Effect of Ganoderma lucidum spore on expression of insulin-like growth factor-1, nuclear factor-kappa B, and neuronal apoptosis in the epileptic rat brain

BACKGROUND：It has been reported that Ganoderma lucidum spore powder, a very well known Chinese traditional medicine, can affect immunoregulation, free radical scavenging, and anti-hypoxia responses. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effect of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder on expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 （IGF-1）, nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） and neuronal apoptosis in rats with pentylenetetrazol （PTZ）-induced epilepsy. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A cellular and molecular biology experiment with randomized controlled study design was performed at the Central Laboratory of Basic Medical College of Jiamusi University from June to August 2005. MATERIALS： Thirty healthy, adult, male, Wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups （10 rats per group）： control, epilepsy model, and Ganoderma lucidum spore powder. A sub-eclampsia PTZ dose （35 mg/kg） was intraperitoneally injected to induce epilepsy in the latter two groups. Wild Ganoderma lucidum spore powder （30 g/L） was provided by the wild Ganoderma lucidum plant nursery at Jiamusi, China. Immunohistochemical detection and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediate dUTP nick end-labeling （TUNEL） kits were purchased from Wuhan Boster Biological Technology Co., Ltd., China. METHODS： Ganoderma lucidum spore powder was intragastrically administered at a dose of 10.0 mL/kg, once a day for 28 days. In the epilepsy and control groups, an equivalent volume of normal saline was intragastrically administered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Immunoreactivity for IGF-1 and NF-κB/P65 were detected by immunohistochemical staining. Neuronal apoptosis was detected using TUNEL methods. RESULTS： The hippocampus and cerebral cortex of rats with PTZ-induced epilepsy exhibited a higher number of apoptotic cells at high magnification （×400）, compared with the control group. Expression of IGF-1 and NF-κB were higher in the epilepsy group, compared with the control group （P 〈 0.01）. In Ganoderma lucidum spore-treated rats, fewer apoptotic cells were observed in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, expression of NF-κB/P65 was lower, and immunoreactivity to IGF-1 increased more distinctly, compared with the epilepsy group. In addition, seizure latency was longer on 17, 21, and 25 days post-PTZ treatment in the Ganoderma lucidum spore powder group, compared with the epilepsy group （P 〈 0.05-0.01）. CONCLUSION： Ganoderma lucidum spore powder down-regulated expression of NF-κB in brain tissues of rats with PTZ-induced epilepsy, increased immunoreactivity to IGF-1, and inhibited neuronal apoptosis. These results indicated that Ganoderma lucidum spore powder has a neuroprotective effect.

Ganoderma lucidum spore powder modulates Bcl-2 and Bax expression in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex,and improves learning and memory in pentylenetetrazole-kindled rats

We studied the effects of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder on Bax and Bcl-2 expression and neuronal apoptosis in pentylenetetrazole-kindled epileptic rats. Sixty adult rats were randomly divided into a control group, an epileptic group （kindled） and three medication groups （150,300 450 mg/kg given to kindled rats）. Bax and Bcl-2 immunohistochemistry and TUNEL labeling showed that the number of Bax- and TUNEL-positive cells in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex decreased significantly in the high-dose medication group, while the number of Bcl-2 immunoreactive cells increased. The Morris water maze test showed that high-dose treatment significantly shortened escape latency and increased spatial probe trial performance. Our findings indicate that a high dose of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder upregulates the expression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, inhibits proapoptotic Bax expression, and decreases seizure-induced neuronal apoptosis. Further, Ganoderma lucidum appears to protect against epilepsy-related learning and memory impairments.

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder on astrocyte expression and glutamine synthetase activity in the hippocampal region of epileptic rats

BACKGROUND： Recent studies have demonstrated that astrocyte dysfunction plays a central role in inhibiting epileptic seizures and that regulation of astrocyte function may be a new target for treatment of epilepsy. OBJECTIVE： To observe the effects of Ganoderma lucidum spore powder （GLSP） on astrocyte morphology and glutamine synthetase （COS） activity in the hippocampal region of epileptic rats. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled animal experiment was performed at the Function Laboratory, College of Basic Medicine, Jiamusi University between October and December 2006. MATERIALS： A total of 30 Sprague Dawley （SD） rats were randomized to three groups （n = 10）： control, model, and GLSP. GLSP was sourced from Jiamusi Wild Ganoderma Lucidum Planting Base and prepared to 30 g/L with physiological saline before use. Pentylenetetrazol （PTZ） （10 g/L） was provided by Sigma Company, USA. METHODS： The control group received intraperitoneal （i.p.） and intragastric （i.g.） physiological saline. Following epilepsy induction by i.p. administration of PTZ （35 mg/kg）, rats from the mode/and GLSP groups were ig injected with physiological saline and GLSP （300 mg/kg）, respectively. Each compound was administered once per day, for a total of 28 successive days. Epileptic seizure convulsions were graded 0-5. A higher grade indicated more severe epilepsy. Only those rats showing stage 2 or higher convulsions at least 5 times successively were included in further experiments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Immediately alter injection, seizure activity was monitored for 30 minutes to determine the latent period and seizure duration; simultaneously, astrocyte numbers and GS activity in the hippocampal region of rats with epilepsy were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS： All 30 rats were included in the final analysis. On day 28, following PTZ administration epileptic seizures were not found in the control group. In the GLSP group, rats exhibited rhythmic head nodding or facial spasms, and the latent period was significantly longer than that of the model group （P 〈 0.05）. In the model group, the majority of rats exhibited myoclonus or generalized convulsions, and epileptic seizure duration was slightly （but not significantly） longer than that in the GLSP group （P 〉 0.05）. Within 2-3 minutes of PTZ injection, the model group exhibited grade 4 or 5 epileptic seizures, and the GLSP group mostly showed grade 2 or 3, and occasionally grade 4 or 5, epileptic seizures. All rats recovered within 30 minutes. The model group exhibited significantly increased astrocytes （P 〈 0.05）, with thicker cellular processes and a higher number of cellular processes, and significantly decreased GS activity （P 〈 0.05） tban the control group. The astrocyte count was significantly decreased but GS activity was significantly increased in the GLSP group when compared with the model group （P 〈 0.05）; however, astrocyte appearance was similar in both groups （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： GLSP can effectively inhibit astrocyte numbers and elevate GS activity in the hippocampal region of rats with epilepsy, thereby reducing epileptic seizures.

Effects of nanometer particles and water decoction of the Chinese medicine mixture of pinellia ternate and scorpion on P53 protein contents and apoptosis in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of epileptic rats

BACKGROUND： Water decoction of the Chinese traditional medicine mixture of pinellia ternate and scorpion is an effective treatment for epilepsy. OBJECTIVE： To compare nanometer particles and effects of water decoction of Chinese traditional medicine mixture on P53 protein levels and apoptosis in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of epileptic rats. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： This randomized, controlled molecular biology study was performed at the Key Laboratory of Child Neural Rehabilitation of Jiamusi University from October to December 2007. MATERIALS： Forty healthy male Wistar rats were used in this study. Convulsion rat models were established by intraperitoneal infusion of 35 mg/kg pentylenetetrazol, once a day, for 28 successive days. The Chinese traditional medicine mixture, comprising pinellia ternate, scorpion, centipede, bupleurum, peach pit and glycyrrhiza, was purchased from Beijing Tongrentang, China. The mixture was made into nanometer particles and water decoction. The apoptosis determination kit and P53 immunohistochemistry kit were bought from Boster, China. METHODS： Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of ten rats per group, control, nanometer particle, water decoction and epileptic model groups. Rats in the nanometer particle and water decoction groups were respectively treated with 300 mg/kg Chinese herb nanometer particle suspension and water decoction by gavage, once a day, for 28 days. Rats in the epileptic model group were fed an equal volume of saline by gavage. Rats in the control group were only administered with the same volume of saline by gavage. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Terminal deoxynucleotidyl Transferase Biotin-dUTP Nick End Labeling （TUNEL） and immunohistochemistry were used to respectively detect neuronal apoptosis and P53 protein expression in the rat brain cortex and hippocampus at 28 days following administration. RESULTS： The number of apoptotic neurons was lower in the nanometer particle and water decoction groups compared with the epileptic model group. The number of apoptotic cells and P53 protein expression in the rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus was greater in the epileptic model group compared with the control group （P 〈 0.05）, but lower in the nanometer particle and water decoction groups compared with the epileptic model group （P 〈 0.05）, and lower in the nanometer particle group compared with the water decoction group （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Chinese traditional medicine mixture decreases neuronal apoptosis and P53 protein expression in epileptic rats. The effect of nanometer particles is significant compared with water decoction.