title: Undaria pinnatifida Promotes Spinogenesis and Synaptogenesis and Potentiates Functional Presynaptic Plasticity in Hippocampal Neurons.
abstract: Reductions in neurotrophic factors are implicated in synaptic dysfunction in the central nervous system, but exogenous neurotrophic factors with potential effects on neuritic regeneration and synaptic reconstruction could offer therapeutic and preventive strategies for treating memory-related neurological disorders. In an earlier effort to identify natural neurotrophic agents, we found that the ethanol extract of the edible marine alga Undaria pinnatifida (UPE) had promising effects on the neuritogenesis of cultured hippocampal neurons. Here, we further investigated the ability of UPE to promote spinogenesis and synaptogenesis in primary cultures of hippocampal neurons. It was found that UPE triggered significant increase in numbers of dendritic filopodia and spines, promoted the formation of excitatory and inhibitory synapses, and potentiated synaptic transmission by increasing the sizes of reserve vesicle pools at presynaptic terminals. These findings indicate a substantial role for UPE in the morphological and functional maturation of neurons and suggest that UPE is a possible therapeutic preventative measure and treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, such as those involving cognitive disorders and memory impairments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju 780-714, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maqueshudul Haque Bhuiyan
authors.forename: Md
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohibbullah
authors.forename: Md Abdul
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: Yong-Ki
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jae-Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: In Soon
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Il Soo
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000187:drug effects; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D044648:Undaria / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: FM1-43; Neurotransmitter Receptor; Neurotrophic Factor; Presynaptic Plasticity; Spinogenesis; Synaptogenesis; Undaria pinnatifida