Brain allopregnanolone induces marked scratching behaviour in diet-induced atopic dermatitis mouse model.

Allopregnanolone (ALLO) is a neurosteroid produced in the brain, but so far, no study has explored its link with itching. Herein, we used a diet-induced atopic dermatitis mouse model to examine whether exogenously administered and endogenously produced ALLO contribute to inducing scratching. Systemic administration of ALLO elicited robust scratching in the atopic dermatitis model, while it did not affect spontaneous and pruritogen-induced scratching in normal mice.

Barbiturates enhance itch-associated scratching in atopic dermatitis mice: A possible clue to understanding nocturnal pruritus in atopic dermatitis.

In chronic pruritic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, pruritus is exacerbated during nocturnal sleep; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We previously demonstrated that acute administration of the sedative-hypnotics ethanol markedly enhanced itch-associated spontaneous scratching in a diet-induced mouse model of atopic dermatitis. In the present study, to expand our previous finding and provide a general mechanism for the central modulation of chronic itch, we examined whether other hypnotic drugs, such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines, also enhance scratching, and further investigated the underlying mechanism.

Transformation of Methylene Acetals to Bromoformates with a Combination of Trimethyl(phenylthio)silane and N-Bromosuccinimide.

A novel transformation reaction of methylene acetals, using a combination of trimethyl(phenylthio)silane (PhSTMS) and N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) under mild reaction conditions, is described. Various methylene acetals were converted to their corresponding bromoformates in good to high yields. Under the given conditions, the reaction proceeded via a radical pathway.

Volatile Glycosylation in Tea Plants: Sequential Glycosylations for the Biosynthesis of Aroma β-Primeverosides Are Catalyzed by Two Camellia sinensis Glycosyltransferases.

Tea plants (Camellia sinensis) store volatile organic compounds (VOCs; monoterpene, aromatic, and aliphatic alcohols) in the leaves in the form of water-soluble diglycosides, primarily as β-primeverosides (6-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranosides). These VOCs play a critical role in plant defenses and tea aroma quality, yet little is known about their biosynthesis and physiological roles in planta. Here, we identified two UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) from C.

The effect of sevoflurane on developing A/J strain mouse embryos using a whole-embryo culture system--the incidence of cleft lip in culture embryos.

A/J strain mice have a high spontaneous incidence of cleft lip (ICL) and/or palate. The primary palate-related effects of sevoflurane on developing A/J strain mouse embryos (embryos) were studied using a whole-embryo culture (WEC) system. This system could separate the direct effects of sevoflurane from those that are maternally mediated.