ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate protective effect of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) against lupus nephritis in MRL/lpr mice and explore its underlying mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty MRL/lpr mice were randomized equally into blank control group, dexamethasone (1.5 mg/kg) group, GA (20 mg/kg) group, and GA (40 mg/kg) group with corresponding treatments for 7 days, with 10 wild-type mice as the control group. Serum levels of uric acid and creatinine and inflammatory cytokines in the serum and kidney were tested after the treatments using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The pathological changes in the kidneys were detected using HE staining, and the protein expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, p-NF-κB, NF-κB, p-IκBα, and IκBα were detected with Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>GA obviously decreased serum levels of uric acid and creatinine, decreased inflammatory cytokines in the serum and kidney, ameliorated renal pathologies and inhibited the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, p-NF-κB, and p-IκBα proteins in MRL/lpr mice.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>GA has protective effects against lupus nephritis in MRL/lpr mice.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of diallyl disulfide (DADS) on hippocampal synapses and learning and memory abilities in a mouse model of A1zheimer's disease (AD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mouse models of AD established by agglutinated Aβ1-42 injection in the lateral cerebral ventricle were randomized into 4 groups and treated with DADS at the daily doses of 0, 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg by gavage for 30 consecutive days. The learning and memory abilities of the mice were assessed with Morris water maze test; the structures of the dendritic spines and synapses in CA1 region of the hippocampus were observed under transmission electron microscope with silver staining; PSD95 and SYP protein and mRNA expressions in the hippocampus were detected with Western blotting and RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the AD model mice, the mice treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg DADS showed enhanced learning and memory abilities in Morris water maze test. The dendritic spines and synapses in CA1 region of the hippocampus increased obviously and hippocampal expressions of PSD95 and SYP were enhanced in mice treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg DADS.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DADS at the daily doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg can improve the learning and memory abilities and increase the number of dendritic spines and synapses in the hippocampus in mouse models of AD.</p>