Asiatic Acid Protects Dopaminergic Neurons from Neuroinflammation by Suppressing Mitochondrial ROS Production

This study sought to evaluate the effects of Asiatic acid in LPS-induced BV2 microglia cells and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridine (MPP⁺)-induced SH-SY5Y cells, to investigate the potential anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Asiatic acid in Parkinson’s disease (PD). SH-SY5Y cells were induced using MPP⁺ to establish as an in vitro model of PD, so that the effects of Asiatic acid on dopaminergic neurons could be examined. The NLRP3 inflammasome was activated in BV2 microglia cells to explore potential mechanisms for the neuroprotective effects of Asiatic acid. We showed that Asiatic acid reduced intracellular production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and altered the mitochondrial membrane potential to regulate mitochondrial dysfunction, and suppressed the NLRP3 inflammasome in microglia cells. We additionally found that treatment with Asiatic acid directly improved SH-SY5Y cell viability and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by MPP⁺. These data demonstrate that Asiatic acid both inhibits the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by downregulating mitochondrial reactive oxygen species directly to protect dopaminergic neurons from, and improves mitochondrial dysfunction in SH-SY5Y cells, which were established as a model of Parkinson’s disease. Our finding reveals that Asiatic acid protects dopaminergic neurons from neuroinflammation by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation in microglia cells as well as protecting dopaminergic neurons directly. This suggests a promising clinical use of Asiatic acid for PD therapy.

Effects of asiatic acid on MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease-like motor symptoms in mice / 中成药

AIM To investigate the effects of asiatic acid (AA) on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD)-like motor symptoms in mice and its neuroprotective mechanism.METHODS Forty-five male C57BL/6 mice,except the nine mice in control group,were induced to be the PD models by peritoneal injection of 25 mg/kg MPTP for seven days and then were randomly assigned to model group,low-dose,high-dose AA groups and positive control group.Both the control group and the model group were administered with 0.5％ sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC-Na) solution,the AA groups were dosed with 12.5 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg AA,respectively,and the positive control group was given 75 mg/kg daily intragastric gavage of levodopa for eleven days.On the twelfth day,behavioral tests were performed.Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells in substantia nigra were detected by immunohistochemistry.The mRNA expressions of iNOS,COX-2,TNF-α,IL-1β,and malonaldehyde (MDA) content in midbrain were measured.The levels of IL-1 β and TNF-α in the serum were detected using ELISA kits.RESULTS The mice treated with asiatic acid performed better in behavior tests than those in the model group (P ＜0.05,P ＜0.01).In addition,asiatic acid effectively protected the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra due to upregulated TH expression and increased number of TH positive cells (P ＜ 0.05).The asiatic acid-treated mice had their mRNA expressions of IL-1β,TNF-α,iNOS and COX-2 in midbrain markedly suppressed (P ＜0.05,P ＜0.01),and a significant MDA level decrease in the midbrain tissue as well (P ＜ 0.01).Furthermore,reductions of IL-1 β and TNF-α contents in the serum were observed (P ＜ 0.05,P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION Asiatic acid attenuates motor dysfunction and dopaminergic neuronal deficits in PD mice,and the neuroprotective mechanisms may attribute to its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.

Establishment of the coculture systems of rabbit aortic endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>In order to establish a coculture system of ECs and SMCs and by which further study can be done.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ECs in primary culture were grown on a side of Transwell membrane, and SMCs were grown on an other side of it or the bottom of culture well, so that two kinds of coculture systems were established, and detail observation on the coculture systems was carried out by transmission and scanning electron microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>ECs in primary culture were positive of VI factor by immunocytochemistry staining. ECs and SMCs were grown well on both sides of Transwell membrane, relative to ECs monolayer of "cobblestone appearance", SMCs were multilayer of "hills and valleys appearance". ECs and SMCs on both sides of Transwell membrane could form the gap junctions by micropores.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The coculture systems of ECs and SMCs were established successfully by modeling the structural relationship of vascular wall.</p>