In the present study, we investigated the effect of agelasine D (AD) on osteoclastogenesis. Treatment of bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) with receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) resulted in a differentiation of BMMs into osteoclasts as evidenced by generation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive, multinucleated cells and formation of pits in calcium phosphate-coated plates. However, RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis was significantly suppressed by AD treatment. We also confirmed the increased mRNA and protein expression of osteoclastic markers, such as TRAP, cathepsin K and matrix metalloproteinase-9, during RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and this was down-regulated by AD treatment. Moreover, AD treatment significantly suppressed RANKL-induced mRNA expression of DC-STAMP and OC-STAMP and cell fusion of TRAP-positive mononuclear osteoclast precursors. In addition, AD suppressed RANKL-induced expression of transcription factors, c-Fos and nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1), which are important transcription factors involved in differentiation of BMMs into osteoclasts. Furthermore, RANKL-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) and activation of NF-κB were also inhibited by AD treatment. Collectively, these results suggest that AD inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis by down-regulation of multiple signaling pathways involving c-Fos, NFATc1, NF-κB and ERK. Our results also suggest that AD might be a potential therapeutic agent for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Scytonemin is a yellow-green ultraviolet sunscreen pigment present in different genera of aquatic and terrestrial blue-green algae, including marine cyanobacteria. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory activities of scytonemin were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Topical application of scytonemin inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced ear swelling in BALB/c mice. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was also suppressed by scytonemin treatment in the TPA-treated ear of BALB/c mice. In addition, scytonemin inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of TNF-α and nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage-like cell line, and the mRNA expressions of TNF-α and iNOS were also suppressed by scytonemin in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Further study demonstrated that LPS-induced NF-κB activity was significantly suppressed by scytonemin treatment in RAW 264.7 cells. Our results also showed that the degradation of IκBα and nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit were blocked by scytonemin in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Collectively, these results suggest that scytonemin inhibits skin inflammation by blocking the expression of inflammatory mediators, and the anti-inflammatory effect of scytonemin is mediated, at least in part, by down-regulation of NF-κB activity. Our results also suggest that scytonemin might be used as a multi-function skin care ingredient for UV protection and anti-inflammation.

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) has been most widely used due to its advantages such as good biodegradability, controllable rate of degradation and metabolizable degradation products. We manufactured composite scaffolds of PLGA scaffold penetrated DBP gel (PLGA/DBP gel) by a simple method, solvent casting/salt leaching prep of PLGA scaffolds and subsequent soaking in DBP gel. Chondrocytes were seeded on the PLGA/DBP gel. The mechanical strength of scaffold, histology (H&E, Safranin-O, Alcian-blue) and immunohistochemistry (collagen type I, collagen type II) were performed to elucidate in vitro and in vivo cartilage-specific extracellular matrices. It was better to keep the characteristic of chondrocytes in the PLGA/DBP gel scaffolds than that PLGA scaffolds. This study suggests that PLGA/DBP gel scaffold may serve as a potential cell delivery vehicle and a structural basis for in vivo tissue engineered cartilage.

Zaltoprofen loaded polyoxalate (POX) microspheres were prepared by an emulsion solvent-evaporation/extraction method like oil-in-water (O/W) for sustained release of zaltoprofen. The influence of several preparation parameters such as fabrication temperature, stirring speed, intensity of the sonication, initial drug ratio, molecular weight (M w ) of POX, concentration of POX and concentration of emulsifier has been investigated on the zaltoprofen release profiles. Physicochemical properties and morphology of zaltoprofen loaded POX microspheres were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Through the analyzed results, it was demonstrated that the characteristics of the microspheres greatly affected by the prepared condition. The releases behavior of zaltoprofen was investigated for 10 days in vitro. It was confirmed that the release behavior of zaltoprofen can be controlled by the manufacturing factor of solvent-evaporation/ extraction method.

Osteoclasts are considered as innate immune cells of a bone and involved in the regulation of hematopoiesis as well. In the present study, we investigated the effect of agelasine D (AD) on osteoclastogenesis. Treatment of bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) with receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) resulted in a differentiation of BMMs into osteoclasts. However, RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis was significantly suppressed by AD treatment. We also confirmed the increased mRNA and protein expression of osteoclastic markers during RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and this was down-regulated by AD treatment. Moreover, AD treatment significantly suppressed RANKL-induced mRNA expression of DC-STAMP and OC-STAMP and cell fusion of TRAP-positive mononuclear osteoclast precursors. In addition, AD suppressed RANKL-induced expression of transcription factors, c-Fos and nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1), which are important transcription factors involved in differentiation of BMMs into osteoclasts. Furthermore, RANKL-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) and activation of NF-κB were also inhibited by AD treatment. Collectively, these results suggest that AD inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis by down-regulation of multiple signaling pathways involving c-Fos, NFATc1, NF-κB and ERK. Our results also suggest that AD might be a potential therapeutic agent for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.