Topical Application of Peptide Nucleic Acid Antisense Oligonucleotide for MMP-1 and Its Potential Anti-Aging Properties.

Matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) is a zinc-containing endopeptidase that degrades dermal collagen and other extracellular matrix molecules. It is recognized as one of the most important indicators of cellular senescence and age-related skin changes. Here, we introduced a novel MMP-1 peptide nucleic acid (PNA) derivative--which can interact with and consequently silence the MMP-1 gene sequence.

Inhibition of Melanosome Transport by Inducing Exon Skipping in Melanophilin.

Exon skipping is an efficient technique to inhibit specific gene expression induced by a short-sequence peptide nucleic acid (PNA). To date, there has been no study on the effects of PNA on skin pigmentation. In melanocytes, the tripartite complex is responsible for the transport of mature melanosomes from the nucleus to the dendrites.

Long-term treatment of allogeneic adipose-derived stem cells in a dog with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Although there are growing demands for stem cell-based therapy for companion animals in various diseases, a few clinical trials have been reported. Moreover, most of them are the results from only one or a few times of stem cell injection.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe a long-term treatment with allogeneic adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in a dog with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is a rare canine disease.

Association Between Asymmetry in Knee Extension Strength and Balance in a Community-Dwelling Elderly Population: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the association between balance function and asymmetry of knee extension strength in an elderly Korean population.

Methods: The strength of the knee extensors in each leg was measured in 306 community-dwelling elderly subjects (age, 76.70±4.

Biomechanical Parameters in Plantar Fasciitis Measured by Gait Analysis System With Pressure Sensor.

Objective: To investigate the differences in biomechanical parameters measured by gait analysis systems between healthy subjects and subjects with plantar fasciitis (PF), and to compare biomechanical parameters between 'normal, barefooted' gait and arch building gait in the participants.

Methods: The researchers evaluated 15 subjects (30 feet) with bilateral foot pain and 15 subjects (15 feet) with unilateral foot pain who had a clinical diagnosis of PF. Additionally, 17 subjects (34 feet) who had no heel pain were recruited.

Asymmetric Atrophy of Paraspinal Muscles in Patients With Chronic Unilateral Lumbar Radiculopathy.

Objective: To assess the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the muscles for investigating the occurrence of asymmetry of the paraspinal (multifidus and erector spinae) and psoas muscles and its relation to the chronicity of unilateral lumbar radiculopathy using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between January 2012 to December 2014. Sixty one patients with unilateral L5 radiculopathy were enrolled: 30 patients had a symptom duration less than 3 months (group A) and 31 patients had a symptom duration of 3 months or more (group B).

Resveratrol Suppresses Cytokine Production Linked to FcεRI-MAPK Activation in IgE-Antigen Complex-Exposed Basophilic Mast Cells and Mice.

A complicated interplay between resident mast cells and other recruited inflammatory cells contributes to the development and progression of allergic inflammation entailing the promotion of T helper 2 (Th2) cytokine responses. The current study examined whether resveratrol suppressed the production of inflammatory Th2 cytokines in cultured rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells. Cells pre-treated with resveratrol nontoxic at 1–25 μM were sensitized with anti-dinitrophenyl (anti-DNP), and subsequently stimulated by dinitrophenyl-human serum albumin (DNP–HSA) antigen.

Fisetin antagonizes cell fusion, cytoskeletal organization and bone resorption in RANKL-differentiated murine macrophages.

Osteoclastogenesis is comprised of several stage s including progenitor survival, differentiation to mononuclear preosteoclasts, cell fusion to multinuclear mature osteoclasts, and activation to osteoclasts with bone resorbing activity. Botanical antioxidants are now being increasingly investigated for their health-promoting effects on bone. This study investigated that fisetin, a flavonol found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, suppressed osteoclastogenesis by disturbing receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-κB ligand (RANKL)-mediated signaling pathway and demoting osteoclastogenic protein induction.

Blockade of visfatin induction by oleanolic acid via disturbing IL-6-TRAF6-NF-κB signaling of adipocytes.

Oleanolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid naturally present in foods and medicinal plants with anticancer, antioxidant, and antiaging properties. The current study elucidated that oleanolic acid inhibited the production of insulin-mimetic and inflammatory adipokine of visfatin during adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Adipocytes were cultured in an adipogenic media with and without 1-25 µM oleanolic acid up to 8 days for differentiation.

Inhibition of airway epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and fibrosis by kaempferol in endotoxin-induced epithelial cells and ovalbumin-sensitized mice.

Chronic airway remodeling is characterized by structural changes within the airway wall, including smooth muscle hypertrophy, submucosal fibrosis and epithelial shedding. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental mechanism of organ fibrosis, which can be induced by TGF-β. In the in vitro study, we investigated whether 1-20 μM kaempferol inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced bronchial EMT in BEAS-2B cells.

Phloretin suppresses thrombin-mediated leukocyte-platelet-endothelial interactions.

Scope: Thrombin playing a pivotal role in coagulation cascade may influence the onset and progression of atherosclerosis as a pro-inflammatory mediator. This study investigated whether phloretin found in apple tree leaves, severed a linkage between thrombosis and atherosclerosis by thrombin.

Methods And Results: Human endothelial cells were pre-treated with 1-20 μM phloretin and stimulated with 10 U/mL thrombin.

Antimicrobial effects of coprisin on wounds infected with Staphylococcus aureus in rats.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are naturally produced antibiotics that play important roles in host defense mechanisms. These proteins are found in variety of animal and plant species. The antibiotic effects of AMPs are gaining attention for use in human medicine.

Blockade of Airway Inflammation by Kaempferol via Disturbing Tyk-STAT Signaling in Airway Epithelial Cells and in Asthmatic Mice.

Asthma is characterized by bronchial inflammation causing increased airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilia. The interaction between airway epithelium and inflammatory mediators plays a key role in the asthmatic pathogenesis. The in vitro study elucidated inhibitory effects of kaempferol, a flavonoid found in apples and many berries, on inflammation in human airway epithelial BEAS-2B cells.

Resveratrol inhibits IgE-mediated basophilic mast cell degranulation and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mice.

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin abundantly found in red grape skin and is effective in antitumor and antiinflammation associated with immune responses. This study investigated whether resveratrol suppressed immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated allergic responses and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in rat RBL-2H3 mast cells and in BALB/c mice. The release of β-hexosaminidase and histamine was enhanced in mast cells sensitized with anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP)-IgE and subsequently stimulated by DNP-human serum albumin (HSA), indicative of mast cell degranulation.

Sage weed (Salvia plebeia) extract antagonizes foam cell formation and promotes cholesterol efflux in murine macrophages.

Lipid-laden peripheral tissue cells release cholesterol to an extracellular acceptor such as high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Foam cells are formed at the first stage of atherosclerosis development. This study investigated whether sage weed (Salvia plebeia) extract (SWE) influences cholesterol handling of J774A1 murine macrophages.

Novel antiosteoclastogenic activity of phloretin antagonizing RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation of murine macrophages.

Scope: Bone-remodeling imbalance resulting in more bone resorption than bone formation is known to cause skeletal diseases such as osteoporosis. Phloretin, a natural dihydrochalcone compound largely present in apple peels, possesses antiphotoaging, and antiinflammatory activity.

Methods And Results: Phloretin inhibited receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced formation of multinucleated osteoclasts and diminished bone resorption area produced during the osteoclast differentiation process.

Inhibition of kupffer cell activity improves transplantation of human adipose-derived stem cells and liver functions.

Numerous approaches to cell transplantation of the hepatic or the extrahepatic origin into liver tissue have been developed; however, the efficiency of cell transplantation remains low and liver functions are not well corrected. The liver is a highly immunoreactive organ that contains many resident macrophages known as Kupffer cells. Here, we show that the inhibition of Kupffer cell activity improves stem cell transplantation into liver tissue and corrects some of the liver functions under conditions of liver injury.

Losartan improves adipose tissue-derived stem cell niche by inhibiting transforming growth factor-β and fibrosis in skeletal muscle injury.

Recently, adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) were emerged as an alternative, abundant, and easily accessible source of stem cell therapy. Previous studies revealed losartan (an angiotensin II type I receptor blocker) treatment promoted the healing of skeletal muscle by attenuation of the TGF-β signaling pathway, which inhibits muscle differentiation. Therefore, we hypothesized that a combined therapy using ASCs and losartan might dramatically improve the muscle remodeling after muscle injury.

Caffeic acid disturbs monocyte adhesion onto cultured endothelial cells stimulated by adipokine resistin.

Adipokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis via pro-inflammatory mechanisms contributing to insulin resistance. The adipokine resistin causes endothelium dysfunction, which plays an important role in sustaining atherogenesis. This study investigated whether resistin induced expression of cell adhesion molecules and integrins in endothelial cells and THP-1 monocytes and whether such induction was attenuated by 1-20 μM caffeic acid.

Kaempferol suppresses eosionphil infiltration and airway inflammation in airway epithelial cells and in mice with allergic asthma.

The airway epithelium is thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Airway epithelial activation may contribute to inflammatory and airway-remodeling events characteristic of asthma. Kaempferol, a flavonoid with antioxidative and antitumor properties, has been studied as an antiinflammatory agent.

Dietary ellagic acid attenuates oxidized LDL uptake and stimulates cholesterol efflux in murine macrophages.

Foam cell formation is the hallmark of early atherosclerosis. Lipid uptake by scavenger receptors (SR) in macrophages initiates chronic proinflammatory cascades linked to atherosclerosis. It has been reported that the upregulation of cholesterol efflux may be protective in the development of atherosclerosis.

Morphological abnormalities, impaired fetal development and decrease in myostatin expression following somatic cell nuclear transfer in dogs.

Several mammals, including dogs, have been successfully cloned using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), but the efficiency of generating normal, live offspring is relatively low. Although the high failure rate has been attributed to incomplete reprogramming of the somatic nuclei during the cloning process, the exact cause is not fully known. To elucidate the cause of death in cloned offspring, 12 deceased offspring cloned by SCNT were necropsied.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the third eyelid conjunctiva in a dog.

A 4-year-old, neutered female Cocker Spaniel was presented to the veterinary clinic for protrusion of the left third eyelid. When the third eyelids from both eyes were everted, lobulated masses were present on the bulbar surface. The left third eyelid had a larger protrusion.

Ascorbate promotes carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury in senescence marker protein 30-deficient mice by enhancing inflammation.

The genetic deletion of the senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30) gene results in ascorbate deficiency and the premature aging processes in mice. Apparent liver injury of SMP30(-/-) mice was less severe than those of wild type (WT) mice, upon chronic CCl(4) injection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathophysiology underlying the mild CCl(4) toxicity in SMP30(-/-) mice.

Helicobacter pylori accelerates hepatic fibrosis by sensitizing transforming growth factor-β1-induced inflammatory signaling.

Our earlier report has shown that Helicobacter pylori promoted hepatic fibrosis in a murine model. Herein, in order to elucidate the mechanism by which H. pylori accelerate liver fibrosis, the authors investigated the changes in expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), p53-related proteins, antioxidants, and proinflammatory cytokines in liver samples.