Angelica tenuissima Nakai Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment and Promotes Neurogenesis in Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Objective: To research Angelica tenuissima Nakai(ATN) for use in novel Alzheimer’s disease(AD) therapeutics. Methods: The effect of a 30% ethanol extract of ATN(KH032) on AD-like cognitive impairment and neuropathological and neuroinflammatory changes induced by bilateral intracerebroventricular injections of β-amyloid(Aβ) peptide(Aβ1-42) was investigated. Male C57 Bl/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, 10 in each group. KH032-treated groups were administrated with a low or high dose of KH032(50 and 200 mg/kg, respectively), intragastrically for 16 days; distilled water was applied in the sham and negative groups. Open field test, Y maze and Morris water maze test were used for behavior test and cognitive ability. In addition, the neuroprotective effects of KH032 in Aβ1-42-infused mice on the histopathological markers [neuronspecific nuclear protein(Neu N), Aβ1-42] of neurodegeneration were examined. The levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP), Neu N, phosphorylation extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)/ERK, brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), phosphorylation c AMP response element-binding(CREB)/CREB protein expression were measured by Western blot. Results: KH032 treatment ameliorated cognitive impairments, reduced the overexpression of Aβ1-42, and inhibited neuronal loss and neuroinflammatory response in the Aβ1-42-infused mice. Moreover, KH032 treatment enhanced BDNF expression levels in the hippocampus. Finally, KH032 treatment increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and CREB, vital for ERK-CREB signaling. Conclusions: KH032 attenuated cognitive deficits in the Aβ1-42-infused mice by increasing BDNF expression and ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation and inhibiting neuronal loss and neuroinflammatory response, suggesting that KH032 has therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative disorders such as AD.

Controlled afterglow luminescent particles for photochemical tissue bonding

Upconversion materials(UCMs)have been developed to convert tissue-penetrating near-infrared(NIR)light into visible light.However,the low energy conversion effciency of UCMs has limited their further biophotonic applications.Here,we developed controlled afterglow luminescent particles(ALPs)of ZnS:Ag,Co with strong and persistent green luminescence for photochemical tissue bonding(PTB).The co-doping of Ag^(+) and Co^(2+) ions into ZnS:Ag,Co particles with the proper vacancy formation of host ions resulted in high luminescence intensity and long-term afterglow.In addition,the ALPs of ZnS:Ag,Co could be recharged rapidly under short ultraviolet(UV)irradiation,which effectively activated rose bengal(RB)in hyaluronate-RB(HA-RB)conjugates for the crosslinking of dissected collagen layers without additional light irradiation.The remarkable PTB of ZnS:Ag,Co particles with HA-RB conjugates was confirmed by in vitro collagen fibrillogenesis assay,in vivo animal wound closure rate analysis,and in vivo tensile strength evaluation of incised skin tissues.Taken together,we could confirm the feasibility of controlled ALPs for various biophotonic applications.