There have been no published studies concerning the anti-inflammatory effects of corn silk on colon cancer cells. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of corn silk extract containing high levels of maysin on inflammation and its mechanism of action in colon cancer cells. SW 480 human colon cancer cells were treated with 1 µg/mL of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation, and next they were treated with different concentrations of corn silk extract (0, 5, 10 and 15 µg/mL). The concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) were determined. The mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were determined. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases, and the latter consists of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase (p38). The concentration of NO and the mRNA expression of iNOS were significantly and dose-dependently decreased in the corn silk-treated groups (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly increased in the LPS-treated group (P<0.05), but these expressions were significantly and dose-dependently decreased in the corn silk treated groups (P<0.05). The protein expressions of NF-κB (in a dose-dependent fashion), ERK (at 10 and 15 µg/mL), JNK (at 15 µg/mL) and p38 (at 10 and 15 µg/mL) were significantly decreased with corn silk treatments (P<0.05). In conclusion, corn silk extract containing high levels of maysin seems to inhibit the LPS-induced inflammatory responses in SW480 colon cancer cells via the NF-κB pathway.
Blotting, Western ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Cytokines ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Phosphotransferases ; RNA, Messenger ; Saccharin ; Silk ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Zea mays

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictive validity of some of the commonly employed models of mania and depression using standard drugs i.e. lithium (70 mg/kg) and lamotrigine (5 mg/kg) in male Wistar rats. METHODS: The depression facet of bipolar disorder was evaluated using forced swim test, tail suspension test, and chronic mild stress test. The models used to evaluate the mania facet of bipolar disorder were isolation-induced aggression test, saccharine preference test, and morphine-sensitized hyperlocomotion test. RESULTS: The immobility time was significantly (p<0.05) reduced by lamotrigine in the tail suspension test and the forced swim test, while lithium caused significant (p<0.05) reduction only in the tail suspension test. Rats exposed to chronic mild stress showed the maximal increment of 1% sucrose consumption at the 3rd week of treatment in both the lithium (p<0.001) and lamotrigine (p<0.01) groups. In the isolation-induced aggression test, the aggressive behaviour of rats was significantly reduced by both lithium [approach (p<0.001), attack (p<0.01), and bite (p<0.01)] and lamotrigine [approach (p<0.001), and attack (p<0.05)]. Neither of the drugs were effective in the saccharine preference test. Only lithium was able to significantly (p<0.05) reduce the crossing parameter in morphine-sensitized rats. CONCLUSION: Our study identifies the chronic mild stress test and isolation-induced aggression test of having the highest predictive validity in the depression and mania facets of bipolar disorder, respectively, and should be a part of a battery of tests used to evaluate novel mood stabilizers.
Aggression ; Animals* ; Bipolar Disorder* ; Depression ; Exercise Test ; Hindlimb Suspension ; Humans ; Lithium* ; Male ; Models, Animal* ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Saccharin ; Sucrose

PURPOSE: Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and induces the release of glucocorticoids. Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sucrose, but does not increase blood insulin levels. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of saccharin intake in restraint-induced stress response reduction in rats. METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats had stress induced by restraint for 2 hours/day for 1 week. Saccharin was provided in sufficient amounts to allow them to intake it voluntarily at 0.1% diluted in water. The Y-maze test and forced swim test (FST) were performed to evaluate cognitive function and the depressive behavior of the rats. The protein expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in hippocampal cornu ammonis (CA) 1 was investigated by using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: It was found that, the percentage of alternation in the Y-maze test was significantly (p<.01) higher in the Stress + saccharin group than in the Stress group. Immobility time in the FST was significantly (p<.01) lower in the Stress + saccharin group than in the Stress group. Also, the positive cells of GR in hippocampus CA1 were significantly (p<.05) lower in the Stress + saccharin group than in the Stress group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that there was an effect of saccharin intake in restraint-induced stress response reduction in rats.
Adult ; Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Glucocorticoids ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Insulin ; Male ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; Saccharin* ; Sucrose ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; Water

The sweet taste receptors present in the taste buds are heterodimers comprised of T1R2 and T1R3. This receptor is also expressed in pancreatic beta-cells. When the expression of receptor subunits is determined in beta-cells by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, the mRNA expression level of T1R2 is extremely low compared to that of T1R3. In fact, the expression of T1R2 is undetectable at the protein level. Furthermore, knockdown of T1R2 does not affect the effect of sweet molecules, whereas knockdown of T1R3 markedly attenuates the effect of sweet molecules. Consequently, a homodimer of T1R3 functions as a receptor sensing sweet molecules in beta-cells, which we designate as sweet taste-sensing receptors (STSRs). Various sweet molecules activate STSR in beta-cells and augment insulin secretion. With regard to intracellular signals, sweet molecules act on STSRs and increase cytoplasmic Ca2+ and/or cyclic AMP (cAMP). Specifically, when an STSR is stimulated by one of four different sweet molecules (sucralose, acesulfame potassium, sodium saccharin, or glycyrrhizin), distinct signaling pathways are activated. Patterns of changes in cytoplasmic Ca2+ and/or cAMP induced by these sweet molecules are all different from each other. Hence, sweet molecules activate STSRs by acting as biased agonists.
Bias (Epidemiology)* ; Calcium ; Cyclic AMP ; Cytoplasm ; Insulin ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Potassium ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Saccharin ; Sodium ; Taste Buds

INTRODUCTION: This study examined the regulatory mechanism underlying the meal-induced changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA) axis activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g) were hired for two different experiments as follows; 1) rats received either 8% sucrose or 0.2% saccharin ad libitum after 48 h of food deprivation with the gastric fistula closed (real feeding) or opened (sham feeding). 2). rats received 5 ml of intra-oral infusion with 0.2% saccharin or distilled water after 48 h of food deprivation. One hour after food access, all rats were sacrificed by a transcardiac perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde. The brains were processed for c-Fos immunohistochemistry and the cardiac blood was collected for the plasma corticosterone assay. RESULTS: Real feedings with sucrose or saccharin and sham feeding saccharin but not sucrose, following food deprivation decreased the plasma corticosterone level. c-Fos expression in the nucleus tractus of solitarius (NTS) of the fasted rats was increased by the consumption of sucrose but not saccharin, regardless of the feeding method. On the other hand, the consumption of sucrose or saccharin with real feeding but not the sham, induced c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the fasted rats. The intra-oral infusion with saccharin or water decreased the plasma corticosterone level of the fasted rats. Intra-oral water infusion increased c-Fos expression in both the PVN and NTS, but saccharin only in the NTS in the fasted rats. CONCLUSION: Neither restoration of the fasting-induced elevation of plasma corticosterone nor the activation of neurons in the PVN and NTS after refeeding requires the palatability of food or the post-ingestive satiety and caloric load. In addition, neuronal activation in the hypothalamic PVN may not be an implication in the restoration of the fasting-induced elevation of the plasma corticosterone by oropharyngeal stimuli of palatable food.
Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Brain ; Corticosterone ; Feeding Methods ; Food Deprivation ; Formaldehyde ; Gastric Fistula ; Hand ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neurons ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Perfusion ; Plasma ; Polymers ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saccharin ; Salicylamides ; Solitary Nucleus ; Sucrose ; Water

The sensory system is developed and optimized by experiences given in the early phase of life in association with other regions of the nervous system. To date, many studies have revealed that deprivation of specific sensory experiences can modify the structure and function of the central nervous system; however, the effects of sensory overload remains unclear. Here we studied the effect of overloading the taste sense in the early period of life on the synaptic plasticity of rat hippocampus and somatosensory cortex. We prepared male and female Sprague Dawley rats with ad libitum access to a 0.1% saccharin solution for 2 hrs per day for three weeks after weaning on postnatal day 22. Saccharin consumption was slightly increased in males compared with females; however, saccharin intake did not affect chow intake or weight gain either in male or in female rats. We examined the effect of saccharin-intake on long term potentiation (LTP) formation in hippocampal Schaffer collateral pathway and somatosensory cortex layer IV - II/III pathways in the 6-week old saccharin-fed rats. There was no significant difference in LTP formation in the hippocampus between the control group and saccharin-treated group in both male and female rats. Also in the somatosensory cortex, we did not see a significant difference in LTP among the groups. Therefore, we conclude that saccharin-intake during 3~6 weeks may not affect the development of physiological function of the cortical and hippocampal synapses in rats.
Adolescent ; Animals ; Female ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Long-Term Potentiation ; Male ; Nervous System ; Plastics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saccharin ; Somatosensory Cortex ; Synapses ; Weaning ; Weight Gain

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of radioactive ray on transmission capability of nose mucociliary. METHOD: Forty-six patients with NPC were selected and saccharin clearance time (SCT) for 7 phases were detected in both pre- and post-radiotherapy respectively. RESULT: Among 46 patients with NPC, the shortest SCT was 247 seconds and the longest 601 seconds in pre-radiotherapy phases; from 4th week of introradiotherapy to 18 months of postradiotherapy, the longest SCT was in 12 months after radiotherapy, which was 903 seconds. There were no significant differences in SCT before radiotherapy and 18 months after radiotherapy. There were significant differences in SCT of preradiotherapy and introdiotherapy, post radiotherapy, after radiotherapy 3 months, 6 months, 12 months after radiotherapy. CONCLUSION Radiotherapy is the important factors in influencing transmission capability of nose cavity and sinus mucociliary and hints that gender and nasal cavity side don't affect SCT. Detection of SCT in different stages of NPC patients can be helpful to protect nasal mucous membrane effectively, and to reduce incidence rate of RNS.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucociliary Clearance ; radiation effects ; Nasal Mucosa ; physiopathology ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; physiopathology ; radiotherapy ; Saccharin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: Cancer-testis (CT) genes are considered promising candidates for immunotherapeutic approaches. The aim of this study was to investigate which CT genes should be targeted in immunotherapy for brain tumors. METHODS: We investigated the expression of 6 CT genes (MAGE-E1, SOX-6, SCP-1, SSX-2, SSX-4, and HOMTES-85) using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction in 26 meningiomas and 32 other various brain tumor specimens, obtained from the patients during tumor surgery from 2000 to 2005. RESULTS: The most frequently expressed CT genes of meningiomas were MAGE-E1, which were found in 22/26 (85%) meningioma samples, followed by SOX-6 (9/26 or 35%). Glioblastomas were most frequently expressed SOX-6 (6/7 or 86%), MAGE-E1 (5/7 or 71%), followed by SSX-2 (2/7 or 29%) and SCP-1 (1/7 or 14%). However, 4 astrocytomas, 3 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 3 oligodendroglial tumors only expressed MAGE-E1 and SOX-6. Schwannomas also expressed SOX-6 (5/6 or 83%), MAGE-E1 (4/6 or 67%), and SCP-1 (2/6 or 33%). CONCLUSION: The data presented here suggest that MAGE-E1 and SOX-6 genes are expressed in a high percentage of human central nervous system tumors, which implies the CT genes could be the potential targets of immunotherapy for human central nervous system tumors.
Acetaminophen ; Astrocytoma ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms ; Glioblastoma ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Meningioma ; Neurilemmoma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Saccharin

Simple, reliable and sensitive analytical methods to determine anticariogenic agents, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners contained in commercial gargles are necessary for evaluating their effectiveness, safety, and quality. An ion chromatography (IC) method has been described to analyze simultaneously eight anions including fluoride, chloride, sulfate, phosphate, monofluorophosphate, glycerophosphate (anticariogenic agents), sorbate (a preservative), and saccharin (an artificial sweetener) in gargles. In this IC system, we applied a mobile phased gradient elution with KOH, separation by IonPac AS18 columns, and suppressed conductivity detection. Optimized analytical conditions were further evaluated for accuracy. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the inter-day's retention time and peak area of all species were less than 0.938% and 8.731%, respectively, while RSDs of 5-day retention time and peak area were less than 1.265% and 8.934%, respectively. The correlation coefficients for targeted analytes ranged from 0.999 7 to 1.000 0. The spiked recoveries for the anions were 90% approximately 102.5%. We concluded that the method can be applied for comprehensive evaluation of commercial gargles.
Cariostatic Agents ; analysis ; Chlorides ; analysis ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; methods ; Dental Caries ; prevention & control ; Fluorides ; analysis ; Glycerophosphates ; analysis ; Humans ; Mouthwashes ; analysis ; Phosphates ; analysis ; Preservatives, Pharmaceutical ; analysis ; Saccharin ; analysis ; Sorbic Acid ; analysis ; Sulfates ; analysis ; Sweetening Agents ; analysis

PURPOSE:Chronic intractable sinusitis is a sinus infection persisting for more than 3 months and characterized by refractoriness to conventional treatment. Despite much research on pathogenesis and treatment, its prevalence is reported to be on the increase and the management of chronic sinusitis has also become increasingly problematic for pediatricians. So we evaluated the effectiveness of treatments targetted the causes and followed the course of childhood chronic sinusitis persisting for more than 3 months despite maximal medical therapy. METHODS:We followed up 41 patients diagnosed as chronic intractable sinusitis between January 1998 and December 2002 at the Department of Pediatrics, Kangnam General Hospital (Seoul Medical Center). The mean age was 4 years and the female to male ratio was 1.2:1. The duration of follow-up was 4.2 years. From medical records and questionnaires, a composite symptom score and medication use outcome (good/bad result) was created by assigning points to each category of symptom score and use of medication. Nasal endoscopy, allergy skin prick test, and serum immunoglobulin level checks were performed in all patients. CT scans were done in 3 patients and saccharin tests for diagnosis of ciliary dysfunction in 6 patients. A 24 hour pH mornitoring, esophagography, and upper GI endoscopy were done in 1 patient, respectively. RESULTS:Adenoidectomy was done in 17 patients. Fifteen patients with adenoidectomies were assessed to have good results. Among them, 4 patients had concommitant alleric rhinitis treatments, 1 patient a GERD treatment. Two patients with adenoidectomies were assessed to have bad results. Twenty-four patients without adenoidectomies were assessed to have good results. Among the 7 patients with underlying allergic rhinitis, 4 patients improved after immunotherapy. Two patients had polypectomies and 15 patients improved with medical management of sinusitis. One patients had functional endoscopic sinus surgery. CONCLUSION:If medical treatments with management of underlying diseases including immunotherapy, GERD management, and adenoidectomy are done, functional endoscopic sinus surgery is rarely necessary for treatment of chronic sinusitis in children.
Adenoidectomy ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunotherapy ; Male ; Medical Records ; Pediatrics ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rhinitis ; Saccharin ; Sinusitis* ; Skin ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed