Long-term efficacy and safety of a new botulinum toxin type A preparation in mouse gastrocnemius muscle.

A new type A botulinum toxin (BoNT/A) preparation, JTM201 (NCBI chromosomal DNA ID: CP046450), has been developed, which comprises 900-kDa complexed toxin purified from Clostridium botulinum (strain: NCTC13319), but its safety and efficacy have not yet been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of JTM201 at different concentrations in comparison to another commercially available BoNT/A product, Botox® (onabotulinumtoxin A, ONA), using a mouse model. The LD of JTM201 was similar to that of ONA, but the intrinsic activity of JTM201 was higher than that of ONA.

Protective effects of human umbilical cord blood‑derived mesenchymal stem cells against dexamethasone‑induced apoptotic cell death in hair follicles.

Alopecia is a common and distressing condition, and developing new therapeutic agents to prevent hair loss is important. Human umbilical cord blood‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB‑MSCs) have been studied intensively in regenerative medicine. However, the therapeutic potential of these cells against hair loss and hair organ damage remains unclear, and the effects of hUCB‑MSC transplantation on hair loss require evaluation.

Boehmite enhances hair follicle growth via stimulation of dermal papilla cells by upregulating β-catenin signalling.

Hair growth, a complex process, has long been the subject of intense research. Recent developments in material technology have revealed boehmite as a new therapeutic modality for use in wound healing and scar reduction, indicating its beneficial effects. Nonetheless, the biological bases of the beneficial effects of boehmite remain unknown.

Development of finasteride polymer microspheres for systemic application in androgenic alopecia.

The use of finasteride for alleviating hair loss has been investigated, and it has been applied as an oral dose medication. However, due to the inconvenience of daily drug administration over long period of time, novel controllable finasteride delivery has been actively investigated. As a novel method of finasteride delivery, the development of finasteride‑loaded microspheres for subcutaneous administration is becoming increasingly pharmaceutically important.

Therapeutic potential of topically administered γ-AlOOH on 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis-like lesions in Balb/c mice.

Boehmite (γ-AlOOH) has a wide range of applications in a variety of industrial and biological fields. However, little is known about its potential roles in skin diseases. The current study investigated its effect on atopic dermatitis (AD).

Human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells engineered to overexpress growth factors accelerate outcomes in hair growth.

Human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) are used in tissue repair and regeneration; however, the mechanisms involved are not well understood. We investigated the hair growth-promoting effects of hUCB-MSCs treatment to determine whether hUCB-MSCs enhance the promotion of hair growth. Furthermore, we attempted to identify the factors responsible for hair growth.

Anti‑apoptotic effects of human placental hydrolysate against hepatocyte toxicity in vivo and in vitro.

Apoptosis and oxidative stress are essential for the pathogenesis of acute liver failure and fulminant hepatic failure. Human placental hydrolysate (hPH) has been reported to possess antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties. In the present study, the protective effects of hPH against D‑galactosamine (D‑GalN)‑ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced hepatocyte apoptosis were investigated in vivo.

Topical administration of EGF suppresses immune response and protects skin barrier in DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease characterized by a complex, heterogeneous pathogenesis including skin barrier dysfunction, immunology, and pruritus. Although epidermal growth factor (EGF) is essential for epithelial homeostasis and wound healing, the effect of EGF on AD remains to be explored. To develop a new therapy for AD, the anti-AD potential of EGF was investigated by inducing AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice using 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB).

Irradiation with 310 nm and 340 nm ultraviolet light-emitting-diodes can improve atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice.

Ultraviolet (UV) light produces an immunomodulatory effect on the skin and is widely used for the treatment of chronic inflammatory skin diseases. UV light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are a new and promising source of UV radiation. However, their mechanism of action remains largely unknown.

Fractional CO laser treatment for vaginal laxity: A preclinical study.

Background And Objective: Various studies have investigated treatment for vaginal laxity with microablative fractional carbon dioxide CO laser in humans; however, this treatment has not yet been studied in an animal model. Herein, we evaluate the therapeutic effects of fractional CO laser for tissue remodeling of vaginal mucosa using a porcine model, with the aim of improving vaginal laxity.

Study Design/materials And Methods: The fractional CO laser enables minimally invasive and non-incisional procedures.

Association between ST8SIA2 and the Risk of Schizophrenia and Bipolar I Disorder across Diagnostic Boundaries.

Background: Findings from family studies and recent genome-wide association studies have indicated overlap in the risk genes between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BD). After finding a linkage between the ST8SIA2 (ST8 alpha-N-acetyl-neuraminide alpha-2, 8-sicalyltransferase 2 gene) locus (15q26) and mixed families with schizophrenia and BD, several studies have reported a significant association between this gene and schizophrenia or BD. We investigated the genetic association between ST8SIA2 and both schizophrenia and BD in the Korean population.