Effect of matrine on Calpain/MAP-2 of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitic rats / 中国基层医药

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effect of matrine on Calpain and MAP-2 in rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE).Methods In accordance with the random number table ,60 Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups randomly normal group,model group,dexamethasone(DEX)-treated group(1mg/kg),high-dose matrine(MAT)-treated group(250mg/kg),middle-dose MAT-treated group(200mg/kg) and low-dose MAT-treated group(150mg/kg).The EAE models were induced by immunized spinal cord extracts of guinea pig with complete Freunds'adjuvant.Rats of three MAT-treated groups and DEX-treated group were injected intraper-itoneally with MAT and DEX daily for 16 days respectively,whereas rats of normal group and model group were injected intraperitoneally with normal saline.Clinical signs of rats in six groups were observed daily .Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) was used to analyze histopathological evaluation of spinal cord .μ-Calpain,m-Calpain and MAP-2 in spinal cord were determined using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively .Results Compared with the model group[(2.85 ±0.78)points],the clinical scores were significantly decreased in high-dose-MAT group[(1.28 ± 0.59) points], middle-dose-MAT group [(1.45 ±0.64) points] and low-dose-MAT group [(2.09 ± 0.71)points](t =5.345,4.314,2.869,all P <0.05).The HE score of rats in model group[(2.49 ±0.29)points] was significantly higher than that in high-dose-MAT group[(1.04 ±0.26) points],middle-dose-MAT group [(1.29 ±0.20) points] and low-dose-MAT group[(1.77 ±0.24)points] (t =5.185,4.274,3.629,all P <0.01).The levels of μ-Calpain mRNA and m-Calpain mRNA in the three MAT-treated groups were significantly lower than those in model group(t =10.656,9.418,7.044,all P <0.01;t =6.332,5.416,3.978,all P <0.01).In addition,the expression of MAP-2 in the spinal cord of EAE rats showed a marked elevation after MAT treatment (t =12.841,9.924,7.038,all P <0.01).Conclusion Matrine may be an effective therapeutic approach for EAE by inhibiting Calpain and increase MAP-2 expression.