Cyanidin-3-glucoside extracted from mulberry fruit can reduce N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced retinal degeneration in rats.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) on a rat retinal degeneration (RD) model.

Materials And Methods: Experimental RD was induced in rats by the intraperitoneal injection of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) at 50 mg/kg. C3G extracted from mulberry (Morus alba L.

Presynaptic Localization and Possible Function of Calcium-Activated Chloride Channel Anoctamin 1 in the Mammalian Retina.

Calcium (Ca(2+))-activated chloride (Cl(-)) channels (CaCCs) play a role in the modulation of action potentials and synaptic responses in the somatodendritic regions of central neurons. In the vertebrate retina, large Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) currents (ICl(Ca)) regulate synaptic transmission at photoreceptor terminals; however, the molecular identity of CaCCs that mediate ICl(Ca) remains unclear. The transmembrane protein, TMEM16A, also called anoctamin 1 (ANO1), has been recently validated as a CaCC and is widely expressed in various secretory epithelia and nervous tissues.

Axonal synapses utilize multiple synaptic ribbons in the mammalian retina.

In the mammalian retina, bipolar cells and ganglion cells which stratify in sublamina a of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) show OFF responses to light stimuli while those that stratify in sublamina b show ON responses. This functional relationship between anatomy and physiology is a key principle of retinal organization. However, there are at least three types of retinal neurons, including intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) and dopaminergic amacrine cells, which violate this principle.

Neuroprotective effects of black soybean anthocyanins via inactivation of ASK1-JNK/p38 pathways and mobilization of cellular sialic acids.

Aims: To investigate neuroprotective effects of three major anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, and petunidin-3-O-glucoside) isolated from the black soybean (Glycine max L.) cv. Cheongja 3 seed coat against H(2)O(2)-induced cell death of human brain neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells.

Nestin expressing progenitor cells during establishment of the neural retina and its vasculature.

In order to test if nestin is a useful marker for various types of progenitor cells, we explored nestin expression in the retina during development. Nestin expression was co-evaluated with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling and Griffonia simplicifolia isolectin B4 (GSIB4) histochemistry. Nestin immunoreactivity appears in cell soma of dividing neural progenitor cells and their leading processes in retinas from embryonic day (E) 13 to E20, in accordance with a BrdU-labeled pattern.

Anthocyanins from the seed coat of black soybean reduce retinal degeneration induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.

Anthocyanins are known to have antioxidant effects and thus may play an important role in preventing various degenerative diseases. In this study, we examined the effect of anthocyanins extracted from the seed coat of black soybean on an animal model of retinal degeneration (RD), a leading cause of photoreceptor cell death resulting in blindness. RD was induced in rats by an intraperitoneal injection of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) (50mg/kg), a DNA-methylating agent that causes photoreceptor damage.

Variety of horizontal cell gap junctions in the rabbit retina.

In the rabbit retina, there are two types of horizontal cell (HC). The axonless A-type HCs form a coupled network via connexin 50 (Cx50) gap junctions in the outer plexiform layer (OPL). The axon-bearing B-type HCs form two independently coupled networks; the dendritic network via gap junctions consisted of unknown Cx and the axon terminal network via Cx57.

Morphological and functional evaluation of an animal model for the retinal degeneration induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.

The retinal degeneration (RD) is a general cause of blindness. To study its pathophysiology and evaluate the effects of new therapeutic agents before clinical trials, it is essential to establish reliable and stable animal models. This study evaluated a RD animal model in which blindness was induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU), a potent retinotoxin leading to apoptosis of photoreceptors.

Immunochemical changes of calbindin, calretinin and SMI32 in ischemic retinas induced by increase of intraocular pressure and by middle cerebral artery occlusion.

The reaction of neuroactive substances to ischemic conditions in the rat retina evoked by different methods was immunochemically evaluated in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Ocular ischemic conditions were unilaterally produced by elevating intraocular pressure (EIOP) or by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Two EF-hand calcium binding proteins, calbindin D28K (CB) and calretinin (CR), in the normal retina showed similar immunolocalization, such as the amacrine and displaced amacrine cells, the ganglion cells, and their processes, particularly CB in horizontal cells.

Measurement of ER and PR status in breast cancer using the QuantiGene2.0 assay.

Aim: The QuantiGene2.0 assay has low interlaboratory variability and can directly measure RNA levels without a reverse transcription step or a polymerase chain reaction process. To evaluate the utility of the QuantiGene2.

Changes in transcript and protein levels of calbindin D28k, calretinin and parvalbumin, and numbers of neuronal populations expressing these proteins in an ischemia model of rat retina.

Excessive calcium is thought to be a critical step in various neurodegenerative processes including ischemia. Calbindin D28k (CB), calretinin (CR), and parvalbumin (PV), members of the EF-hand calcium-binding protein family, are thought to play a neuroprotective role in various pathologic conditions by serving as a buffer against excessive calcium. The expression of CB, PV and CR in the ischemic rat retina induced by increasing intraocular pressure was investigated at the transcript and protein levels, by means of the quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, western blot and immunohistochemistry.

Expression of α-gustducin in mammalian retinas.

α-Gustducin (Gα-gust) is the α subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein complex specific for taste receptor cells of the tongue. However, it has been shown to be present in ectopic regions, such as airways and digestive tract. Recently, Gα-gust was found within neurons in various regions of the mouse brain.

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 mRNA in the developing rat cerebellum.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-3, a receptor for VEGF-C and VEGF-D, has recently been suggested to play an important role during neuronal development. To characterize its potential role in CNS ontogenesis, we investigated the spatiotemporal and cellular expression of VEGFR-3 in developing and mature rat cerebellum using in situ hybridization. VEGFR-3 expression appeared as early as E15, and was restricted to the ventricular zone of the cerebellar primordium, the germinative neuroepithelium, but was absent by E20.

Induction of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 mRNA in glial cells following focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

To identify whether vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-3, a receptor for VEGF-C and VEGF-D, is involved in pathophysiology of stroke, we investigated the spatiotemporal regulation of VEGFR-3 mRNA after transient focal cerebral ischemia. Most of the increase in VEGFR-3 expression in the ischemic core could be attributed to brain macrophages, whereas VEGFR-3 in the peri-infarct penumbra region was predominantly expressed in reactive astrocytes. A subpopulation of VEGFR-3-expressing brain macrophages was positive for NG2 proteoglycan and showed proliferative activity.

Enhanced expression of the sweet taste receptors and alpha-gustducin in reactive astrocytes of the rat hippocampus following ischemic injury.

The heterodimeric sweet taste receptors, T1R2 and T1R3, have recently been proposed to be associated with the brain glucose sensor. To identify whether sweet taste signaling is regulated in response to an ischemic injury inducing acute impairment of glucose metabolism, we investigated the spatiotemporal expression of the sweet taste receptors and their associated taste-specific G-protein α-gustducin in the rat hippocampus after ischemia. The expression profiles of both receptor subunits and α-gustducin shared overlapping expression patterns in sham-operated and ischemic hippocampi.

Spatial and temporal changes of osteopontin in oxygen-glucose-deprived hippocampal slice cultures.

We have examined the temporal changes and cellular localization of osteopontin (OPN) mRNA and protein in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures subjected to ischemia-like oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). The sequential induction pattern response consisted of neuronal and microglial OPN upregulation, followed by a later extended phase of expression in reactive astrocytes. OPN immunoreactivity after OGD matched the mRNA induction patterns.

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 mRNA in the rat developing forebrain and retina.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-3, a receptor for VEGF-C and VEGF-D, is expressed in neural progenitor cells, but there has been no comprehensive study of its distribution in the developing brain. Here, the temporal and cell-specific expression of VEGFR-3 mRNA was studied in the developing rat forebrain and eye. Expression appeared along the ventricular and subventricular zones of the lateral and third ventricles showing ongoing neurogenesis as early as embryonic day 13 but was progressively down-regulated during development and remained in the subventricular zone and rostral migratory stream of the adult forebrain.

Enhanced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 in the subventricular zone of stroke-lesioned rats.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-3, a receptor for VEGF-C and VEGF-D, has recently been proposed to be involved in adult hippocampal neurogenesis in response to cerebral ischemia. To identify whether VEGFR-3 is involved in poststroke neurogenesis, we investigated the temporal regulation of VEGFR-3 mRNA expression in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of rats with transient focal cerebral ischemia by in situ hybridization analysis, and identified the phenotypes of cells expressing VEGFR-3 by double- and triple-labeling techniques. In sham-operated rats, hybridization signals for VEGFR-3 mRNA were evident at a weaker intensity in the SVZ of the lateral ventricle.

Synaptic connections of calbindin-immunoreactive cone bipolar cells in the inner plexiform layer of rabbit retina.

In the mammalian retina, information concerning various aspects of an image is transferred in parallel, and cone bipolar cells are thought to play a major role in this parallel processing. We have examined the synaptic connections of calbindin-immunoreactive (IR) ON cone bipolar cells in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) of rabbit retina and have compared these synaptic connections with those that we have previously described for neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor-IR cone bipolar cells. A total of 325 synapses made by calbindin-IR bipolar axon terminals have been identified in sublamina b of the IPL.

Differential expression of two glutamate transporters, GLAST and GLT-1, in an experimental rat model of glaucoma.

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter of the mammalian retina, and excessive glutamate has been implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. It is well known that glutamate transport, mainly via GLAST and GLT-1, is cardinal mechanism for maintaining glutamate homeostasis in normal and pathological conditions, including ischemia in the brain. In an effort to understand the role of glutamate and the glutamate regulation system of the retina in the pathogenesis of glaucoma, we examined changes in the expression of two glutamate transporters, GLAST and GLT-1, by Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry in a rat glaucoma model.

Enhanced expression of SOCS-2 in the rat hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling-2 (SOCS-2) has recently been identified as an important regulator involved in neuronal differentiation and maturation. However, the role of SOCS-2 in ischemia-induced hippocampal neurogenesis remains to be clarified. Here we investigated the spatiotemporal expression of SOCS-2 in the rat hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia, and particular attention was paid to changes in the dentate gyrus.

Transient expression of Bis protein in midline radial glia in developing rat brainstem and spinal cord.

Bis (Bcl-2 interacting death suppressor) has been reported to contribute to the differentiation and maturation of specific neuronal populations in the developing rat forebrain, in addition to its well-established functions as a stress or survival-related protein. In the present study, we have analyzed the expression of Bis in the rat brainstem and cervical spinal cord during development by using immunohistochemistry. Bis immunoreactivity was detected in radial glial cells flanking the midline from embryonic day 14.

Differential regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor-C and its receptor in the rat hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia.

We investigated the changes in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and its receptor, VEGFR-3, in the rat hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia. The expression profiles of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 were very similar in the control hippocampi, where both genes were constitutively expressed in neurons in the pyramidal cell and granule cell layers. The spatiotemporal expression pattern of VEGF-C was similar to that of VEGFR-3 in the ischemic hippocampus, and in the CA1 and dentate hilar regions both VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 were strongly expressed in activated glial cells rather than in neurons.

Differential regulation of osteopontin receptors, CD44 and the alpha(v) and beta(3) integrin subunits, in the rat hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia.

We have examined the spatiotemporal regulation of CD44 and the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin subunits, which have been identified as receptors for osteopontin (OPN), in the rat hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia. Immunoreactivity for CD44 and the integrin subunits, alpha(v) and beta(3), showed characteristic time- and cell-dependent patterns in the ischemic hippocampus. CD44 immunoreactivity was induced at day 1 after reperfusion, reached a peak at day 3, and returned to basal levels by day 7.