echinochrome-a and Disease-Models--Animal

Echinochrome A (Ech A, 7-ethyl-2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) has been known to exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, no study has been carried out on the efficacy of Ech A against skin photoaging; this process is largely mediated by oxidative stress. Six-week-old male SKH-1 hairless mice (

Topics: Animals; Aquatic Organisms; Collagen; Disease Models, Animal; Male; Mast Cells; Mice; Mice, Hairless; Naphthoquinones; Protective Agents; Skin Aging; Ultraviolet Rays; Water Loss, Insensible

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease in which skin barrier dysfunction leads to dryness, pruritus, and erythematous lesions. AD is triggered by immune imbalance and oxidative stress. Echinochrome A (Ech A), a natural pigment isolated from sea urchins, exerts antioxidant and beneficial effects in various inflammatory disease models. In the present study, we tested whether Ech A treatment alleviated AD-like skin lesions. We examined the anti-inflammatory effect of Ech A on 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like lesions in an NC/Nga mouse model. AD-like skin symptoms were induced by treatment with 1% DNCB for 1 week and 0.4% DNCB for 5 weeks in NC/Nga mice. The results showed that Ech A alleviated AD clinical symptoms, such as edema, erythema, and dryness. Treatment with Ech A induced the recovery of epidermis skin lesions as observed histologically. Tewameter

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Aquatic Organisms; Dermatitis, Atopic; Disease Models, Animal; Interleukin-3; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Naphthoquinones; Sea Urchins; Skin; Water Loss, Insensible

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease caused by the abnormal regulation of extracellular matrix synthesis and is activated by non-regulated inflammatory cells and cytokines. Echinochrome A (EchA), a natural pigment isolated from sea urchins, has been demonstrated to have antioxidant activities and beneficial effects in various disease models. The present study demonstrates for the first time that EchA treatment alleviates bleomycin-induced scleroderma by normalizing dermal thickness and suppressing collagen deposition in vivo. EchA treatment reduces the number of activated myofibroblasts expressing α-SMA, vimentin, and phosphorylated Smad3 in bleomycin-induced scleroderma. In addition, it decreased the number of macrophages, including M1 and M2 types in the affected skin, suggesting the induction of an anti-inflammatory effect. Furthermore, EchA treatment markedly attenuated serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ, in a murine scleroderma model. Taken together, these results suggest that EchA is highly useful for the treatment of scleroderma, exerting anti-fibrosis and anti-inflammatory effects.

Topics: Actins; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Bleomycin; Collagen; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Fibrosis; Humans; Inflammation Mediators; Macrophages; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Myofibroblasts; Naphthoquinones; Phosphorylation; RAW 264.7 Cells; Scleroderma, Systemic; Skin; Smad3 Protein; Vimentin

Topics: Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Estradiol; Extracellular Matrix; Female; Humans; Naphthoquinones; Ovariectomy; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Vocal Cords; Vocalization, Animal

Of late, researchers have taken interest in alternative medicines for the treatment of brain ischemic stroke, where full recovery is rarely seen despite advanced medical technologies. Due to its antioxidant activity, Echinochrome A (Ech A), a natural compound found in sea urchins, has acquired attention as an alternative clinical trial source for the treatment of ischemic stroke. The current study demonstrates considerable potential of Ech A as a medication for cerebral ischemic injury. To confirm the effects of Ech A on the recovery of the injured region and behavioral decline, Ech A was administered through the external carotid artery in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion model after reperfusion. The expression level of cell viability-related factors was also examined to confirm the mechanism of brain physiological restoration. Based on the results obtained, we propose that Ech A ameliorates the physiological deterioration by its antioxidant effect which plays a protective role against cell death, subsequent to post cerebral ischemic stroke.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Behavior Observation Techniques; Behavior, Animal; Brain; Cell Survival; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery; Male; Middle Cerebral Artery; Naphthoquinones; Neuroprotective Agents; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Reperfusion Injury; Sea Urchins; Treatment Outcome

The effects of therapeutic or preventive-therapeutic administration of water-soluble echinochrome analog U-441 on arrhythmia severity assessed by a set of myocardial spatio-temporal depolarization and repolarization parameters were examined on the model of acute myocardial ischemia in cats. Coronary occlusion increased activation time and decreased repolarization time in the ischemic zone; in addition, it increased both global and borderline (local) dispersions of repolarization. The linear regression model showed that only activation time values measured at the initial state and at termination of occlusion were associated with total arrhythmia score during ischemia (regression coefficient β=0.338, 95%CI=0.074-0.602, p=0.015 and β=0.720, 95%CI=0.323-1.117, p=0.001, respectively). The study revealed no association between administration of echinochrome analog U-441 and arrhythmia severity.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Cats; Coronary Occlusion; Disease Models, Animal; Electrocardiography; Heart Conduction System; Myocardial Ischemia; Myocardium; Naphthoquinones; Sea Urchins; Severity of Illness Index; Solubility; Treatment Failure; Water