Protective effect of curcumin on rat hippocampal neuron damaged by LPS-activated microglia conditioned medium / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To establish the cell model of hippocampal neurons impaired by the supernatant of microglia conditioned medium (MCM) induced by LPS, and to study the mechanisms of neuron damage and the protection effect of curcumin. METHODS: The microglia were activated and stimulated by LPS at concentration of 5 μg/L. The supernatant of activated MCM was used to stimulate the hippocampal neurons. The morphology of the neurons was observed under light microscope and the survival rate was detected by MTT. The availability of respiration in the hippocampal neurons was determined by detecting the ratio of lactic acid/pyruvic acid, and the expression of 3 types of 1,4,5-inositol triphosphate (IP3R1, IP3R2, IP3R3) was detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The hippocampal neurons were damaged severely by the supernatant of activated MCM, and the morphology of the neurons changed significantly. Compared to control group, the ratio of lactic acid/pyruvic acid in MCM group was elevated and the expression levels of IP3R1 and IP3R3 in the hippocampal neurons were significantly increased. The ratio of lactic acid/pyruvic acid and the expression of IP3R1 in curcumin+MCM group were evidently lower than those in MCM group. However, no effect of curcumin on IP3R3 expression was observed, the changes of neural morphology was also ameliorated in curcumin+MCM group. CONCLUSION: Curcumin protects rat hippocampal neurons from damage induced by LPS-induced microglia condition medium.