BIOCHANIN A PROTECTS DOPAMINERGIC NEURONS BY INHIBITING MICROGLIA ACTIVATION / 营养学报

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the protective effect of biochanin A(Bioch A) on lipopolysaccharide(LPS) -induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Method:An in vitro model of LPS-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration was used to investigate the protective effect of Bioch A on dopaminergic neurons against LPS-induced neurotoxicity by measuring [3H] DA uptake and counting TH-immunoreactive cells. Microglia were visualized by staining for the CR3 complement receptor with monoclonal antibody OX-42. The production of nitric oxide(NO) was determined by measuring the accumulated levels of nitrite in the culture supernatant with the Griess reagent,and release of tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?) was measured by immunosorbent assay. The production of superoxide was determined by measuring the superoxide dismutase(SOD) -inhibitable reduction of cytochrome C. Results:BiochA dose-dependently attenuated LPS-induced decrease in dopamine(DA) uptake and the number of dopaminergic neurons in rat mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures. BiochA also significantly inhibited LPS-induced activation of microglia and production of TNF-?,NO and superoxide in rat mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures and microglia-enriched cultures. Conclusion:Biochanin A may protect dopaminergic neurons from LPS-induced injury and its effectiveness in inhibiting microglia activation may underlie one of the mechanisms.