Probucol inhibits LPS-induced microglia activation and ameliorates brain ischemic injury in normal and hyperlipidemic mice.

Aim: Increasing evidence suggests that probucol, a lipid-lowering agent with anti-oxidant activities, may be useful for the treatment of ischemic stroke with hyperlipidemia via reduction in cholesterol and neuroinflammation. In this study we examined whether probucol could protect against brain ischemic injury via anti-neuroinflammatory action in normal and hyperlipidemic mice.

Methods: Primary mouse microglia and murine BV2 microglia were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 3 h, and the release NO, PGE2, IL-1β and IL-6, as well as the changes in NF-κB, MAPK and AP-1 signaling pathways were assessed.

Electroacupuncture preconditioning reduces ROS generation with NOX4 down-regulation and ameliorates blood-brain barrier disruption after ischemic stroke.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) is a modern application based on combination of traditional manual acupuncture and electrotherapy that is frequently recommended as an adjuvant treatment for ischemic stroke. EA preconditioning can ameliorate blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction and brain edema in ischemia-reperfusion injury; however, its mechanism remains unclear. This study investigated the preventive effects of EA preconditioning, particularly on BBB injury, followed by a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model in mice.

PMC-12, a Prescription of Traditional Korean Medicine, Improves Amyloid β-Induced Cognitive Deficits through Modulation of Neuroinflammation.

PMC-12 is a prescription used in traditional Korean medicine that consists of a mixture of four herbal medicines, Polygonum multiflorum, Rehmannia glutinosa, Polygala tenuifolia, and Acorus gramineus, which have been reported to have various pharmacological effects on age-related neurological diseases. In the present study, we investigated whether PMC-12 improves cognitive deficits associated with decreased neuroinflammation in an amyloid-β-(Aβ-) induced mouse model and exerts the antineuroinflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide-(LPS-) stimulated murine BV2 microglia. Intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ 25-35 in mice resulted in impairment in learning and spatial memory, whereas this was reversed by oral administration of PMC-12 (100 and 500 mg/kg/day) in dose-dependent manners.

DHCR24 is an independent predictor of progression in patients with non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma, and its functional role is involved in the aggressive properties of urothelial carcinoma cells.

Purpose: The DHCR24 gene that encodes 3b-hydroxysterol Δ24-reductase, an oxidoreductase involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, has been identified as a progression-related gene based on the quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) gene signature. Here, the functional role of DHCR24 and its clinical relevance in non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (NMIUC) were investigated.

Methods: Primary NMIUC tissue specimens (n = 162) were analyzed by qPCR.

Bone morphogenetic protein-6 induces castration resistance in prostate cancer cells through tumor infiltrating macrophages.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is a pleiotropic growth factor that has been implicated in inflammation and prostate cancer (CaP) progression. We investigated the potential role of BMP-6 in the context of macrophages and castration-resistant prostate cancer. When the androgen-responsive murine (Tramp-C1 and PTENCaP8) and human (LNCaP) CaP cell lines were cocultured with macrophages in the presence of dihydrotestosterone, BMP-6 increased androgen-responsive promoter activity and cell count significantly.

Biodegradable Polymers Induce CD54 on THP-1 Cells in Skin Sensitization Test.

Currently, nonanimal methods of skin sensitization testing for various chemicals, biodegradable polymers, and biomaterials are being developed in the hope of eliminating the use of animals. The human cell line activation test (h-CLAT) is a skin sensitization assessment that mimics the functions of dendritic cells (DCs). DCs are specialized antigen-presenting cells, and they interact with T cells and B cells to initiate immune responses.

Bone morphogenetic protein 6-induced interleukin-1β expression in macrophages requires PU.1/Smad1 interaction.

Interleukin 1β (IL-1β) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine secreted by activated macrophages and monocytes. Previously, we have reported that bone morphogenetic protein-6 (BMP-6) induces inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression via IL-1β in macrophages. In the present study, we demonstrate that BMP-6 increases IL-1β expression in macrophages via the receptors ALK3 and BMPRII as well as the downstream signaling protein Smad1.

[Cytotoxicity of fullerene (60), carbon nanotube, and their derivatives in V79 cells and cultured normal human astrocytes].

Fullerenes are a family of carbon allotropes, molecules composed entirely of carbon. Fullerenes have been developed in various forms and functions and are expected to be used for novel medical materials targeting on brain. Information on cytotoxicity of fullerenes on brain function, however, is few; thus we examined the effect of fullerenes on the brain astrocytes in this study.

Generation of human monoclonal antibodies against Propionibacterium acnes by applying the phage display method to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells immunized in vitro.

Propionibacterium acnes is a gram-positive, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium that is often detected in normal human skin flora. P. acnes has been associated with many diseases.

Anti-peptide antibody production elicited by in vitro immunization of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Human monoclonal antibodies have great potential for use in the treatment of various diseases. We have established an in vitro immunization protocol for inducing antigen-specific antibody production from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In the in vitro immunization protocol, PBMCs are pretreated with L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester (LLME) to remove suppressive cells, and are sensitized and cultured with a soluble antigen in the presence of IL-2, IL-4 and muramyl dipeptide for 8 d, and then an antigen-specific antibody is produced.

Propionibacterium acnes acts as an adjuvant in in vitro immunization of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

We have established an in vitro immunization protocol whereby human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are initially treated with L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester (LLME) and subsequently sensitized with antigen in the presence of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and adjuvant. This protocol resulted in the production of antigen-specific antibodies. PBMCs are potentiated to react with exogenous antigens upon treatment with LLME.