Animals ; Humans ; Oxazines ; metabolism ; Phenylpropionates ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; agonists ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Thiazolidinediones ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; agonists ; antagonists & inhibitors

Organotypic slice cultures have been developed as an alternative to acute brain slices because the neuronal viability and synaptic connectivity in these cultures can be preserved well for a prolonged period of time. This study evaluated a stationary organotypic slice culture developed for the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of rat. The results showed that the slice cultures maintain the typical shape of the nucleus, the immunocytochemical signals for oxytocin, vasopressin, and corticotropin-releasing hormone, and the electrophysiological properties of PVN neurons for up to 3 weeks in vitro. The PVN neurons in the culture expressed the green fluorescent protein gene that had been delivered by the adenoviral vectors. The results indicate that the cultured slices preserve the properties of the PVN neurons, and can be used in longterm studies on these neurons in vitro.
Adenoviridae ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques/*methods ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/metabolism ; Electrophysiology ; Genetic Vectors ; Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurons/*cytology/metabolism ; Oxazines ; Oxytocin/metabolism ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/*anatomy & histology/cytology/metabolism ; Rats ; Vasopressins/metabolism

The endosymbionts of 4 strains of Acanthamoeba (KA/E9, KA/E21, KA/E22, and KA/E23) isolated from the infected corneas of Korean patients were characterized via orcein stain, transmission electron microscopic examination, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Double membrane-bound, rod-shaped endosymbionts were distributed randomly throughout both the trophozoites and cysts of each of Acanthamoeba isolates. The endosymbionts of KA/E9, KA/E22, and KA/E23 were surrounded by electron-translucent areas. No lacunae-like structures were observed in the endosymbionts of KA/E21, the bacterial cell walls of which were studded with host ribosomes. Comparative analyses of the 16S rDNA sequences showed that the endosymbionts of KA/E9, KA/E22 and KA/E23 were closely related to Caedibacter caryophilus, whereas the KA/E21 endosymbiont was assigned to the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides (CFB) phylum. In the 4 strains of Acanthamoeba, the hosts of the endosymbionts were identified as belonging to the Acanthamoeba castellanii complex, which corresponds to the T4 genotype. Acanthamoeba KA/E21 evidenced characteristics almost identical to those of KA/E6, with the exception of the existence of endosymbionts. The discovery of these endosymbionts from Acanthamoeba may prove essential to future studies focusing on interactions between the endosymbionts and the amoebic hosts.
Acanthamoeba/genetics/isolation & purification/*microbiology ; Acanthamoeba Keratitis/*microbiology/*parasitology ; Animals ; Bacteria/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Base Sequence ; Cornea/microbiology/*parasitology ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics ; Humans ; Korea ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission/methods ; Oxazines/metabolism ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics ; Symbiosis

Several new drug targets of anti-atherosclerosis, emerging in the recent years, such as PPAR agonists, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors, infusion of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), liver X receptor (LXR) activators and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) inhibitors etc were reviewed.
Apolipoprotein A-I ; therapeutic use ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Benzoates ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Benzylamines ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Cholesterol Ester Transfer Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; agonists ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver X Receptors ; Molecular Structure ; Orphan Nuclear Receptors ; Oxazines ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors ; agonists ; metabolism ; Phenylpropionates ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Quinolines ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; agonists ; metabolism

Compounds with serotonin reuptake inhibition/5-HT(1A) dual activity were used to build 3D pharmacophore model as a training molecules by Discover Studio. Based on the model, 8 novel aryl piperazine benzo[b][1,4] oxazine derivatives were designed and synthesized, and their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR and HR-MS. Biological evaluation illustrated that compounds VI(1) and VI(7) showed potent functional activities at both 5-HT transporter and 5-HT(1A) receptor, which can be used as lead compounds to guide future research of design and synthesis of potent novel compounds.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Drug Design ; Genetic Vectors ; Molecular Structure ; Oxazines ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Piperazines ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plasmids ; Protein Binding ; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors ; metabolism ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Transfection