Simvastatin attenuates aluminium chloride-induced neurobehavioral impairments through activation of TGF-β1/ SMAD2 and GSK3β/β-catenin signalling pathways.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by the presence of β-amyloid plaques and acetylcholine depletion leading to neurobehavioral defects. AD was contributed also with downregulation of TGF-β1/SMAD2 and GSK3β/β-catenin pathways. Simvastatin (SMV) improved memory function experimentally and clinically.

Arctigenin improves neuropathy via ameliorating apoptosis and modulating autophagy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Background: Oxidative stress mediates the pathophysiology of diabetic neuropathy (DN) with activation of apoptotic pathway and reduction of autophagy. Arctigenin (ARC) is a natural lignan isolated from some plants of the Asteraceae family that shows antioxidant property. The present study aimed to explore the mechanistic neuroprotective effect of ARC on animal model for DN.

Rosiglitazone Mitigates Dexamethasone-Induced Depression in Mice via Modulating Brain Glucose Metabolism and AMPK/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common, complex disease with poorly understood pathogenesis. Disruption of glucose metabolism is implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been shown to regulate the activity of several kinases, including pAKT, p38MAPK, and mTOR, which are important signaling pathways in the treatment of depression.

Pioglitazone Ameliorates Hippocampal Neurodegeneration, Disturbances in Glucose Metabolism and AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathways in Pentyelenetetrazole-Kindled Mice.

Disturbance of glucose metabolism, nerve growth factor (NGF) and m-TOR signaling have been associated with the pathophysiology of epilepsy. Pioglitazone (PGZ) is an anti-diabetic drug that shows a protective effect in neurodegenerative diseases including epilepsy; however, its exact mechanism is not fully elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the potential neuroprotective effect of PGZ in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) kindled seizure in mice.

Dapagliflozin attenuates diabetic cardiomyopathy through erythropoietin up-regulation of AKT/JAK/MAPK pathways in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of Dapagliflozin (Dapa) cardioprotection against diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Structural and functional changes in the heart as well as decrease of erythropoietin (EPO) levels were reported in DCM. EPO simultaneously activates three pathways: the Janus-activated kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK2/STAT5), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-Akt (PI3K/Akt), and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK/MAPK) cascades, that result in proliferation and differentiation of cardiac cells.

Donepezil improves neuropathy through activation of AMPK signalling pathway in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus and is associated with structural changes in the nerves. However, the molecular basis for DN is poorly understood. Adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been shown to regulate the activity of some kinases including protein kinase B (AKT), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) that represent important signalling pathways modulating the function of peripheral nociceptive neuron.

Biodegradation ability and catabolic genes of petroleum-degrading Sphingomonas koreensis strain ASU-06 isolated from Egyptian oily soil.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are serious pollutants and health hazards. In this study, 15 PAHs-degrading bacteria were isolated from Egyptian oily soil. Among them, one Gram-negative strain (ASU-06) was selected and biodegradation ability and initial catabolic genes of petroleum compounds were investigated.

Synthesis and biological activity of functionalized indole-2-carboxylates, triazino- and pyridazino-indoles.

Condensation of aryl hydrazines with ethyl pyruvate gave the respective hydrazones 4-6; Fischer indolization led to substituted-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid ethyl esters 7-9. The Mannich reaction of these compounds with formaldehyde and morpholine yielded ethyl 3-(morpholinomethyl)-substituted-1H-indole-2-carboxylates 10-12. The 5,7-dichloro-1H-indole-2-carbohydrazide 13 was cyclized with methyl orthoformate in DMF to give 6,8-dichloro[1,2,4]triazino[4,5-a]indol-1(2H)-one 14.

Effects of exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic field of 2 G intensity on memory and corticosterone level in rats.

In the present study, we examined the effects of chronic exposure (1 and 2 weeks) to an extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELFMF) of 2 G intensity on memory in rats using an object recognition task. Comparable groups of rats were exposed for 1, 2 or 4 weeks to ELFMF and the following day blood samples were collected from each rat for the measurement of corticosterone level. Our results demonstrate that exposure to ELFMF induces a significant increase in the level of corticosterone in blood plasma and is associated with impairment in discrimination between familiar and novel objects.