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Patients with neurological diseases, such as schizophrenia, tend to show low K + -Cl - co-transporter 2 (KCC2) levels in the brain. The cause of these diseases has been associated with stress and neuroinflammation. However, since the pathogenesis of these diseases is not yet fully investigated, drug therapy is still limited to symptomatic therapy. Targeting KCC2, which is mainly expressed in the brain, seems to be an appropriate approach in the treatment of these diseases. In this review, we aimed to discuss about stress and inflammation, KCC2 and Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) function, diseases which decrease the KCC2 levels in the brain, factors that regulate KCC2 activity, and the possibility to overcome neuronal dysfunction targeting KCC2. We also aimed to discuss the relationships between neurological diseases and LPS caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis ( P. g ), which is a type of oral bacterium. Clinical trials on oxytocin, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activator, and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V Member 1 activator have been conducted to develop effective treatment methods. We believe that KCC2 modulators that regulate mitochondria, such as oxytocin, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), and SIRT1, can be potential targets for neurological diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Background: Radiographic detection of the Adamkiewicz artery (AKA) before aortic surgery helps to avoid spinal cord ischemia (SCI). We applied magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) using gadolinium enhancement (Gd-MRA) by means of the slow-infusion method with sequential k-space filling and compared AKA detectability with that of computed tomography angiography (CTA)., Methods: A total of 63 patients with thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic disease (30 with aortic dissection [AD] and 33 with aortic aneurysm) who underwent both CTA and Gd-MRA to detect AKA were evaluated. The detectability of the AKA using Gd-MRA and CTA were compared among all patients and subgroups based on anatomical features., Results: The detection rates of the AKAs using Gd-MRA and CTA were higher in all 63 patients (92.1% vs. 71.4%, P = 0.003). In AD cases, the detection rates using Gd-MRA and CTA were higher in all 30 patients (93.3% vs. 66.7%, P = 0.01) as well as in 7 patients whose AKA originated from false lumens (100% vs. 0%). In aneurysm cases, the detection rates using Gd-MRA and CTA were higher in 22 patients whose AKA originated from the nonaneurysmal parts (100% vs. 81.8%, P = 0.03). In clinical, SCI was observed in 1.8% of cases after open or endovascular repair., Conclusions: Despite the longer examination time and more complicated imaging techniques compared to those of CTA, the high spatial resolution of slow-infusion MRA may be preferable for detecting AKA before performing various thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic surgeries., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To clarify the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-depleted ρ0 cells and the cellular sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), we established HeLa and SAS ρ0 cell lines and investigated their survival rate in H 2 O 2 , radical scavenging enzymes, plasma membrane potential status, and chronological change in intracellular H 2 O 2 amount under the existence of extracellular hydrogen peroxide compared with the parental cells. The results revealed that ρ0 cells had higher sensitivity to H 2 O 2 than their parental cells, even though the catalase activity of ρ0 cells was up-regulated, and the membrane potential of the ρ0 cells was lower than their parental cells. Furthermore, the internal H 2 O 2 amount significantly increased only in ρ0 cells after 50 μM H 2 O 2 treatment for 1 h. These results suggest that plasma membrane status of ρ0 cells may cause degradation, and the change could lead to enhanced membrane permeability to H 2 O 2 . As a consequence, ρ0 cells have a higher H 2 O 2 sensitivity than the parental cells., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Lignins are major cell wall components formed by the dehydrogenative polymerization of three monolignols, p-coumaryl, coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols. We prepared lignin-carbohydrate complexes (Fr. VI and Fr. VII) from pine cones by acid and ethanol precipitation, and investigated which part of these molecules is essential for expression of biological activities. They showed potent antiviral activity upon direct interaction with the virus. The antiviral activity of Frs. VI and VII required the higher-order structure of polyphenols without polysaccharides. Pretreatment of mice with Fr. VI or VII induced higher antiparasite activity than those of natural and chemically modified antitumor polysaccharides. Fr. VI or VII at higher concentrations enhanced the radical intensity and cytotoxic activity of vitamin C, whereas tannins counteracted the effect of vitamin C. Fr. VI at lower concentrations enhanced the O2(-)-scavenging activity of vitamin C. Frs. VI and VII stimulated mouse macrophage-like cells Raw 264.7 to produce nitric oxide (NO), citrulline (CIT) and asparagine (ASN), via the enhanced expression of iNOS and ASN synthetase, whereas phenylpropenoid monomers and polymers inhibited NO/CIT/ASN production. These data suggest that the polymerized structure of phenylpropenoids in lignin-carbohydrate complexes is required for the induction of antiviral activity, and that the higher-order structure of phenylpropenoid polymers and polysaccharides is required for immunopotentiation, including macrophage activation.