4 replies to this topic

[stealmind12345]

Hello,

 

I was recently looking at studies on lions mane mushroom on pubmed and came upon this specific study http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/18758067. These lines particularly confused me.

"The enhancement of NGF gene expression by H. erinaceus extracts was inhibited by the c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125. In addition, H. erinaceus extracts induced phosphorylation of JNK and its downstream substrate c-Jun, and increased c-fos expression, suggesting that H. erinaceus promotes NGF gene expression via JNK signaling"

 

From what i've read about JNK signaling, it is the mediator of apoptosis and neuronal cell death. It also linked to neuro-degeneration and inflammation. How does it make sense that JNK, a known cell killer, is somehow associated with the enlargement and expansion of nerve cells? By and large it doesn't look like the NGF expressed through JNK signaling is a positive characteristic in lions mane mushrooms for brain growth at least. However, i may be misinformed, so it would be great if anyone could tell me what i'm missing and how this wouldn't be a negative effect overall.

[CholinergiX]

c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) play a role in both neurodevelopment and neuro-degeneration

[stealmind12345]

Is there a guarantee that it won't cause neuro-degeneration?

[medicineman]

Is there a guarantee that it won't cause neuro-degeneration?

never any guarantees in the biochemical world. most we can say is that in vitro studies show that lions mane increase ngf via...... whether there is regeneration or degeneration going on is something beyond.

[Raza]

A kinase is an intracellulair signaling protein. Those get mixed and matched in different cell types to perform different tasks, with the effect depending on what else comes to expression there and becomes part of the signalling cascade. That this thing is downstream from lion's mane's effects in one cell type doesn't mean it's going to get activated by lion's mane in every cell type.

Edited by Raza, 24 September 2014 - 07:26 PM.