title: Vanillin and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol promotes cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation in the dentate gyrus of mice via the increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tropomyosin-related kinase B.
abstract: 4-Hydroxy‑3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin) and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (4-HBA) are well‑known phenolic compounds, which possess various therapeutic properties and are widely found in a variety of plants. In the present study, the effects of vanillin and 4‑HBA were first investigated on cell proliferation, as well as neuronal differentiation and integration of granule cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) of adolescent mice using Ki‑67, doublecortin (DCX) immunohistochemistry and 5‑bromo‑2'‑deoxyuridine (BrdU)/feminizing Locus on X 3 (NeuN) double immunofluorescence. In both the vanillin and 4‑HBA groups, the number of Ki‑67+ cells, DCX+ neuroblasts and BrdU+/NeuN+ neurons were significantly increased in the subgranular zone of the DG, as compared with the vehicle group. In addition, the levels of brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin‑related kinase B (TrkB), a BDNF receptor, were significantly increased in the DG in the vanillin and 4‑HBA groups compared with the vehicle group. These results indicated that vanillin and 4‑HBA enhanced cell proliferation, neuroblast differentiation and integration of granule cells in the DG of adolescent mice . These neurogenic effects of vanillin and 4‑HBA may be closely associated with increases in BDNF and TrkB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Hwi
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Ha
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 151‑742, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: In Koo
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Hwi
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Division of Food Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Dai
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Myeong
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Moo-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200‑702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Il-Jun
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology*; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001547:Benzaldehydes; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C000714847:Dcx protein, mouse; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; C018966:4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol; C100058:vanillin