Dependence Potential of the Synthetic Cannabinoids JWH-073, JWH-081, and JWH-210: In Vivo and In Vitro Approaches.

Synthetic cannabinoids (CBs) such as the JWH series have caused social problems concerning their abuse liability. Because the JWH series produces euphoric and hallucinogenic effects, they have been distributed illegally under street names such as "Spice" and "Smoke". Many countries including Korea have started to schedule some of the JWH series compounds as controlled substances, but there are a number of JWH series chemicals that remain uncontrolled by law.

Dependence potential of quetiapine: behavioral pharmacology in rodents.

Quetiapine is an atypical or second-generation antipsychotic agent and has been a subject of a series of case report and suggested to have the potential for misuse or abuse. However, it is not a controlled substance and is not generally considered addictive. In this study, we examined quetiapine's dependence potential and abuse liability through animal behavioral tests using rodents to study the mechanism of quetiapine.

Genetic modification does not affect the stemness of neural stem cells in nestin promoter-GFP transgenic mice.

Because nestin promoter-GFP mice have frequently been used in neural stem cell (NSC) research, it is essential to prove that there is no alteration in the stemness of NSCs derived from this transgenic model for the interpretation and validity of the data. We compared the stemness of NSCs derived from transgenic mice expressing GFP driven by the nestin enhancer with those from wild-type (C57BL/6) mice with respect to the general gene expression profile, expression of neural stem cell markers as nestin and Sox2, and responsiveness to neurotrophins (BDNF, PDGF-BB, and NT-3). The gene expression profile analysis showed that the coefficient of correlation between the two groups was very high (r=0.

Modulation of immune response induced by co-administration of DNA vaccine encoding HBV surface antigen and HCV envelope antigen in BALB/c mice.

Plasmid DNA vaccines encoding the hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface and hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope antigens, respectively, were constructed, and attempt were made to find the possibility of a divalent vaccine against HBV and HCV. The expression of each plasmid in Cos-1 cells was confirmed using immunocytochemistry. To measure the induced immune response by these plasmids in vivo, female BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly with 100 microg of either both or just one of the plasmids.

Differential gene expression profiles in the steatosis/fibrosis model of rat liver by chronic administration of carbon tetrachloride.

Global gene expression profile was analyzed by microarray analysis of rat liver RNA after chronic carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) administration. Rats received 0.5 ml CCl(4)/kg three times a week, and the liver samples were obtained after 0, 30, 60, and 90 days of injection.

Comprehensive analysis of differential gene expression profiles on carbon tetrachloride-induced rat liver injury and regeneration.

Microarray analysis of RNA from carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-administered rat livers was performed at various time points to establish a global gene expression profile during injury and regeneration stages. A single dose of 1 ml/kg of CCl4 was given by ip injection, and the liver samples were obtained after 6, 24, 48 h, and 2 weeks. Histopathologic, biochemical, and immunohistochemical studies enabled the classification of the CCl4 effect into injury (6 and 24 h) and regeneration (48 h and 2 weeks) stages.

cDNA microarray analysis of differential gene expression in gastric cancer cells sensitive and resistant to 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin.

Purpose: Gastric cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin are the most commonly used drugs for the treatment of gastric cancer. However, a significant number of tumors often fail to respond to chemotherapy.

Hepatic gene expression profiles in a long-term high-fat diet-induced obesity mouse model.

To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying alterations in the pathophysiologic status of dietary obesity, we examined hepatic genes differentially expressed in a long-term high-fat intake-induced obesity mouse model. C57BL/6J male mice were fed with two kinds of diets for 12 weeks; a low-fat diet (LFD), a high-fat diet (HFD; n=8), and the expression levels of approximately 10,000 transcripts in liver tissues from the two groups were assessed using cDNA microarray analysis. Twelve-week feeding with the HFD resulted in significant increase in body weight, visceral fat accumulation and circulating cholesterol concentration, compared with the LFD group.

Temporal expression changes during differentiation of neural stem cells derived from mouse embryonic stem cell.

Temporal analysis in gene expression during differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) was performed by using in-house microarrays composed of 10,368 genes. The changes in mRNA level were measured during differentiation day 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 15. Out of 10,368 genes analyzed, 259 genes were up-regulated or down-regulated by 2-fold or more at least at one time-point during differentiation, and were classified into six clusters based on their expression patterns by K-means clustering.

Ascorbic acid responsive genes during neuronal differentiation of embryonic stem cells.

Ascorbic acid has been reported to enhance differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells into neurons, however, the specific functions of ascorbic acid have not been defined yet. To address this issue, gene expression profiling was performed using cDNA microarray. Ascorbic acid increased the expressions of genes involved in neurogenesis, maturation, and neurotransmission.

Delayed genomic responses to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat.

Ischemic stress in the brain induces acute and massive neuronal death in the targeted area, which is followed by a second round of detrimental processes, called delayed neuronal death, in the neighboring areas. To test the hypothesis that transcriptional control plays a role in the pathophysiology of the postischemic brain, the genomic responses that occurred in the brain at 3, 6 and, 12 h, and 1, 2 or 4 days after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) were examined using a microarray harboring 5000 rat cDNAs. This analysis indicated that the number of up-regulated genes was gradually increased, along with the concomitant reduction in the number of down-regulated genes, until 12 h to 1 day after MCAO.

The differential gene expression profiles between sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells to adriamycin by cDNA microarray.

Purpose: Adriamycin is one of the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of breast cancer. This study was performed to understand the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in breast cancer cells.

Materials And Methods: We have analyzed the MCF-7 breast cell line and its adriamycin-resistant variants, MCF-7/ADR using human 10 K element cDNA microarrays.

Comprehensive transcriptome analysis of differentiation of embryonic stem cells into midbrain and hindbrain neurons.

Neurogenesis is one of the most complex events in embryonic development. However, little information is available regarding the molecular events that occur during neurogenesis. To identify regulatory genes and underlying mechanisms involved in the differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells to neurons, gene expression profiling was performed using cDNA microarrays.

Dextromethorphan alters gene expression in rat brain hippocampus and cortex.

Dextromethorphan is a widely used anti-tussive drug with non-competitive antagonistic effects on excitatory amino acid receptors of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type. This study examined the effect of daily dextromethorphan administration on gene expression in rat brain hippocampus and cortex regions using Rat 5K cDNA microarrays. Triplicate microarray assays were performed at each time point (1, 3 and 10 days), and results were confirmed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR on a subset of differentially expressed cDNA.

Differential gene expression in retinoic acid-induced differentiation of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells, NB4 and HL-60 cells.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by a specific chromosome translocation t(15;17), which results in the fusion of the promyelocytic leukemia gene (PML) and retinoic acid receptor alpha gene (RARalpha). APL can be effectively treated with the cell differentiation inducer all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). NB4 cells, an acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line, have the t(15;17) translocation and differentiate in response to ATRA, whereas HL-60 cells lack this chromosomal translocation, even after differentiation by ATRA.