ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the effect of ginkgolide B （GB） on the activation of c-Jun aminoterminal kinase（JNK） signaling pathway and apoptosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cell model. Method:NSC34 cells were infected by slow virus containing expression superoxide dismutase1（SOD1）WT and hSOD1G93A and empty plasmid， and screened with a certain concentration of puromycin， so as to observe the transfection efficiency of slow virus and cell morphology under inverted fluorescence microscope. Western blot method was used to verify whether infected cells were over-expressing SOD1 target proteins. The hSOD1G93A-NSC34 cell lines were established and given GB. Cell cultures were divided into normal group， model group and different concentrations of ginkgolide B groups （25， 50， 75， 100 mg∙L-1）. After 48 h， methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） was used to detect cell survival rates， and select the best drug concentration. Subsequent experimental groups were divided into normal group， model group， 75 mg∙L-1 GB group， SP600125 group， and 75 mg∙L-1 GB + SP600125 group. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of each group of cells. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of phosphorylation（p）-JNK， c-Jun， p-c-Jun， and cysteine aspartic acid protease -3（Caspase-3） proteins. Result:Compared with normal NSC34 cells， hSOD1G93A-NSC34 cell body became round， the synapses decreased and shortened， but the cell morphology of hSODWT-NSC34 cell and empty plasmid group did not change significantly. Western blot showed that hSOD1G93A-NSC34， hSOD1WT-NSC3 intracellular SOD1 protein levels increased significantly （P<0.01）， and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cell model was established. Compared with the normal group， the cell activity in the model group was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the cell activity increased at different concentrations of GB， especially when the drug concentration was 75 mg∙L-1 （P<0.01）. In subsequent experiments， compared with the normal group， the apoptosis， and expressions of p-JNK， p-c-Jun， and cleaved Caspase-3 proteins in the model group increased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the apoptosis and p-JNK， p-c-Jun， released Caspase-3 protein expressions of 75 mg∙L-1 GB group， SP600125 group， 75 mg∙L-1 GB + SP600125 group decreased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Conclusion:GB has a protective effect on the cell model of atrophy lateral sclerosis， which may be realized by JNK signal pathway.
ABSTRACT
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a selective loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brainstem, and motor cortex, leading to weakness of the limb and bulbar muscles. Although the immediate cause of death in ALS is the destruction of motor neurons, ALS is a multi-organ disease that also affects the lungs, spleen, and liver. Melittin is one of components of bee venom and has anti-neuroinflammatory effects in the spinal cord, as shown in an ALS animal model. To investigate the effects of melittin on inflammation in the lungs and spleen, we used hSOD1(G93A) transgenic mice that are mimic for ALS. Melittin treatment reduced the expression of inflammatory proteins, including Iba-1 and CD14 by 1.9- and 1.3-fold (p<0.05), respectively, in the lungs of symptomatic hSOD1(G93A) transgenic mice. In the spleen, the expression of CD14 and COX2 that are related to inflammation were decreased by 1.4 fold (p<0.05) and cell survival proteins such as pERK and Bcl2 were increased by 1.3- and 1.5-fold (p<0.05) in the melittin-treated hSOD1G93A transgenic mice. These findings suggest that melittin could be a candidate to regulate the immune system in organs affected by ALS.