title: Zizyphus enhances cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in middle-aged mice.
abstract: Zizyphus jujuba is considered to have various physiological functions in the brain. We obtained a Z. jujuba methanol extract (ZJE) and observed its effects on neurogenesis in middle-aged mice. Twelve-month-old mice received repeated oral administrations of ZJE for 30 days. The administration of ZJE significantly increased the number of Ki67 (a marker for cell proliferation)-positive cells in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus of middle-aged mice. Furthermore, ZJE significantly increased doublecortin (a marker for neuroblast differentiation)-immunoreactive neuroblasts with tertiary dendrites, but not those without tertiary dendrites, in the dentate gyrus. In addition, doublecortin protein levels in the ZJE-treated groups tended to increase dose-dependently. These results suggest that the repeated supplement of ZJE may increase the hippocampal plasticity in middle-aged mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: In Koo
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Ki-Yeon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Dae Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Jung Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Choong Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Il-Jun
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Dae Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Young Sup
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong-Woo
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Moo-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Won
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D005638:Fruit; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031957:Ziziphus
chemical_list: D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010936:Plant Extracts