Effects of wind-dispelling drugs and deficiency-nourishing drugs of Houshiheisan compound prescription on astrocyte activation and inflammatory factor expression in the corpus striatum of cerebral ischemia rats

This study explored protective effects of Houshiheisan and its compound prescription of wind-dispelling drugs and deficiency-nourishing drugs on cerebral ischemia in terms of astrocyte activation and inflammatory factor expression.Results suggested that Houshiheisan lessened neuronal degeneration in the corpus striatum on the ischemic side of rats following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury,contributed to astrocyte activation and glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in the corpus striatum and decreased the levels of interleukin-2,interleukin-6, interleukin-1βand tumor necrosis factor-α.Factor analysis results demonstrated that deficiency-nourishing drugs were more beneficial in protecting neurons and upregulating glial fibrillary acidic protein expression than wind-dispelling drugs.However,wind-dispelling drugs were more effective in increasing the number of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells and reducing inflammatory factor expression than deficiency-nourishing drugs.These indicate that different ingredients of Houshiheisan suppress cerebral ischemic injury by promoting astrocyte activation and diminishing inflammatory factor expression.

Inhibition of Sirtuin 2 exerts neuroprotection in aging rats with increased neonatal iron intake

Impaired iron homeostasis may cause damage to dopaminergic neurons and is critically involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. At present, very little is understood about the effect of neonatal iron intake on behavior in aging animals. Therefore, we hypothesized that increased neonatal iron intake would result in signiifcant behavior abnormalities and striatal dopamine depletion during aging, and Sirtuin 2 contributes to the age-related neurotoxicity. In the present study, we observed that neonatal iron intake （120 μg/g per day） during postnatal days 10–17 resulted in significant behavior abnormalities and striatal dopamine depletion in aging rats. Furthermore, after AK-7 （a selective Sirtuin 2 inhibitor） was injected into the substantia nigra at postnatal 540 days and 570 days （5 μg/side per day）, striatal dopamine depletion was signiifcant-ly diminished and behavior abnormality was improved in aging rats with neonatal iron intake. Experimental ifndings suggest that increased neonatal iron intake may result in Parkinson’s dis-ease-like neurochemical and behavioral deifcits with aging, and inhibition of Sirtuin 2 expression may be a neuroprotective measure in Parkinson’s disease.

Expression of c-fos and c-jun proteins in the marginal division of the rat striatum during learning and memory training

Background A new brain region, the marginal division (MrD), was discovered at the caudal margin of the neostriatum. The MrD was shown to be involved in learning and memory in the rat. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the immediate-early genes c-fos and c-jun in the MrD of the striatum during learning and memory processes in the rat, immunocytochemical and Western blot methods were used to examine Y-maze trained rats.Methods The rats were divided into three groups, namely the training, pseudotraining, and control groups. After Y-maze training, the expression of the immediate-early genes c-fos and c-jun in the MrD of the rats was investigated using immunocytochemical and Western blot methods. Results After one hour of Y-maze training, the expression of c-jun and c-fos proteins was significantly enhanced in the MrD; the c-jun protein, in particular, was more intensely expressed in this region than in other parts of the striatum. The expression of these two proteins in the training group was significantly higher than in the pseudotraining and control groups. In addition, positive expression was also found in the hippocampus, cingulum cortex, thalamus, and in other areas. Western blot disclosed two immunoreactive bands for the anti-c-fos antibody (47 kD and 54 kD) and two immunoreactive bands for the anti-c-jun antibody (39 kD and (54 kD).) Conclusions These results indicate that the immediate-early genes c-fos and c-jun participate in signal transduction during the learning and memory processes associated with Y-maze training in rats.

Comparative study of D_2 receptors and dopamine content in striatum before and aftere lectro- acupuncture treatment in rats

To evaluate the change in D 2 receptors and their relationship with dopamine (DA) content in experimental hemi parkinsonism rats before and after electro acupuncture (EA) treatment Methods 125 Ⅰ IBZM D 2 receptor cerebral autoradio^graphic analysis, HPLC ECD detection of DA and its metabolites, homovanillic acid (HVA), 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were used to study their levels in striatum in pre EA, EA and EA control group Results The DA, HVA and DOPAC levels in striatum of the lesioned side in the EA group were elevated compared to the pre EA and EA control group ( P <0 05) For the EA group, the striatum/cerebellum 125 Ⅰ IBZM uptake ratio of the lesioned side was 8 04±0 71, (29 34%±4 83%) more than that of the contralateral side ( P <0 05), while no significant difference was observed as compared with that in the pre EA group (8 09±0 52, 30 12%±4 53%, higher than that of the intact side P >0 05) It was lower than the EA control group (8 61±0 63, P <0 05), and the latter was (38 63%±3 71%) higher than that in its contralateral side ( P <0 05) Conclusion 6 OH DA lesions in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental areas induce an up regulation of striatal D 2 binding sites EA treatment could elevate the DA level of the lesioned side striatum and prevent D 2 receptor up regulation in rats with experimental hemi parkinsonism