow-derived monocytes and RAW264 cells. In experiments to elucidate its mechanism of action, honokiol was found to suppress RANKL-induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). The RANKL-induced expressions of c-Fos and nuclear factor of activated T cells-c1 (NFATc1), which are crucial transcriptional factors for osteoclastogenesis, were also reduced by tre... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323208 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323207&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190415%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lee BI, Nugroho A, Bachri MS, Choi J, Lee KR, Choi JS, Kim WB, Lee KT, Lee JD, Park HJ The leaves of three Ligularia species belonging to the family Compositae, Ligularia stenocephala, L. fischeri, and L. fischeri var. spiciformis, were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed on the caffeoylquinic acids by HPLC and subjected to peroxynitrite-scavenging assay. The IC(50) of the MeOH extract of L. stenocephala was 1.62+/-0.03 mug/ml and the major caffeoylquinic acids of L. stenocephala were 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl-muco-quinic acid, and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid. The compositions of caffeoylquinic acids were different for the three plants. Since percentage of total caffeoylquinic acids of the extract was highest (42.20% of the MeOH extract and 94.52% of th... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323207 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323206&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190416%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sato M, Mamada H, Anzai N, Shirasaka Y, Nakanishi T, Tamai I The physiological function of organic anion transporter OAT2 (SLC22A7) remains unclear, but since OAT2 transports purine derivatives, it may be involved in renal handling of uric acid, the final metabolite of purine derivatives. In the present study, we studied uric acid transport in stably OAT2-expressing HEK293 cells (HEK293/OAT2). OAT2 mediated uptake, but not efflux, of [(14)C]uric acid. Uric acid transport was saturable with K(m) of 1168+/-335 muM (mean and S.E.M.) and V(max) of 2.57+/-0.350 nmol/min/mg protein. The [(14)C]uric acid uptake was sensitive to Cl(-) and was enhanced at acidic pH. In cis-inhibition assay, [(14)C]uric acid uptake was inhibited by several mono- or dicarboxylic acids, but it was not tra... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323206 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323205&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190417%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ishikawa Y, Nagai J, Okada Y, Sato K, Yumoto R, Takano M The aim of this study was to reveal the expression and function of P-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRP), members of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of drug transporters, in cultured human Y79 retinoblastoma cells. ABC transporter mRNA expression was evaluated by conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time PCR analyses. Cellular accumulation of rhodamine 123 (P-glycoprotein substrate), calcein (MRP substrate), and doxorubicin (P-glycoprotein/MRP substrate) was analyzed by fluorometry. Conventional RT-PCR analysis showed the expression of multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1), MRP1, MRP2 and lung resistance-related protein (LRP) mRNAs. Real-time RT-PCR... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323205 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323204&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190418%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Huang WH, Yang ZJ, Wu H, Wong YF, Zhao ZZ, Liu L The purpose of our study was to develop a formulation of liposomal salbutamol sulfate (SBS) dry powder inhaler (DPI) for the treatment of asthma. Liposomes of high encapsulation efficiency (more than 80%) were prepared by a vesicular phospholipid gel (VPG) technique. SBS VPG liposomes were subjected to lyophilization using different kinds of cryoprotectants in various mass ratios. Coarse lactose (63-106 mum) in different mass ratios was used as a carrier. Magnesium stearate (0.5%) was added as a lubricator. The dry liposomal powders were then crushed by ball milling and sieved through a 400-mesh sieve to control the mean particle size at about 10 mum. The effects of different kinds of cryoprotectants and the amount of lactose ca... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323204 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323203&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190419%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Michihara A, Shimatani M, Anraku M, Tomida H, Akasaki K In the present study, we examined levels of oxidative stress in the serum, brain and kidneys of normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and stroke prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) at 10 weeks of age. Levels of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), oxidized albumin and oxidized proteins, markers of oxidative stress, were significantly decreased in serum among SHRSP as compared with WKY. Levels of oxidized proteins determined by immunoblotting were significantly increased in the brain, but not kidney, of SHRSP. The mRNA level of super oxide dismutase (SOD) determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the protein level of catalase assessed by immunoblotting were significantly increased in the b... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323203 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323202&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190420%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lu C, Zhang W, Peng X, Gu G, Chen M, Tang Z Apocynum venetum LINN. is an important Chinese crude drug, and its sibling species A. pictum SCHRENK is a confusable herb which is similar to it. The purpose of this study is to develop DNA molecular markers to distinguish A. venetum from A. pictum through the combinative technologies of bulked segregate analysis (BSA) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Two putative markers B08-407 and B03-1368 specific for A. venetum were identified and sequenced. Based on the sequence information, two pairs of primers were designed and synthesized for sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. But only one primer pair, B03-1368, produced a clear SCAR band in all samples of A. venetum and not in A. pictum. This SCAR marker w... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323202 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323202 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323201&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190421%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hang PN, Tohda M, Tezuka Y, Matsumoto K Treatment of primary cultured cortical cells with erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine hydrochloride (EHNA), an inhibitor of adenosine deaminase (ADAR), for 6 d significantly and concentration-dependently reduced the editing efficacy at sites C and D but not at site A or B of 5-HT2CR mRNA. The treatment failed to affect the editing of ADAR-2 pre-mRNA and a subunit of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA)-type glutamate receptor (GluR2) mRNA. These findings suggest that EHNA is useful for clarifying the functional roles of 5-HT2CR mRNA editing at sites C and D. PMID: 20190421 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323201 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323200&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190422%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Oishi K, Ohkura N Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), the primary physiological inhibitor of plasminogen activators, is an important contributor to hypofibrinolysis in the presence of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. The C57BLKS/J (BKS) inbred mouse strain is a popular animal model of type 2 diabetes. We previously described that food deprivation (FD) induces adipose PAI-1 expression in both lean BKS mice and BKS-db/db mice carrying a mutation in the leptin receptor gene. To evaluate the effects of the background of mouse strains, we examined FD-induced PAI-1 expression in the liver, heart and epididymal adipose tissues of BKS, C57BL/6J (B6), C3H/HeN and ICR mice. We found that PAI-1 expression is significantly induced in the heart and liver of fasted m... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323200 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323199&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20190423%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nakamura K, Akiyama H, Yamada C, Satoh R, Makiyama D, Sakata K, Kawakami H, Mano J, Kitta K, Teshima R During the fall of 2009, a trace of unauthorized genetically modified (GM) flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) line, CDC Triffid, which is resistant to sulfonylurea herbicides, was detected in many countries including Japan. A method to reliably identify the CDC Triffid line was urgently required. We developed a novel construct-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to identify the mutant acetolactate synthase gene in the CDC Triffid line. We confirmed that the method can detect 0.001% GM flax in DNA mixing solution. The study shows that the developed method is specific, sensitive and reliable way to monitor a trace of CDC Triffid. PMID: 20190423 [PubMed - in... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323199 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:28:05 +0100 3323199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232284&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118534%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ohdo S The circadian pacemaker of mammals resides in the paired suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) and influences a multitude of biological processes, including the sleep-wake rhythm. Clock genes are the genes that control the circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior. Twenty-four hour rhythm has been demonstrated for the function of physiology and the pathophysiology of diseases. The effectiveness and toxicity of many drugs vary depending on dosing time. Such chronopharmacological phenomena are influenced by not only the pharmacodynamics but also the pharmacokinetics of medications. Thus, knowledge of the 24 h rhythm in the risk of disease plus evidence of 24 h rhythm dependencies of drug pharmacokinetics, effects, and safety constitutes the rationale for pharmacotherapy. One ap... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232284 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232283&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118535%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fukazawa H, Ikeda Y, Fukuyama M, Suzuki T, Hori H, Okuda T, Uehara Y The resorcylic acid lactone hypothemycin has been shown to inactivate protein kinases by binding to a cysteine conserved in 46 protein kinases, including mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR). We assessed the selectivity of hypothemycin in cellular contexts. Hypothemycin normalized the morphology and inhibited anchorage-independent growth of Ki-ras transformed normal rat kidney (NRK) cells with selectivity and potency comparable to or greater than that of the MEK inhibitor U0126. In Ki-ras-transformed and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-treated NRK cells, hypothemycin blocked ERK activation but showe... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232283 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232283 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232282&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118536%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zuo SG, Chen Y, Wu ZP, Liu X, Liu C, Zhou YC, Wu CL, Jin CG, Gu YL, Li J, Chen XQ, Li Y, Wei HP, Li LH, Wang XC The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), also called fetal liver kinase 1 (FLK1) in mice and kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) in humans, is an endothelial cell specific receptor tyrosine kinase that mediates lung cancer angiogenesis. We hypothesized that an active immunotherapy approach targeting FLK1 may inhibit lung cancer growth and metastasis. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated whether immune responses to FLK1 could be elicited in mice by immunization with an orally administered DNA vaccine encoding the extracellular domain (ECD) of FLK1 (pcDNA3.1-FLK1(ECD)) carried by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium. We found that the vaccine w... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232282 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232281&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118537%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we studied the reasons for this limited application and developed new useful markers for application in Chunpoong-breeding programs. The new markers of InDel and SNP were designed in the major latex-like protein (MLP-like) gene which was highly expressed in 4-year-old Chunpoong expressed sequence tags (ESTs). To validate the marker in polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we used an InDel marker for identification of Chunpoong in the 70 Panax samples based on a double-blind test, and the success rate was 100%. For rapid and reliable assay of Chunpoong in numerous samples, we utilized an EvaGreen dye and melting curve method on real-time PCR. Furthermore, we designed an SNP marker that depended on the InDel region for more efficient detection of Chunpoong in real-time PCR. Compare... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232281 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232280&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118538%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hanawa T, Osaki T, Manzoku T, Fukuda M, Kawakami H, Tomoda A, Kamiya S Phx-3, one of the phenoxazine derivatives, is reported to have inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium species and Chlamydia pneumoniae but not Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes. The bactericidal activities of Phx-3 against Helicobacter pylori strains have not been assessed. Then, we measured minimum inhibitory concentration of Phx-3 for Helicobacter strains and assessed the morphological and biochemical effects of Phx-3 on H. pylori. In present study, it has shown that H. pylori strains including clarithromycin resistant strain and Helicobacter musterae were killed effectively by the treatment with Phx-3. Furthermore, severe morpholog... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232280 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232279&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118539%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we further evaluated the antifungal profile of D11-2040. It alone strongly inhibited the vegetative growth and/or hyphal development of various Candida species, but no significant activity was observed against Cryptococcus neoformans or any of the filamentous fungi tested. Synergism was detected for C. albicans in the interaction of D11-2040 and caspofungin by the chequerboard method and in that of D11-2040 and fluconazole by the time-kill method. Slight but positive interactions were observed in several combinations for C. neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus as well. These results suggested that beta-1,6-glucan inhibitors have promising potential as single drugs as well as concomitants. PMID: 20118539 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulleti... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232279 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232278&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118540%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Matsuo M, Kurokawa K, Lee BL, Sekimizu K Using the par to rep region of the 24653 bp plasmid pN315, which is present in Staphylococcus aureus strain N315, we constructed three vectors that can be shuttled between Escherichia coli and S. aureus and maintained stably in S. aureus. Due to plasmid incompatibility, the resident plasmid in S. aureus cells can be replaced via transformation with an entering plasmid, which carries a different drug resistance gene. To evaluate the applicability of this plasmid-based approach for identifying genes essential for S. aureus cell growth, the chromosomal mraY gene, which is involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis, was deleted in cells harboring a resident plasmid with an intact mraY gene. The resultant disruptant was then transformed with an ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232278 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232277&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118541%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we found that LPA inhibits spontaneous migration of mouse splenic lymphocytes through a chemorepulsive effect. We also demonstrated that LPA inhibits chemokine CCL21-induced lymphocyte migration. This inhibitory effect on CCL21-induced migration was observed for both T and B cells. The involvement of a receptor, LPA(1), LPA(2) or LPA(3), in the inhibition of the CCL21-induced migration was confirmed with a synthetic agonist, oleyl thiophosphate. Considering that the signaling by CCL21 through cognate receptor CCR7 contributes to lymphocyte homing and dendritic cell trafficking to lymph nodes, LPA may play a role as a key regulator of these processes. The inhibitory effect of LPA is in remarkable contrast to the effect of S1P receptor signaling, which is known to potentiate l... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232277 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232276&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118542%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hess S, Padoani C, Scorteganha LC, Holzmann I, Malheiros A, Yunes RA, Delle Monache F, de Souza MM Myrsinoic acid B (AMB) is a prenylated-benzoic acid derivative isolated from the Rapanea genus. Recent studies suggest that AMB has antihyperalgesic and antinociceptive properties in different animal models. The present study was designed to investigate the mechanisms involved in antinociception elicited by AMB (60 mg/kg) when administered by intraperitonial route (i.p.) in mice. The antinociceptive response of the compound was characterized by a reduction in contractions of the abdominal muscle, together with stretching of the hind limbs in response to i.p. injection of acetic acid (0.6%, 0.45 ml/mouse). The antinociception caused by AMB in the acetic acid test was significantly... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232276 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232275&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118543%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kobayashi N, Seto K, Orikawa Y, Hamano H, Yoshinaga K, Takei M Z-360 is a novel cholecystokinin (CCK)-2/gastrin receptor antagonist that is being developed for the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in combination with gemcitabine. A previous study shows that the co-administration of Z-360 with gemcitabine significantly prolonged the survival of mice with orthotopically implanted human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines. To clarify the therapeutic effects of Z-360 in combined with gemcitabine, we analyzed gene expression. When gemcitabine was administered, CCK-2/gastrin receptor expression was induced in an orthotropic xenograft model; the result indicating that Z-360 could act on gemcitabine-sensitive cells. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that gemcitabine incr... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232275 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232274&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118544%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ishida K, Kojima R, Tsuboi M, Tsuda Y, Ito M The present study was designed to clarify the effects of an ethanol extract of artichoke leaf on acute gastric mucosal injury in rats. Oral administration of artichoke leaf extract dose-dependently prevented absolute ethanol-induced (125-500 mg/kg) or restraint plus water immersion stress-induced gastric mucosal injury (1000-2000 mg/kg). The artichoke leaf extract contains 1% cynaropicrin and 0.8% chlorogenic acid as main components and 70% dextrin as a vehicle. Cynaropicrin at doses of 1/100 of artichoke leaf extract [ethanol-induced mucosal injury: 5 mg/kg, per os (p.o.); stress-induced mucosal injury: 20 mg/kg, p.o.] also prevented gastric mucosal injury in both animal models. However, dextrin and chlorogenic acid at doses contai... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232274 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232273&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118545%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lee JY, Moon H, Kim CJ For the identification of anti-inflammatory ingredients from Forsythiae fructus (FF), we isolated three hydroxyl pentacyclic triterpene acids (HTAs), namely, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, and betulinic acid, from an ethylacetate fraction of FF, and evaluated the effect of these triterpene acids on asthmatic guinea pigs by measuring specific airway resistance (sRaw) during both immediate-phase response (IAR) and late-phase response (LAR) following ovalbumin challenge using a double-chambered plethysmograph. Evaluation of leukocytes and chemical mediators in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), in addition to a histopathological survey, was also performed. Ursolic, oleanolic and betulinic acids dosed at 12.5 mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) decreased sRaw b... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232273 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232272&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118546%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Xu G, Dou J, Zhang L, Guo Q, Zhou C Baicalein, an extract from Scutellaria baicalensis, was evaluated for its ability to inhibit the influenza virus in vivo. Oral administration of baicalein to BALB/c mice infected with the influenza A/FM1/1/47(H1N1) virus showed significant effects in preventing death, increasing the mean time to death, inhibiting lung consolidation, and reducing the lung virus titer in a dose-dependent manner. These effects are believed to be due to baicalin, the metabolite of baicalein in the serum. At a concentration of baicalin 2 mug/ml in overlay medium, it showed significant inhibition in the plaque assay, and the mean IC(50) value of baicalin was calculated as 1.2 mug/ml in the cytopathic effect assay. Our results showed that baicalein warrants further... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232272 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232271&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118547%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was attempted to elucidate the analgesic efficacy of Z-360 in mice. Oral administration of Z-360 (30-300 mg/kg) showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the late phase of nociceptive responses to formalin. YF476, another CCK(2) receptor antagonist, was without effects at 1 and 10 mg/kg. In contrast, the CCK(1) receptor antagonist devazepide inhibited the nociceptive responses to formalin. In a mouse model of cancer pain, significant anti-allodynic effect of Z-360 was observed after single and repeated oral administration of 100 and 300 mg/kg doses. Anti-allodynic effect was also observed after repeated administration of devazepide. Combined single treatment with morphine and Z-360 caused an increase inhibition of pain-related responses in the pain models produced by formalin... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232271 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232270&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118548%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Maezawa K, Matsunaga T, Takezawa T, Kanai M, Ohira S, Ohmori S Expression levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4, CYP3A5 and CYP3A7 mRNAs in placentas and fetal membranes, which were split into amnion and chorion leave attached decidua (chorion/decidua), obtained from pregnant women with normal delivery (5 subjects) and Caesarean section (15 subjects) were determined. These CYP3A mRNAs were also expressed in amnion and chorion/decidua together with placenta, although the expression level of these mRNAs was strikingly different between subjects. The expression level of the CYP3A4 mRNA in the placenta was about 2-fold higher than those in amnion and chorion/decidua. On the other hand, the expression levels of CYP3A5 and CYP3A7 mRNAs were highest in chorion/decidua. The immunologica... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232270 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232269&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118549%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, our results suggest that P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux is significantly affected by dietary ingredients. Also, capsaicin, daidzein, piperine and sesamin increased significantly the mRNA expression of MRP1 or MRP3. Thus, the present study provides further evidence that repeated exposure to dietary ingredients can cause drug-food interactions by affecting the function and mRNA expression of intestinal transporters such as P-glycoprotein. PMID: 20118549 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232269 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232268&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118550%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of kolaviron (KV), a biflavonoid from Garcinia kola seeds, against gamma-radiation (5 Gy)-induced oxidative stress in brain of Wistar rats. Vitamin C (VC) served as standard antioxidant. Forty-four rats were divided into 4 groups of 11 animals each. One group was un-irradiated (normal), two groups were treated with KV and VC (250 mg/kg) for 6 weeks prior to and 8 weeks after irradiation, and fourth group was only irradiated. Rats were sacrificed 1 and 8 weeks after irradiation. Cellular alterations were monitored using changes in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA)-an index of lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), alanine and aspartate aminotransfe... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232268 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232267&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118551%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jung HA, Jung YJ, Hyun SK, Min BS, Kim DW, Jung JH, Choi JS A new beta-cyclogeraniol diglycoside (5), along with four known components, cycloartenol (1), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), vanilloloside (3), and 5'-O-methyladenosine (4), were first isolated from the n-BuOH fraction of Nelumbo nucifera stamens. The chemical structure of 5 was elucidated as 1-hydroxymethyl-2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexene 9-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (nuciferoside) on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence, including 1D, 2D NMR, and MS. The anti-Alzheimer effects of 1-5 were evaluated via the acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and beta-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) inhibition assays. Compounds 1-3 and 5 showed... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232267 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232266&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118552%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Shin S, Yeon S, Park D, Oh J, Kang H, Kim S, Joo SS, Lim WT, Lee JY, Choi KC, Kim KY, Kim SU, Kim JC, Kim YB The effects of a silk amino acid (SAA) preparation on the physical stamina and male reproductive function of mice were investigated. Eight-week-old male ICR mice (29-31 g) were orally administered SAA (50, 160 or 500 mg/kg) for 44 d during 30-min daily swimming exercise. The mice were subjected to a weight-loaded (5% of body weight) forced swimming on the 14th, 28th and 42nd day to determine maximum swimming time, and after a 2-d recovery period (treated with SAA without swimming exercise), parameters related to fatigue and reproductive function were analyzed from blood, muscles and reproductive organs. Repeated swimming exercise increased the maximum swimming time to s... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232266 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232265&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118553%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Li DX, Jang KY, Kang W, Bae K, Lee MH, Oh YK, Jee JP, Park YJ, Oh DH, Seo YG, Kim YR, Kim JO, Woo JS, Yong CS, Choi HG To develop a novel sibutramine base-loaded solid dispersion with improved solubility bioavailability, various solid dispersions were prepared with water, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC), poloxamer and citric acid using spray-drying technique. The effect of HPMC, poloxamer and citric acid on the aqueous solubility of sibutramine was investigated. The physicochemical properties of solid dispersion were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction. The dissolution and pharmacokinetics in rats of solid dispersion were evaluated compared to the sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate-... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232265 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232264&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118554%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Katoh Y, Uchida S, Kawai M, Takei N, Mori N, Kawakami J, Kagawa Y, Yamada S, Namiki N, Hashimoto H Fluvoxamine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor widely used in the treatment of depression and other psychiatric diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical impact of cigarette smoking on plasma fluvoxamine concentration in Japanese patients, and evaluate whether the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2 and CYP2D6 genotypes have effects on that concentration. Thirty-two Japanese patients receiving fluvoxamine were enrolled. They were maintained on the same daily dose of fluvoxamine (mean+/-S.D., 109.4+/-66.2 mg/d) for at least 4 weeks to obtain the steady-state plasma concentration. The steady-state plasma concentration-to-dose (C/D) ratio of fluvoxamine in patients w... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232264 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232263&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118555%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jin H, Higashikawa F, Noda M, Zhao X, Matoba Y, Kumagai T, Sugiyama M Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known as representative of probiotics. To screen LAB effective to enhance intestinal immunity, in the present study, we developed an accurate and convenient in vitro evaluation system using Peyer's patch cells (PP-cells) isolated from the mice intestine. We observed that the amount of immunoglobulin A (IgA) produced by PP-cells co-cultured with LAB was well correlative to that in PP-cells, intestine and feces isolated from live mice after oral administration of LAB [correlation coefficient (r)=0.888, 0.883, and 0.920, respectively]. In addition, using this in vitro system, we suggest that the IgA level of PP-cells co-culturing with plant-derived LAB might be more enhanced ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232263 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232262&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118556%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Furuishi T, Fukami T, Suzuki T, Takayama K, Tomono K The aim of this investigation was to assess the applicability of lipid bilayer alteration using a combination of isopropyl myristate (IPM) and glyceryl monocaprylate (GEFA-C(8)) to the enhancement of pentazocine (PTZ) permeation through hairless mouse skin. The skin permeability of PTZ was enhanced by increasing the concentration of GEFA-C(8) up to 10% w/w in combination with IPM. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD) were carried out to analyze the effects of these enhancers on the biophysical properties of the stratum corneum (SC) of the skin, and on the permeation of PTZ. ATR-FTIR studies revealed that IPM/GEFA-C(8) induced higher CH(2) stre... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232262 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232261&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118557%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sugimoto A, Ikeda H, Tsukamoto H, Kihira K, Ishioka M, Hirose J, Hata T, Fujioka H, Ono Y Timolol, a beta-blocker, has been shown to be an effective ocular hypotensive agent when used alone or with carbonic anhydrase inhibitor on ocular hypertensive or open angle glaucoma patients. The effect of timolol hemihydrate on the CO(2) hydration activities of human carbonic anhydrase (HCA) I and II and their reaction mechanisms were investigated. Timolol activates the enzyme activities of HCA I and HCA II. In HCA I and II, the enzyme kinetic results clearly showed that timolol increases the value of V(max) but does not influence the value of K(m). The enzyme kinetic method showed that timolol noncompetitively activates HCA I and II activities through the formation of a ternary complex... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232261 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232260&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118558%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study we examined whether tribenoside affected expression and deposition of laminins that are required for reconstruction of basement membranes (BMs) during wound healing in hemorrhoidal disease. HaCaT cells, which are derived from human epidermis, were treated in growth media supplemented with tribenoside. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers specific for laminin chains showed that HaCaT cells constitutively expressed laminin alpha3, alpha5, beta1, beta3, gamma1, and gamma2 chains. Tribenoside treatment of HaCaT cells did not induce expression of other laminin chains. We also quantified the expression of laminin chains in tribenoside-treated cells using real-time PCR. The expression level of laminin alpha3, beta1, beta3, gamma1, and gamma2 chains ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232260 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232259&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118559%26dopt%3DAbstract This study investigated the effects of S-PG on maturation of human monocyte-derived DCs. iDCs were prepared from human monocytes using the appropriate cytokines and then stimulated by S-PG alone. In another experiment, iDCs were stimulated by a combination of pro-inflammatory cytokines (MIX) plus S-PG. Although the stimulation of S-PG alone did not induce phenotypic maturation from iDCs, CD40 expression on DCs stimulated by S-PG alone was lower than that of iDCs. In contrast, the phenotypic and functional characteristics of DCs stimulated by MIX+S-PG were similar to those of DCs stimulated by MIX alone. As a result, S-PG did not demonstrate a significant effect with regard to maturation of human monocyte-derived DCs. PMID: 20118559 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmace... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232259 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232258&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118560%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yin J, Han N, Liu Z, Song S, Kadota S In the investigation of chemical constituents in antiosteoporotic active fraction, 90% ethanol fraction of water extract of the rhizomes of Dioscorea spongiosa, twenty-two glycosides were isolated and their structures were elucidated. In order to know the role of each compound played in the fraction and to find the excellent antiosteoporotic constituent, they were subjected to some in vitro assay experiments with cell lines and an animal organ culture system: stimulation on osteoblasts proliferation and mineralization, inhibition on osteoclasts formation and inhibition on bone resorption. Glycosides 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 21 showed significant stimulatory activity on proliferation of osteoblasts. Especially, p... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232258 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232257&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118561%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yamaguchi H, Kidachi Y, Kamiie K, Noshita T, Umetsu H, Ryoyama K We analyzed the effects of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), a licorice compound, on the induction of anoikis-like death and cytoskeletal disruption in the central nervous system (CNS) tumorigenic cells. GA was cytotoxic in time- and dose-dependent manners, and the tumorigenic cells shed floating cells upon the GA treatment and even some of the adherent cells were easily detached from the fibronectin-coated culture dish by gentle shaking and aspiration. Reculture of the detached cells revealed that the longer the duration of GA exposure, the less the number of the proliferatable cells. These results indicate that GA perturbs cell adhesion and induces anoikis-like cell death. Further, GA also induced morphologic changes a... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232257 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232256&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118562%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we found the inhibitory effect of Rg(1) on hepatic glucose production through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in HepG2 cells. Rg(1) significantly inhibited hepatic glucose production in a concentration-dependent manner, and this effect was reversed in the presence of compound C, a selective AMPK inhibitor. In addition, Rg(1) markedly induced the phosphorylations of liver kinase B1 (LKB1), AMPK and forkhead box class O1 (FoxO1), a key transcription factor for gluconeogenic enzymes, in time- and concentration-dependent manners. Glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) activities were inhibited by 24% and 21%, respectively, when the cells were exposed to 40 muM of Rg(1), resulting from phosphorylation of FoxO1 and inhibition of... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232256 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232255&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118563%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jang DS, Yoo NH, Kim NH, Lee YM, Kim CS, Kim J, Kim JH, Kim JS In our ongoing project directed toward the discovery of novel treatments for diabetic complications from herbal medicines, sixteen compounds including three caffeoylquinic acids and four flavonoids were isolated from an EtOAc-soluble extract of the stems and leaves of Erigeron annuus. All the isolates were evaluated in vitro for inhibitory activity on the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR). Of these, 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl-epi-quinic acid (3) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity in both the AGEs and aldose reductase (AR) assays. Compound 3 markedly reduced AGEs-bovin serum albumin (BSA) cross-linking in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, opacity of lenses... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232255 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232254&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20118564%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wu Y, Shi HM, Bao Z, Wang MY, Tu PF, Li XB We developed a set of molecular markers in Cistanche deserticola Y. C. MA to evaluate the production quality of cultivated C. deserticola individuals. This application utilizes the inter-simple-sequence repeat (ISSR) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR as molecular markers to determine the echinacoside content in cultivated C. deserticola individuals. The unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic average clustering (UPGMA) confirmed that the combined ISSR and RAPD data could categorize all C. deserticola individuals into three groups according to their respective echinacoside content. The stepwise multiple regression analysis (SMRA) revealed six potential markers associated with echinaco... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232254 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3232254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143291&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045926%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jin M, Lee E, Yang JH, Lu Y, Kang S, Chang YC, Lee SH, Suh SJ, Kim CH, Chang HW Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is associated with processes of inflammation. We investigated the effects of deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT) on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induced ICAM-1 expression in the mouse lung epithelial cell line, LA4. DPT (5 to 20 nM) inhibited TNF-alpha-induced ICAM-1 expression through nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in a dose-dependent manner and repressed ICAM-1 promoter activity. NF-kappaB reporter gene activity and DNA binding activity were also strongly inhibited. In addition, DPT inhibited degradation by the TNF-alpha induced inhibitory kappaB-alpha (IkappaB-alpha) in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together with our previous results sug... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143291 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143290&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045927%26dopt%3DAbstract This report measured the level of serum testosterone following prenatal exposure to BBBC (0.1, 1.0, 10 mg/kg bw/d) in male rats, and measured aromatase activity of the hypothalamus-preoptic area with a close connection to the sexual differentiation and sexual behavior of BBBC-treated rat brains. The serum testosterone level rose depending on exposure, and aromatase activity of the basomedial nucleus of amygdale region was increased in the BBBC-treated group compared with the control. These results suggested that prenatal exposure to BBBC affects the central nervous system of male rat offspring, and BBBC may be an endocrine disrupting-chemical during the fetal period, and might influence the functional development of the brain. PMID: 20045927 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological an... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143290 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143289&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045928%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bhuiyan MI, Islam MN, Jung SY, Yoo HH, Lee YS, Jin C The complex molecular cascades of ischemic tolerance in brain cells remain unclear. Recently, sphingolipid-related metabolite ceramide has been implicated as a second messenger in many biological functions, including neuronal survival and death. The present study, therefore, examined the roles of ceramide (Cer) in ischemic tolerance induced by preconditioning with sublethal oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) using primary cultured cortical neurons of rats. Preconditioning of the neurons with sublethal 1-h OGD produced robust neuroprotection against cell death induced by lethal 3-h OGD imposed 12 h after preconditioning when measured by the MTT assay. Analysis of sphingolipids using LC-MS/MS showed that the ischemic preconditio... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143289 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143288&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045929%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yan H, Pu XP Neural stem cells (NSCs) arise through neurogenesis, and comprise all newly-formed neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems. DJ-1 is associated with autosomal recessive familial Parkinson's disease (PD). The relationship between DJ-1 and NSC proliferation may shed light on the underlying pathogenesis of, and potential treatments for, PD. To investigate the relationship between DJ-1 and NSCs, embryonic cortical NSCs were isolated and cultured from E14 fetal rats. Immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry were applied to evaluate DJ-1 expression in proliferating NSCs. We found that DJ-1 was co-expressed with nestin, a marker of progenitors, during NSC proliferation from days 1-7. The present results suggest that DJ-1 is co-expressed ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143288 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143287&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045930%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, to elucidate the mechanism of cathepsin D accumulation in the cytosol, we examined the effects of oxidative stress and proteasome inhibition on the apoptosis and subcellular localization of cathepsin D in primary cultured neurons and astrocytes. Using 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)- or Hoechst 33342-staining and annexin V detection, we found that oxidative stress caused by tert-butyl hydroperoxide and proteasome inhibition by lactacystin induced apoptosis in neurons and astrocytes. Furthermore, after cell fractionation, it was demonstrated that cathepsin D was translocated from lysosomes to cytosol under apoptosis-inducing conditions in both cells. These results suggested that oxidative stress and the suppression of proteasome activity triggered the translocation of ca... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143287 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143286&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045931%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ma ZC, Hong Q, Wang YG, Tan HL, Xiao CR, Liang QD, Zhang BL, Gao Y Ferulic acid (FA) has been demonstrated to have a remarkable antioxidant activity, the mechanism of FA of protecting human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) from radiation induced oxidative stress was investigated in the present study. The oxidative protection of FA was assessed by cellular glutathione (GSH) content, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) levels, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation was detected using Western blotting. The upstream signaling pathway involved in FA mediated Nrf2 activation was determined by signaling inhibitors. FA significantly increased the transcription of antioxidant related ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143286 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143285&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045932%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Oshima T, Fujino T, Ando K, Hayakawa M We previously demonstrated that FGD1, the Cdc42 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) responsible for faciogenital dysplasia, and its homologue FGD3 are targeted by the ubiquitin ligase SCF(FWD1) upon phosphorylation of two serine residues in their DSGIDS motif and subsequently degraded by the proteasome. FGD1 and FGD3 share highly homologous Dbl homology (DH) and adjacent pleckstrin homology (PH) domains, both of which are responsible for GEF activity. However, their function and regulation are remarkably different. Here we demonstrate extracellular signal-responsive translocation of FGD1, but not FGD3. During the wound-healing process, translocation of FGD1 to the leading edge membrane occurs in cells facing to the wound. Furthermore... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143285 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143284&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045933%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Li T, Wong VK, Yi XQ, Wong YF, Zhou H, Liu L Induction of immunotolerance has become a new strategy for treating autoimmune conditions in recent decades. However, so far there is no ideal therapeutics available for clinical use. Medicinal herbs are a promising potential source of immunotolerance inducers. In the current study, we sought first to optimize conditions for a validated cellular model of human Jurkat cells; and then used this model to screen bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants for inducing T cell anergy in comparison with the effect of well-known T cell anergy inducer, ionomycin. The results showed that passage of the cells, and concentration and stimulation time of ionomycin on the cells could influence the ability of T cell anergy induction. Matrine,... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143284 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143283&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045934%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ko EA, Park WS, Son YK, Ko JH, Choi TH, Jung ID, Park YM, Hong da H, Kim N, Han J We investigated the effect of the phenylalkylamine Ca(2+) channel inhibitor verapamil on voltage-dependent K(+) (Kv) channels in rabbit coronary arterial smooth muscle cells using a whole-cell patch clamp technique. Verapamil reduced the Kv current amplitude in a concentration-dependent manner. The apparent K(d) value for Kv channel inhibition was 0.82 microM. Although verapamil had no effect on the activation kinetics, it accelerated the decay rate of Kv channel inactivation. The rate constants of association and dissociation by verapamil were 2.20+/-0.02 microM(-1) s(-1), and 1.79+/-0.26 s(-1), respectively. The steady-state activation and inactivation curves were unaffected by verapamil. The a... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143283 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143283 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143282&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045935%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, to clarify the physiologic functions of BNIP3, we investigated whether BNIP3 is actually related to the depressive condition in the brain using learned helplessness (LH) mice, an animal model of depression. Based on the score of escape failure, an index of depression degree, stressed animals were divided into groups with LH and without depressive-like symptoms (i.e., non-depressed phenotype, non-LH). The score of escape failure of the LH group was decreased after 14 d of treatment with imipramine in a dose-dependent manner. BNIP3 mRNA expression was enhanced in both the LH and non-LH groups. Imipramine treatment at 5 and 20 mg/kg/d enhanced BNIP3 mRNA expression only in the LH group but not in non-LH group or non-stressed group. These results raise the possibility that BNIP3... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143282 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143281&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045936%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sun P, Jin X, Koyama T, Li S, Kitamura Y, Kawasaki H A novel histamine receptor subtype, histamine H(3) receptor, mediates inhibition of peripheral autonomic neurotransmission. The present study was designed to examine vascular effects of histamine H(3) receptor by using a selective histamine H(3) receptor agonist, R-(-)-alpha methylhistamine (alpha-methylhistamine), in rat mesenteric resistance arteries. The isolated mesenteric vascular beds were perfused with Krebs solution and perfusion pressure was measured. Active tone was produced by perfusion of Krebs solution containing 7 microM methoxamine. In preparations with intact endothelium, perfusion of alpha-methylhistamine (1-100 microM) for 1 min produced a concentration-dependent vasodilation. The maximum vasodilation at th... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143281 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143280&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045937%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kurata Y, Yamamoto A, Izawa K, Akagi M, Kamei C The aim of the present study was to clarify the involvement of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) in nasal congestion in Brown Norway (BN) rats. For this purpose, we studied the effects of PGE(2) receptor (EP(1), EP(2), EP(3) and EP(4)) agonists on nasal congestion and sneezing induced by toluene 2,4-diisocyanate (TDI). Enhanced pause (Penh) was increased 1 h (early phase) and 4 h (late phase) after TDI challenge. Sulprostone (an EP(3) receptor agonist) inhibited the increase of Penh, an index of nasal congestion, in both early and late phase responses. On the other hand, PGE(1) alcohol (an EP(4) agonist) increased Penh in the early phase response. Moreover, sulprostone inhibited sneezing, an immediate response by TDI challenge. These r... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143280 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143279&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045938%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we examined whether these changes are improved by treatment with the aldose reductase inhibitor, zenarestat, in early-stage diabetic neuropathy of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Two weeks after the induction of diabetes mellitus by STZ treatment, zenarestat or a vehicle were given orally for two weeks. After the zenarestat treatment, the mRNA expression levels of neurotrophin receptors and neuronal cytoskeletal proteins in dorsal root ganglia were determined with a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Compared with the expression level of normal rats, a significant increase in Trk-C and Talpha1 alpha-tubulin and a decrease in neurofilament H mRNA expression level were observed in the DRG of STZ rats, while there were no significant changes in Trk-A,... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143279 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143278&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045939%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Shin YJ, Han CS, Lee CS, Kim HS, Ko SH, Hwang SK, Ko SG, Shin JW, Ye SK, Chung MH Zeolite 4A, synthetic silicate, has been shown to exhibit diverse biological activities such as anti-cancer and anti-oxidant activity. In the present study, we report that the zeolite 4A may improve skin-whitening. We found that zeolite 4A inhibited melanin production in a dose-dependent manner, which has not cytotoxicity. Zeolite 4A also inhibited alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH)-induced melanin synthesis in B16F10 cells. Interestingly, zeolite 4A decreased alpha-MSH-induced tyrosinase activity in B16F10 cells, which did not inhibit tyrosinase activity under cell-free conditions. The results of this study indicate that zeolite 4A may reduce pigmentation by way of an indirect none... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143278 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143277&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045940%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hataji K, Watanabe T, Oowada S, Nagaya M, Kamibayashi M, Murakami E, Kawakami H, Ishiuchi A, Kumai T, Nakano H, Kobayashi S, Otsubo T Nitric oxide (NO) and the partial pressure of oxygen (pO(2)) in the liver were simultaneously quantified in rats with partial hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (PHIRI). Real-time NO/pO(2) monitoring and immunohistochemical analysis for superoxide dismutase and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) were performed to evaluate the protective effects of a dihydropyridine-type calcium-channel blocker--CV159--on PHIRI. Serum high-mobility-group box-1 (HMGB-1) was measured to assess cellular necrosis. Moreover, we used in vitro/ex vivo electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping to assess the hydroxyl radical (*OH)-scave... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143277 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143276&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045941%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sadakane C, Koseki J, Inagaki Y, Hasegawa Y, Shindo S, Maruyama H, Takeda S, Takeda H, Hattori T We investigated the association of interleukin-12 (IL-12) with development of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, and examined the effects of TJN-419, a synthetic compound derived from acteoside, on this process. Enhanced IL-12 production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages was dose-dependently inhibited by addition of TJN-419 to culture medium, and this effect was abolished by pretreatment with PD98059, an inhibitor of extracellular-regulated kinase. We then assessed the effect of TJN-419 or a neutralizing antibody against murine IL-12 in a DSS-induced colitis model in C57 BL/6 mice. Colitis was induced by 5% DSS solution given as drinking water. T... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143276 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143275&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045942%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Watthanachaiyingcharoen R, Komatsu K, Zhu S, Vajragupta O, Leelamanit W In Ayurveda and Thai traditional medicines, material from Coscinium fenestratum is commonly prescribed as active ingredients with diverse therapeutic purposes. However, C. fenestratum is also a seriously endangered medicinal liana. Thus, its crude material is very rare and is being substituted with substances from Arcangelisia flava or Fibraurea tinctoria (Menispermaceae), which have high morphological similarity. In this current study, nuclear 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene sequences with the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLPs) technique were exploited to identify these three species. The nuclear 18... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143275 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143274&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045943%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, the higher the affinity of basic drugs for AGP, the more they inhibit the binding of other basic drugs, and further, the inhibitory potency depends on the selectivity of binding to the AGP variants. PMID: 20045943 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143274 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143273&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045944%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kang MJ, Eum JY, Jeong MS, Choi SE, Park SH, Cho HI, Cho CS, Seo SJ, Lee MW, Choi YW To develop an external preparation of oregonin (ORG) for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), conventional creams (CC) and elastic liposomes (EL) containing ORG have been formulated and examined for their in vitro skin permeation properties and in vivo therapeutic efficacy assessments. EL, consisting of soybean phosphatidylcholine and Tween 80 (85 : 15 w/w %), were of flexible nanocarriers: they were about 130 nm in size and had a 4-fold greater deformability index than conventional liposomes. In a skin permeation study using a Franz diffusion cell mounted with depilated mouse skin, liposomal systems were superior to cream, revealing greater flux values. Both CC and EL were diversified wit... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143273 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143272&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045945%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nakamura T, Teshima M, Kitahara T, Sasaki H, Uematsu M, Kitaoka T, Nakashima M, Nishida K, Nakamura J, Higuchi S We developed a new electrophysiological method mimicking tear flow to evaluate the epithelial tight junction of rabbit cornea quantitatively. We investigated the effect of tear flow on the corneal damage induced by ophthalmic preservatives using this method. An Ussing chamber system with Ag/AgCl electrodes was used in the electrophysiological experiment. The excised rabbit cornea was mounted in the Ussing chamber and the precorneal solution in the chamber was perfused with a peristaltic pump at the rate of human tear flow. Corneal transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was monitored as corneal barrier ability. In the electrophysiological method mimicking tear ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143272 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143271&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045946%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, it was clarified that acetaminophen, verapamil and midazolam were metabolized extensively in the intestine of cynomolgus monkeys. This intestinal perfusion method is considered to be useful to identify the factors of species difference in the oral absorption of drugs. PMID: 20045946 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143271 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143270&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045947%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Shimizu K, Kinouchi Shimizu N, Hakamata W, Unno K, Asai T, Oku N Successful avoidance of the immune surveillance system is critical for the development of a blood-borne metastasis. Previous findings suggest that experimental tumor metastasis was enhanced in senescence-accelerated mice prone 10 (SAMP10) due to a reduction in immune surveillance potential with age. In the present study, water containing green tea (GT)-catechins was freely given to SAMP10 mice, and the chemopreventive effect of GT-catechin intake on tumor metastasis was examined. Natural killer cell activity, which is an indicator of immune surveillance potential and is reduced in control mice with age, was maintained by GT-catechin intake. The early accumulation of lung-metastatic K1735M2 melanoma cells in lungs... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143270 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143269&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045948%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ohguchi K, Nakajima C, Oyama M, Iinuma M, Itoh T, Akao Y, Nozawa Y, Ito M We found that the acetone extract of the peel of Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki 'Fuyu') inhibits melanin biosynthesis in mouse B16 melanoma cells. The activity-guided purification of the extract resulted in isolation of two active compounds, which have been identified as flavonoid glycosides, isoquercitrin (quercetin-3-O-glucoside) and hyperin (quercetin-3-O-galactoside) by spectral analysis. Isoquercitrin and hyperin strongly inhibited the production of melanin (IC(50): 21.7 and 18.2 microM, respectively). The inhibitory effects were found to be mediated by suppression of tyrosinase expression. PMID: 20045948 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143269 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143268&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045949%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sugita T, Miyamoto M, Tsuboi R, Takatori K, Ikeda R, Nishikawa A The Gram-positive bacterium Propionibacterium acnes is the causative agent of acne vulgaris. Antibiotics such as tetracycline and macrolide derivatives are used to treat this skin disease; however, the isolation frequency of antibiotic-resistant P. acnes has been increasing. The anti-P. acnes activity of imidazole antifungal agents was reported more than 20 years ago, and since then, new azole antifungal agents have been marketed. Thus, this study determined the in vitro activities of azole antifungal agents against P. acnes isolated from patients with acne vulgaris. Of the five agents tested, miconazole, ketoconazole, and itraconazole showed concentration-dependent anti-P. acnes activity, including against antib... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143268 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143267&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045950%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we examined the precise molecular mechanism of the antiinflammatory activity of cafestol in terms of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production, a critical factor involved in inflammatory responses. Cafestol inhibited both PGE(2) production and the mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW264.7 cells. Interestingly, this compound strongly decreased the translocation of c-Jun into the nucleus and AP-1 mediated luciferase activity. In kinase assays using purified extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) or immunoprecipitated ERK prepared from LPS-treated cells in the presence or absence of cafestol, it was found that this compound can act as an inhibitor of ERK2 but not of ERK1 and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK 1). T... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143267 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143266&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045951%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hirata K, Taki H, Shinoda K, Hounoki H, Miyahara T, Tobe K, Ogawa H, Mori H, Sugiyama E Whether tumor progression locus 2 (Tpl2)/cancer Osaka thyroid (Cot) protein kinase participates in osteoclastogenesis from receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL)-stimulated monocytes/macrophages remains elusive. To clarify this, a selective and potent inhibitor of Tpl2, 1,7-naphtyridine-3-carbonitrile, was used. When RAW264.7 cells were stimulated with RANKL, Tpl2 was found to be activated. Under this condition, the Tpl2 inhibitor suppressed osteoclastogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. This was due to the blockade of the phosphorylation of mitogen activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), but not c-Jun N-terminal kinase ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143266 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143265&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045952%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tanaka H, Namekata I, Hamaguchi S, Kawamura T, Masuda H, Tanaka Y, Iida-Tanaka N, Takahara A Effects of NIP-142, a benzopyran compound which terminates experimental atrial arrhythmia, on potassium channel alpha-subunits and mouse atrial repolarization were examined. NIP-142 concentration-dependently blocked the outward current through potassium channel alpha subunits Kv1.5, Kv4.2 and Kv4.3 expressed in Xenopus oocytes. In isolated mouse atrial myocardia, NIP-142 prolonged the action potential duration and effective refractory period, and increased the contractile force. These results suggest that NIP-142 blocks the potassium channels underlying the transient and sustained outward currents, which may contribute to its antiarrhythmic activity. PMID: 20045952 [PubMed - in pro... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143265 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143264&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045953%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we examined the direct effects of these Kampo medicines and their constituents on the antigen-induced degranulation of mucosal-type mast cells. Mucosal-type murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (mBMMCs) were pretreated by these drugs for 24 h, and immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor-triggered degranulation of mBMMCs was assessed by beta-hexosaminidase release. Goreisan showed inhibitory effects on degranulation of mBMMCs in a dose-dependent manner. Among the five constituent medicinal herbs of goreisan, Poria and Polyporus had the inhibitory effects on mBMMCs. Ergosterol, a principal and common component of Poria and Polyporus, also suppressed the degranulation of mBMMCs. Our results provide a molecular basis to explain a portion of the beneficial therapeutic properties of sair... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143264 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143263&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045954%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Chiba Y, Todoroki M, Misawa M The signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family of molecules play a critical role in the signaling of many cytokines. In addition to STAT6, implication of STAT1 and STAT3 in the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) has also been suggested in allergic bronchial asthma. However, there is little information whether or not antigen challenge really causes the in vivo activation of these STAT molecules in bronchial smooth muscles (BSMs). In the present study, the activations of these STATs were examined in BSMs of mice with allergic bronchial asthma. Male BALB/c mice were sensitized and repeatedly challenged with ovalbumin (OA) antigen. Total protein samples of the left main bronchi were prepared at 3 after the last OA chal... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143263 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143262&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045955%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the effects of chondroitinases on the release of dermatan sulfate (DS)-induced arginine amidase (AA) from rabbit ear artery. DS-induced AA release was significantly decreased by treatment with chondroitinase ABC (ABCase) in the rabbit ear artery. On the other hand, Chondroitinase ACII (ACIIase) enhanced spontaneous and DS-induced AA release. Heat-inactivated ABCase and ACIIase did not affect spontaneous and DS-induced AA release. Furthermore, ABCase, but not ACIIase and heat-inactivated chondroitinases, degraded DS. These results indicate that the facilitatory effect of DS-induced AA release from the rabbit ear artery is affected by the molecular size of DS. PMID: 20045955 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143262 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3143261&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20045956%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hasegawa Y, Kishimoto S, Shibatani N, Inotsume N, Takeuchi Y, Fukushima S The combination of diabetes and hyperlipidemia promotes the development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, it is important for diabetic patients to control blood fat. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl enzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins), like pravastatin, are frequently administered to diabetic patients for this purpose. Although the alterations of metabolic enzymes and transporters in the diabetic liver maybe change the disposition of pravastatin, the effect has not been fully investigated. In the present study, we investigated the disposition of pravastatin and the mRNA expression of transporters in the liver. Pravastatin (5 mg.kg(-1) body weight) was administered intravenously to diabetic rats, and... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3143261 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3143261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052863&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952409%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Izuta H, Narahara Y, Shimazawa M, Mishima S, Kondo S, Hara H The aim of this work was to investigate the antioxidant property of honeybee products and their constituents using an ESR method. Antioxidative activity was evaluated as the scavenging activity of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. The DPPH radical scavenging activities, in descending order, were: ethanol extract of Chinese red propolis>ethanol extract of Brazilian green propolis>water extract of Brazilian green propolis>ethanol extract of bee pollen. Many natural compounds are included in Brazilian green propolis, such as caffeoylquinic acid derivatives [3,4-di-caffeoylquinic acid (3,4-CQA), 3,5-di-caffeoylquinic acid (3,5-CQA), and chlorogenic acid (ChA)] and cinnamic acid derivatives [artepilli... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052863 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052862&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952410%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tai BH, Jung BY, Cuong NM, Linh PT, Tung NH, Nhiem NX, Huong TT, Anh NT, Kim JA, Kim SK, Kim YH Nine compounds, including six phenylethanoid glycosides: acteoside (1); bioside (2); echinacoside (3); poliumoside (4); phenylethyl glycoside (5); salidroside (6) and three flavonoids; linarin (7); apigenin (8); isorhoifolin (9), were isolated from the flowers of Buddleja officinalis MAXIM. (Buddlejaceae). Chemical structures were confirmed by (1)H-, and (13)C-NMR, and MS spectral methods and compared with those reported in the literature. Antioxidant activities of the methanol and water extracts, and all isolated compounds were evaluated using the total oxidant scavenging capacity (TOSC) assay against peroxynitrite. Results of the assay showed that the phenylethanoid glycosides, a ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052862 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052861&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952411%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we demonstrated that brain edema, one of the most important disorders following cerebral ischemia, occurred in the forebrain before neuronal death in the hippocampus and was not prevented by HT during cerebral ischemia induced by BCCA occlusion in C57BL/6J mice. Our results indicate that neuronal death and acute brain edema were induced by different mechanisms in the BCCA occlusion and reperfusion C57BL/6J mouse model, suggesting that our model with and without HT during cerebral ischemia may be a useful tool for the investigation of the specific mechanism of brain edema and neuronal death, respectively. PMID: 19952411 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052861 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052860&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952412%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we found that hypoxia significantly suppressed the expression of sEH in mouse liver and a human hepatoma cell line, Hep3B. Hypoxia promotes the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells or carcinoma cells. Knockdown of sEH in Hep3B cells induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA and cell growth, both of which were suppressed by overexpression of sEH. sEH has phosphatase activity as well as epoxide hydrolase (EH) activity. We prepared mutant clones which lacking EH or phosphatase activity using the amino acid change Asp335Ser or Asp9Ala, respectively. The effects of WT sEH on cell growth were lost by mutation of either the EH domain or phosphatase domain. However, mutation of the phosphatase domain but not EH domain did not influence the expression of VEGF. The... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052860 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052859&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952413%26dopt%3DAbstract This study examined the effect of estrogen (17beta-estradiol) on renal handling of organic cation, tetraethylammonium (TEA), both in vivo and in vitro. Clearance of TEA in ovariectomized (OVX) mice was increased by 38% above intact animals, which was able to be returned to control level by estrogen supplementation. The mechanism of this effect was examined in isolated mouse renal proximal tubules (mRPT), showing that [(3)H]-TEA uptake was higher in OVX mice than control, and estrogen supplementation returned uptake to normal level. Kinetics analysis of [(3)H]-TEA uptake indicated an increase in numbers of organic cation transporters in OVX mice but no change in substrate affinity. However, mRNA levels determined by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction of the relevant transporte... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052859 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052858&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952414%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we examined the phenotypes of a mutant strain of C. elegans (tm1262) lacking lec-10, a galectin-encoding gene. We observed no difference in the rates of embryonic lethality and larval arrest/slow growth between this mutant strain and the wild-type strain. No apparent morphological defect was observed in the lec-10-deletion mutant (tm1262). Moreover, the life-spans of this mutant and the wild-type strain were equivalent. However, this mutant showed significantly greater susceptibility to paraquat and hydrogen peroxide than the wild type did. The lec-10-deletion mutants (tm1262) were as susceptible as the daf-16-deletion mutants (mu86) to paraquat and hydrogen peroxide. These results suggest that the deletion of lec-10 does not have a notable effect on the worm's survival unde... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052858 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052857&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952415%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, this study is the first describing marked alteration of MTX hepatic and renal elimination induced by cholestasis in rats. Moreover, the reported changes in MTX pharmacokinetics and respective transporter expression suggest important mechanistic differences between the two widely used cholestatic models. PMID: 19952415 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052857 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052856&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952416%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zhou XP, Zhang MX, Sun W, Yang XH, Wang GS, Sui DY, Yu XF, Qu SC A series of 4,5-diaryloxazole analogs were designed and the interaction between oxaprozin and cyclooxygenase-2 studied by the docking method to improve the biological activity and reduce the gastrointestinal side effects of oxaprozin. Finally, 3-(4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-(4-aminosulfonyl-3-fluorophenyl)-oxazole-2-yl) propanoic acid (NC-2142), the best candidate, was selected for synthesis and bioassay based on the screening result. NC-2142 could lower the tumefaction rates of back metatarsus in rats, as well as reduce the writhing times in mice. NC-2142 produced fewer gastric lesions than oxaprozin. After the aminosulfonyl group was introduced into the benzene ring of oxaprozin, its analgesic and anti-inflammatory ac... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052856 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052855&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952417%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tsujimura T, Nagamine J, Sugaru E, Ono-Kishino M, Tokunaga T, Kitoh M, Nagata R, Nakagawa T, Taiji M The number of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has continuously grown worldwide. Treatment with antihypertensive agents reduces the rate of progression of CKD, however, there is still a large unmet need to develop strategies for the treatment of CKD. Although we have previously reported that the antifibrotic agent, SMP-534 inhibits the progression of CKD, it is unknown whether combination therapy with SMP-534 and antihypertensive agent shows additive effects on CKD. In present study, we examined whether combination therapy with SMP-534 and the antihypertensive agent, lisinopril is more effective than single therapy with SMP-534 or lisinopril on five-sixths nephrectomi... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052855 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052854&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952418%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sugitani M, Abe R, Ikarashi N, Ito K, Muratake H, Shudo K, Sugiyama K Recently, a new compound IT-M-07000 was designed as a prodrug of tamibarotene, one of the therapeutic agents for acute promyelocytic leukemia. In the present study, IT-M-07000 was administered to mice to investigate whether it is actually metabolized to tamibarotene. Its metabolic pathway and the utility as a tamibarotene prodrug were also evaluated. After oral administration of IT-M-07000, IT-M-07000, tamibarotene and two compounds that were supposed to be metabolic intermediates in a beta-oxidation pathway of IT-M-07000 to tamibarotene were detected in mouse plasma. It was thus shown that IT-M-07000 is probably beta-oxidized to tamibarotene in mice. Comparison of tamibarotene concentration profiles after o... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052854 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052853&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952419%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Roy U, Chakravarty G, Honer Zu Bentrup K, Mondal D The ATP binding cassette (ABC)-transporters are energy dependent efflux pumps which regulate the pharmacokinetics of both anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents, e.g. taxol, and of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitors (HPIs), e.g. saquinavir. Increased expression of several ABC-transporters, especially P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2), are observed in multidrug resistant (MDR) tumor cells and on HIV-1 infected lymphocytes. In addition, due to their apical expression on vascular endothelial barriers, both P-gp and MRP2 are of crucial importance towards dictating drug access into sequestered tissues. However, although a number of P-gp inhibitors are currently in clinical trials, ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052853 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052852&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952420%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, oral and intravenous administration of CS-526 showed inhibition on gastric acidity in cynomolgus monkeys using intragastric pH-metry and some pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters were well correlated. PMID: 19952420 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052852 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052851&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952421%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Satoh T, Watanabe Y, Ikarashi N, Ito K, Sugiyama K The Kampo medicines are more and more often used in recent years, usually together with the western drugs. The need for the investigation of drug interactions between Kampo medicines and western drugs are, therefore, widely recognized. Among the various possible causes for the drug-drug interactions, those related to pharmacokinetics such as drug metabolism and transport are regarded as most frequent and clinically important. In the present study, the effects of Kampo medicines on the P-glycoprotein (P-gp), one of the major drug transporters, were investigated in in vitro studies using human P-gp membranes. The P-gp activity in the presence and absence of commonly used 50 Kampo medicines was evaluated by the ATPase assay detec... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052851 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052851 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052850&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952422%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the hypolipidemic effect of propolis in a mouse obesity model induced by a high fat-diet. C57BL/6N mice were fed a high-fat diet ad libitum and given propolis extract intragastrically at 0 mg/kg (control), 5 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg twice daily for 10 d. Compared with mice in the control group, mice in the propolis extract-administrated groups displayed a reduction in all of the following parameters: body weight gain, weight of visceral adipose tissue, liver and serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and non-esterified fatty acids. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of the liver showed down-regulation of mRNA expression associated with fatty acid biosynthesis, including fatty acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha, and sterol regulatory element binding protein in the propoli... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052850 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052850 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052849&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952423%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Park KH, Park M, Choi SE, Jeong MS, Kwon JH, Oh MH, Choi HK, Seo SJ, Lee MW Activity guided fractionation of Aconitum koreanum root extract (RAK), a traditional medicine in Korea, afforded four caffeoyl derivatives, caffeic acid (1), 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (2), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3) and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (4). In order to evaluate the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of these compounds, their 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities and abilities to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 were examined. And the protein and mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-stimulated HaCaT cells were also quantified by Wester... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052849 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052848&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952424%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Makino T, Shimizu R, Kanemaru M, Suzuki Y, Moriwaki M, Mizukami H Quercetin, a flavonol contained in various vegetables and herbal medicines, has various biological activities including anti-cancer, anti-allergic and anti-oxidative activities. However, low oral bioavailability of quercetin due to insolubility in water has limited its use as a food additive or dietary supplement. Since the water solubility is enhanced by glycosyl conjugation, in the present study, we evaluated the bioavailability of several quercetin glycosides with different sugar moieties in rats. Quercetin, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (rutin), and quercetin-3-O-glucoside (isoquercitrin, IQC) in suspension, and quercetin-3-O-maltoside (Q3M), quercetin-3-O-gentiobioside (Q3G), alpha-monoglucosyl rutin (alphaMR), ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052848 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052847&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952425%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kadowaki D, Anraku M, Tasaki Y, Taguchi K, Shimoishi K, Seo H, Hirata S, Maruyama T, Otagiri M Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers, which inhibit the rennin-angiotensin system, are used in the treatment of hypertension. In addition to their ability to lower blood pressure, these compounds have also been reported to protect organs, such as kidney and heart. Although the mechanisms of these protective effects are not fully understood, it is generally thought that their antioxidant effects likely play a role. The aim of the present study was to characterize the relationship between the antioxidant activity of olmesartan and its pharmacological actions such as renoprotective or blood pressure lowering effects, using 5/6 nephrectomy rats. In 5/6 nephrectomy rats, the potential ... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052847 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052846&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952426%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we induced cholestasis in rats by bile duct ligation (BDL), and investigated the changes in the mRNA expression of metabolic enzymes, transporters, and nuclear receptors and the protein levels of nuclear receptors in the nucleus by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. In the liver of the rats subjected to BDL, the mRNA expression levels of cytochrome P450, conjugation enzymes, and transporters were concomitantly altered. The altered mRNA and protein levels of constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) in the nucleus were consistent with the changes in the plasma concentrations of total and conjugated bilirubin and fatty acid, respectively. The mRNA expression of CAR and PPARalpha wa... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052846 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052845&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952427%26dopt%3DAbstract Conclusions: The decreases in COX-2 and PGI(2) synthase expression in severe PIH placentas may be causal factors in the disruption of the PGI(2)-thromboxane A(2) (TXA(2)) balance in favor of TXA(2). The decrease in COX-2 was more marked than that of PGI(2) synthase. PMID: 19952427 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052845 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052844&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952428%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Park YM, Cho JY, Koo YD, Lee YJ Hypoxia, which is intimately associated with the biology of breast carcinomas, modulates the level of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha expression and transactivation. We investigated the effect of blocking ER degradation on ERalpha-mediated transactivation under hypoxic conditions using the proteasome inhibitor MG132. Pretreatment with MG132 blocked hypoxia-induced degradation of ERalpha protein. Our data imply that ERalpha proteasomal inhibition is linked to receptor transactivation under hypoxia. PMID: 19952428 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052844 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052843&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952429%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we determined that a fungal metabolite from Sporothrix sp. FN611 potently inhibited the enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI) of Staphylococcus aureus. Its structure identified the metabolite as aquastatin A by the MS and NMR data. Aquastatin A inhibited S. aureus FabI with an IC(50) of 3.2 muM. It also prevented the growth of S. aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with minimum inhibitory concentration of 16-32mug/ml. Aquastatin A also exerted an inhibitory effect against the FabK isoform, an enoyl-ACP reductase of Streptococcus pneumoniae, with an IC(50) of 9.2 muM. The degalactosylation of aquastatin A did not affect the FabI and FabK-inhibitory or antibacterial activities, thereby suggesting that the sugar moiety within its molecular structure was not invol... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052843 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052842&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952430%26dopt%3DAbstract We reported that THC significantly prolonged the immobility time during the forced swim-stress. The selective cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist O-2050 significantly reduced the enhancement of immobility by THC. We investigated the effect of THC on levels of stress hormone corticosterone under non-stress and forced swim-stress conditions. THC did not affect plasma corticosterone levels under non-stress conditions. However, THC, together with forced swim-stress, significantly increased plasma corticosterone levels. This effect was inhibited by O-2050. This evidence suggests that THC, under stressful conditions, enhances the susceptibility of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis to stress via the CB(1) receptor, thereby increasing the risk of depression. PMID: 19952430 [PubMed - in... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052842 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052841&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952431%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Noguchi M, Mori A, Sakamoto K, Nakahara T, Ishii K The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of intravenous administration of flunarizine on the diameter of retinal blood vessels and blood pressure in anesthetized rats and to compare the effects of this antagonist with those of nicardipine and nifedipine. Retinal vascular images were captured with a fundus camera system for small animals and the diameter of retinal blood vessels contained in the images was measured using image-processing softwares on a personal computer. Blood pressure was continuously measured. Flunarizine [1-30 mug/kg, intravenously (i.v.)] dose-dependently increased the diameter of retinal blood vessels without significantly changing systemic blood pressure. Nicardipine (1-30 mug/kg, i.v.) increa... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052841 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052840&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952432%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Chen J, Qiu X, Wang R, Duan L, Chen S, Luo J, Kong L Cladosporol was isolated from the fermentation broth of Alternaria alternata var. monosporus obtained from the inner bark of the yew tree and mutated for many generations. We investigated the antitumor effects of cladosporol in vitro and in vivo. The growth-inhibitory effects of cladosporol in vitro against six human cancer cell lines were examined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. The results showed that cladosporol selectively killed cancer cells and had a significant inhibitory effect on the human gastric carcinoma cell line MGC-803 in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In vivo, cladosporol also showed antitumor activity in nude mice bearing MGC-803 gastric cance... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052840 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052839&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952433%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Li F, Awale S, Tezuka Y, Kadota S Thirteen cycloartane-type tritepenes (1-13) and four prenylated flavanones (14-17) isolated from propolis collected in Myanmar, were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against a panel of six different cancer cell lines; three murine cancer cell lines (colon 26-L5 carcinoma, B16-BL6 melanoma, and Lewis lung carcinoma) and three human cancer cell lines (lung A549 adenocarcinoma, cervix HeLa adenocarcinoma and HT-1080 fibrosarcoma). Among them, a cycloartane-type triterpene, 3alpha,27-dihydroxycycloart-24E-en-26-oic acid (3), showed the most potent cytotoxicity against B16-BL6 cells with an IC(50) value of 5.91 muM, comparable to those of positive controls, doxorubicin (IC(50), 5.66 muM) and 5-fluorouracil (IC(50), 4.88 muM). In addition, (2S... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052839 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052838&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19952434%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Akao T, Sato K, Hanada M Baicalin (BG) and its aglycone, baicalein (B), are strong antioxidants and have various pharmacological actions and show unique metabolic fates in the rat. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the contribution of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2, Abcc2) to the disposition of BG after oral administration of B using the Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rat (EHBR, Mrp2-deficient), in comparison with the Sprague-Dawley rat (SD, the wild-type form of EHBR). When B at a dose of 12.1 mg/kg was administered orally to EHBRs, the area under the concentration curve from time 0 to 24 h (AUC(0-24 h)) and C(max) values of plasma BG, 27.6+/-3.5 muM.h and 11.4+/-3.9 muM, respectively, were significantly higher at 5-fold and 8-fold, respectively, than th... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052838 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3052838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955566&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881290%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the influence of oxidative stress on the relative amounts of NADPH in human red blood cells (RBCs). To determine the homeostasis of the NADPH existing in the reduced form following oxidation, we developed an improved method for measurement of NADPH in human RBCs using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The present method with fluorescent detection is reproducible and selective than enzymatic cycling method and HPLC methods with spectrometric detection. The calibration curve is linear over the range of 0.1-5.0 muM with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. The within-run precision of the assays for total NADPH (NADPH+NADP(+)) and NADPH concentrations in human RBC were 2.4% and 8.6%, respectively (n=5). After the RBC suspension was exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955566 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955565&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881291%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Akiyama H, Nakamura F, Yamada C, Nakamura K, Nakajima O, Kawakami H, Harikai N, Furui S, Kitta K, Teshima R To screen for unauthorized genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the various crops, we developed a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction high-resolution melting-curve analysis method for the simultaneous qualitative detection of 35S promoter sequence of cauliflower mosaic virus (35SP) and the nopaline synthase terminator (NOST) in several crops. We selected suitable primer sets for the simultaneous detection of 35SP and NOST and designed the primer set for the detection of spiked ColE1 plasmid to evaluate the validity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses. In addition, we optimized the multiplex PCR conditions using the designed primer sets and EvaGre... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955565 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955564&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881292%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Noh KH, Oh DK The rare ginsenosides compound K, compound Y, and compound Mc were produced from the major ginsenosides Rb(1), Rb(2), Rc, and Rd by a thermostable beta-glycosidase from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius via three pathways: Rb(1)-->Rd-->compound K, Rb(2)-->compound Y-->compound K, and Rc-->compound Mc. Each of the ginsenosides was identified by high-performance liquid chromatography using standards and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based on their molecular weights. The catalytic efficiency of the enzyme for ginsenosides followed the order Rb(1) (4.8)>Rc (4.5)>Rd (1.0)>Rb(2) (0.77 mM(-1) min(-1)). The enzyme converted 1 mg/ml reagent-grade Rb(1), Rb(2), and Rc to 0.53 mg/ml compound K, 0.56 mg/ml compound Y, and 0.70 mg/ml compound Mc, res... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955564 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955563&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881293%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the effect of carnosine (beta-alanyl-histidine) on nitric oxide (NO) production and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activation in endothelial F-2 cells. Carnosine enhanced NO production in a dose-dependent manner, and the stimulatory effect of carnosine was observed at concentrations exceeding 5 mM. The carnosine-stimulated NO production was inhibited by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, but not by N(G)-nitro-D-arginine methyl ester. In contrast, beta-alanine, histidine (carnosine components) and anserine (N-methyl carnosine) failed to increase NO production. Carnosine had no effect on NO production for the initial 5 min, but thereafter resulted in a gradual increase in NO production up to 15 min. Carnosine did not induce phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1177. The carnosine-induc... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955563 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955562&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881294%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the rapid effect of resveratrol on nitric oxide (NO) production in endothelial F-2 cells. During an incubation period of 10 min, resveratrol at low concentrations (<20 microM) had no effect on NO production, whereas it significantly increased NO production at high concentrations (>50 microM). In contrast, pretreatment with resveratrol at low concentrations caused a significant decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-stimulated NO production. Resveratrol failed to induce phosphorylation of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and VEGF receptor and did not affect autophosphorylation of the VEGF receptor. However, resveratrol markedly suppressed VEGF-induced eNOS phosphorylation. Resveratrol at high concentrations reduced the viability of F-2 cells as determined by 3... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955562 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955561&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881295%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Noh AL, Yang M, Lee JM, Park H, Lee DS, Yim M Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) stimulates osteoclast formation by increasing receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB ligand (RANKL) mRNA expression via cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA) pathways in osteoblasts. Since phosphodiesterases (PDEs) balance the concentration of intracellular cAMP stimulated by PGE2, we investigated the role of PDEs in PGE2-mediated osteoclast formation using various cAMP-specific PDEs inhibitors. In the presence of PGE(2), PDE3 and 4 inhibitors were shown to dose-dependently increase the osteoclast formation in cocultures of mouse bone marrow cells and calvarial osteoblasts. In agreement with this finding, they stimulated PGE2-induced cAMP production followed by increased RANKL mRNA expression in osteoblasts,... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955561 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955560&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881296%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, different types of rhG-CSFs lead to different effects when rhG-CSF is applied to nonirradiated CD34+ cells, though Filgrastim, Nartograstim, and Lenograstim show equal effects on X-irradiated CD34+ cells. PMID: 19881296 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955560 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955559&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881297%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yao Y, Li L, Li L, Gao C, Shi C We evaluated the cardioprotection against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury induced by sevoflurane postconditioning (SpostC) in chronically-infarcted rat hearts, and investigated the roles of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B/Akt (PKB/Akt), mitogen-activated extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (MEK 1/2)-extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2), and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was ligated to induce myocardial infarction in rats. Six weeks later, chronically-infarcted hearts were isolated and subjected to 30 min of global ischemia, followed by 1 h of reperfusion with Krebs-Henseleit (K-H) buffer. SpostC was administered by perfusing the hearts with K-H bu... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955559 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955558&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881298%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ishida T, Suga A, Akagi M, Kamei C The present study was undertaken to investigate the characteristics of morphine in rat sleep patterns and also the effects of donepezil and memantine on somnolence caused by morphine. Electrodes were chronically implanted into the cortex and dorsal neck muscle of rats for electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) recordings, respectively. EEG and EMG were recorded with an electroencephalograph. SleepSigh ver.2.0 was used to analyse the sleep-wake state. Total times of wakefulness, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep were measured from 10:00 to 16:00. Morphine at a high dose caused a significant decrease in sleep latency and total REM sleep time, although the drug at low doses caused significant inc... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955558 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955557&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881299%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we demonstrated that PAc inhibited the cytotoxicity, apoptotic morphology, reduction of TH expression and abnormal oligomeration of alpha-synuclein in PC12 cells treated with MPP(+). Taken together, our results indicate that the neuroprotective effects of PAc on PC12 cells treated with MPP(+) is related to the inhibition of the oligomerization of alpha-synuclein. PMID: 19881299 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin) Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955557 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955556&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881300%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lee CS, Won C, Yoo H, Yi EH, Cho Y, Maeng JW, Sung SH, Ye SK, Chung MH Fraxinellone and sauchinone, isolated from natural substance, are known to have an anti-inflammatory effect in inflammatory conditions. However, the anti-inflammatory actions of these compounds have been insufficiently demonstrated in viral-induced neuroinflammation. A viral component (double-stranded (ds)RNA) triggers a toll-like receptor 3-dependent inflammatory response that stimulates pro-inflammatory mediators in the brain. In present study, we initially examined the biological effects of fraxinellone and sauchinone on anti-inflammatory actions in dsRNA-stimulated microglia. Both compounds inhibited dsRNA-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, a major pro-inflammatory enzyme. To dem... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955556 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955555&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881301%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we showed that 7,8,4'-trihydroxyflavone (T-412) significantly decreased IL-4 production both in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin (PI)-activated EL-4 T cells and concanavalin A (ConA)-activated murine CD4(+) T cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The PI-induced increase of IL-4 mRNA expression was dramatically suppressed by T-412 at 6 h, indicating the suppression is regulated at transcriptional level. T-412 also significantly inhibited IL-4 gene promoter activity in EL-4 T cells transiently transfected with luciferase reporter plasmid containing IL-4 promoter (pGL4.14-IL-4). Western blot analysis of the transcription factors revealed that T-412 suppressed the nuclear expression of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT)c1, c-Jun and c-Maf, but n... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955555 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955554&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881302%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kubo Y, Terashima Y, Yagi N, Nochi H, Tamoto K, Sekikawa H Disks of probucol and solid dispersion systems of probucol-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in various weight ratios were prepared. Dissolution of probucol was markedly increased in the solid dispersion systems in J.P. XV disintegration media No. 1 (pH 1.2) and No. 2 (pH 6.8). The concentrations of probucol after the dissolution of the disks of solid dispersion systems showed supersaturation. Following the administration of disks of solid dispersion systems in rabbits, a marked increase in the area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) was observed. When the weight ratio of PVP to probucol was larger, a larger AUC was observed. When disks of the 1 : 9 solid dispersion system (weight ratio of probucol : PVP=1 : 9) c... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955554 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955553&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881303%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Takano R, Takata N, Shiraki K, Higo S, Hayashi Y, Yamashita S The purpose of this work is to clarify the relationship of mean particle size to the dissolution rate of polydispersed particles for Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) Class II drugs. An equation for the initial dissolution rate of polydispersed particles relative to mean particle diameter was theoretically derived from the Noyes-Whitney equation assuming spherical particles and sink conditions. To verify the relationship of dissolution to the mean particle diameters, the dissolution rates of 6 types of hypothetically-generated log-normal polydispersed particles and 3 different sized particles of aprepitant, a designated BCS class II drug, were compared with known mean diameters calculated according to su... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955553 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955552&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881304%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, xanthorrhizol, a natural sesquiterpenoid isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma xanthorrhiza ROXB. (Zingiberaceae), was evaluated for its estrogenic activity. It has been known that compounds acting as ligands for estrogen receptors (ERs) are considered to possess estrogenic activity. Therefore, the Gal-4/ER transactivation assay in transiently transfected African green monkey kidney (COS-7) cells was used to examine the estrogenic activity of xanthorrhizol. Both subtypes of ERs, ERalpha and ERbeta, were involved in this assay. Further transactivation assays and pS2 mRNA analysis were also conducted in estrogen receptor-positive human breast cancer (MCF-7). Our results showed that xanthorrhizol significantly increased Gal-4/ER luciferase activity in a dose-dependent manner and... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955552 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955552 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955551&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881305%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hamid KA, Lin Y, Gao Y, Katsumi H, Sakane T, Yamamoto A The effect of Wellsolve, a new solubilizing agent, on the function of intestinal membrane barrier and transporters including P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and peptide transporter (PEPT1) was examined by an in vitro diffusion chamber and an in situ closed loop method. The model drugs used in this study were 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF), rhodamine123 (a P-glycoprotein substrate), cephalexin (a typical substrate for PEPT1) and griseofulvin (a BCS Class II drug). Intestinal absorption of CF was not affected by the addition of 1-10% (v/v) Wellsolve, while 20% (v/v) Wellsolve significantly enhanced its intestinal absorption by the in situ absorption study. Therefore, this finding suggested that high concentration of Wellsolve might alt... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955551 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955550&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881306%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kim J, Yamamoto F, Gondo S, Yanase T, Mukai T, Maeda M Normal female rat distribution studies showed high and specific uptake of 6-deoxy-6-[(131)I]iodo-L-ascorbic acid (6-(131)IAsA) into the adrenal glands, known to highly express the ascorbate sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter-2 (SVCT-2), and the adrenal gland was clearly visualized by whole-body autoradiography. Preinjection of sulfinpyrazone, a known blocker of ascorbate transport, with 6-(131)IAsA resulted in decreased uptake of radioactivity in rat adrenal glands compared to the control group, seemingly illustrating the participation of the SVCT transporter (probably the SVCT-2 subtype) in the uptake process in vivo. 4-Aminopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-induced hypolipidemic rats showed a 1.7-fold increase in adrenal upt... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955550 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955549&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881307%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lee JH, Lee JW, Sung JS, Bang KH, Moon SG The present study describes the molecular authentication of 21 Korean Artemisia species using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) technique based on the trnL-F sequences in chloroplast DNA. Five different banding patterns were generated from 21 Artemisia species using HinfI restriction enzyme. A. apiacea, A. keiskeana and A. sieversiana have specific banding patterns. The remaining 18 species had shared two banding patterns. Phylogenetic analysis based on trnL-F sequence variations showed results similar to PCR-RFLP banding patterns. It suggested that the trnL-F region does not have sufficient variations to identify the 21 Artemisia species. However, the specific banding patterns for A. apiacea... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955549 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955548&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881308%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kanki K, Ishijima Y, Watanabe Y Control of cell cycle progression in somatic cells or terminally differentiated cells is a key technology for cell-based therapies such as regenerative therapy. We have prepared an artificial cell cycle progression peptide composed of a human immunodeficiency virus-derived Tat protein transduction domain (PTD) and a p53 genetic suppressor element (GSE123). The peptide significantly promoted hepatocyte growth factor-induced DNA synthesis and the proliferation of primary mouse hepatocytes, which are highly differentiated somatic cells. The addition of a nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequence to the peptide increased the internalization of the peptide to the nuclear fraction. Distribution analysis using a fluoresein isothiocyanate-labeled pepti... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955548 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955547&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881309%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Goto K, Suzuki A, Shibata N, Okawa Y We detected the beta-1,2-mannosyltransferases (beta-1,2-MTs), which participate in the biosynthesis of oligomannosyl side chains in the mannan acid-labile fraction, in a particulate insoluble fractions prepared from Candida albicans NIH B-792 strain cells grown at 27 degrees C and at 37 degrees C in a yeast extract-added Sabouraud liquid medium (YSLM). The beta-1,2-MT VI-6 prepared from the cells grown at 27 degrees C exhibited the maximum activity at pH 7.0 and at 30 degrees C. The beta-1,2-MT VI-6 activity was only slightly affected by Mn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, but completely inhibited by Zn2+ and Ni2+. The beta-1,2-MT activities from the cells grown at 37 degrees C were lower than that from the cells grown at... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955547 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955546&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881310%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Noguchi M, Mori A, Sakamoto K, Nakahara T, Ishii K Ibudilast (3-isobutyryl-2-isopropylpyrazolo[1,5-alpha]pyridine) is clinically used as a cerebral vasodilator in Japan. However, the effects of ibudilast on retinal blood vessels have not been fully examined. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the effects of ibudilast on retinal blood vessels in rats in vivo. Male Wistar rats (8 to 10 weeks old) were anesthetized with thiobutabarbital (120 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)). Retinal vascular images were captured with a fundus camera system for small animals, and the diameter of retinal blood vessels was measured. Ibudilast (0.1 and 1 mg/kg, intravenously (i.v.)) elicited a sustained increase in the diameter of retinal blood vessels and heart rate without altering sy... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955546 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955545&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881311%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Saito R, Kaneko E, Tanaka Y, Honda K, Matsuda T, Baba A, Komuro I, Kita S, Iwamoto T, Takano Y Involvement of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced convulsion by use of NCX knockout mice and the selective ligand SEA0400 to NCX was examined. In the SEA0400-administered group, the latency to clonic convulsion was extended into 210 s, although the latency to clonic convulsion was observed until 100 s in control group. SEA0400 had little effect on bicuculline-induced clonic seizure nicotine-induced wild running and 4-aminopyridine-induced tonic flexion, respectively. Tonic flexion convulsion was occurred three fifth in the wild type mice group by administration of PTZ, but tonic flexion was not observed in NCX1 knockout mice groups. These results suggest that... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955545 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955544&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881312%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zaidi SF, Ahmed K, Yamamoto T, Kondo T, Usmanghani K, Kadowaki M, Sugiyama T Inflammatory cytokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) overexpressed in the gastric mucosa when exposed to Helicobacter pylori, defined as a class I carcinogen. Moreover, infection with H. pylori leads to morphological changes in co-cultured cells known as hummingbird phenomenon along with increased motility. Resveratrol, a highly abundant polyphenol in red grapes, has shown anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, cardioprotective and neuroprotective activities. However, the effect of resveratrol in H. pylori-infected cells has not been investigated. The present study was, therefore, aimed to evaluate the effect of resveratrol on the induction of IL-8, ROS and hummingbird morphology in H... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955544 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955543&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881313%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nakamura T, Nakatsu N, Yoshida Y, Yamazaki K, Dan S, Sadahiro S, Makuuchi H, Yamori T In order to efficiently develop improved cancer therapies it is important to predict the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs. In this regard, identification of genes that are related to drug sensitivity is vital. We previously established a panel of 39 human cancer cell lines (JFCR39) and a panel aiming for organ-specific analysis of 45 human cancer cell lines (JFCR45). Here, we focus on 20 human gastric cancer cell lines from JFCR45, a panel of human cancer cell lines to predict genes that determine chemosensitivity to anti-cancer drugs. We measured both chemosensitivity to a range of anti-cancer drugs as well as changes in gene expression profile. We then identified genes in which expression is r... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955543 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955542&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881314%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Homma M, Hosono H, Hasegawa Y, Kohda Y The effects of intracellular ribavirin on morphology and redistribution of phosphatidylserine (PS) in human erythrocytes were examined. Erythrocytes were incubated with 1 mM ribavirin in the presence/absence of dipyridamole, an inhibitor of es-type nucleoside transporter. Intracellular ribavirin was accumulated in erythrocytes with the concentration of 1361 muM, which corresponds to the blood level in patients receiving ribavirin. Dipyridamole reduced ribavirin accumulation by 40.7% (807 muM) via inhibiting es-type nucleoside transporter on erythrocytes. Morphological transformation into echinocytic form was observed in 86.4% of the erythrocytes treated with ribavirin. Dipyridamole pre-treatment decreased the morphological change to 20.0%... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955542 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2955541&cid=s_32516_13_f&fid=32516&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19881315%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Takahashi N, Ohba T Retinoic acid (RA) has a variety of biological effects in mammalian cells and tissues. It is well known that RA is a potent anticancer agent that induces differentiation of leukemia cells as well as inhibiting cell growth. The current study examined HL60 proteins using anti-RA monoclonal antibodies (ARMAs) and found that some RA-binding proteins may be histones. These proteins eluted in the void volume fractions following Mono Q anion exchange chromatography and immunostained with ARMAs. These ARMAs showed specific binding to the proteins in a saturable manner that depended on antibody concentration. Certain of these proteins co-migrated with histones on one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It was also found that histones isolated from HL60 c... Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2955541 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2955541