The microglia-mediated inflammatory reaction promotes neuronal damage under cerebral isch- emia/hypoxia conditions. We therefore speculated that inhibition of hypoxia-induced microglial activation may alleviate neuron...The microglia-mediated inflammatory reaction promotes neuronal damage under cerebral isch- emia/hypoxia conditions. We therefore speculated that inhibition of hypoxia-induced microglial activation may alleviate neuronal damage. To test this hypothesis, we co-cultured ginsenoside Rb 1, an active component of ginseng, and cortical neurons. Ginsenoside Rb l protected neuronal morphology and structure in a single hypoxic culture system and in a hypoxic co-culture system with microglia, and reduced neuronal apoptosis and caspase-3 production. The protective effect was observable prior to placing in co-culture. Additionally, ginsenoside Rbl inhibited levels of tumor necrosis factor-a in a co-culture system containing activated N9 microglial cells. Ginse-noside Rbl also significantly decreased nitric oxide and superoxide production induced by N9 microglia. Our findings indicate that ginsenoside Rbl attenuates damage to cerebral cortex neu-rons by downregulation of nitric oxide, superoxide, and tumor necrosis factor-a expression in hypoxia-activated microglia.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81041054China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project(General Program),No.2013M542193
文摘The microglia-mediated inflammatory reaction promotes neuronal damage under cerebral isch- emia/hypoxia conditions. We therefore speculated that inhibition of hypoxia-induced microglial activation may alleviate neuronal damage. To test this hypothesis, we co-cultured ginsenoside Rb 1, an active component of ginseng, and cortical neurons. Ginsenoside Rb l protected neuronal morphology and structure in a single hypoxic culture system and in a hypoxic co-culture system with microglia, and reduced neuronal apoptosis and caspase-3 production. The protective effect was observable prior to placing in co-culture. Additionally, ginsenoside Rbl inhibited levels of tumor necrosis factor-a in a co-culture system containing activated N9 microglial cells. Ginse-noside Rbl also significantly decreased nitric oxide and superoxide production induced by N9 microglia. Our findings indicate that ginsenoside Rbl attenuates damage to cerebral cortex neu-rons by downregulation of nitric oxide, superoxide, and tumor necrosis factor-a expression in hypoxia-activated microglia.