Comparative analysis of the neuroprotective effects of ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 extracted from Panax notoginseng against cerebral ischemia.

Panax notoginseng, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for thousands of years to treat ischemic patients. More than 20 saponin components have been isolated from P. notoginseng root and identified chemically. However, these different chemical components have different roles. In this study we compared the neuroprotective mechanisms of ginsenosides Rg1, Rb1, Rg1/Rb1, and panax notoginsenoside (PNS) against injuries caused by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Our results show that all of these treatments significantly reduced infarction volume and alleviated neurological deficits caused by cerebral I/R. The increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was inhibited by these treatments in the hippocampus. The decreased expressions of thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1), copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), protein kinase B (PKB/Akt), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) caused by cerebral I/R were restored by these treatments. The expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was enhanced in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group, as well as in all of the treatment groups. These results suggest that Rg1 and Rb1 have similar roles in protecting the brain from ischemic damage; however, neither Rg1/Rb1 nor PNS have synergistic effects, thus either Rg1 or the Rb1 monomer should be considered as a pharmacological neuroprotective strategy for use in the case of ischemic stroke.

Geranylgeranylacetone protects against morphine-induced hepatic and renal damage in mice.

The acute or chronic administration of opioid drugs may induce oxidative damage and cellular apoptosis in the liver and kidney, and hence result in hepatic and renal damage. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) are emerging as important modulators of cellular functions. They have been shown to be involved in cellular protective mechanisms against a variety of toxic stressors. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of geranylgeranylacetone (GGA), a pharmacological inducer of Trx-1 and Hsp70, on morphine-induced hepatic and renal damage. Morphine induced apoptosis in the liver and kidney through the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway, but not the endoplasmic reticulum-mediated pathway. The activation of caspases-9 and -3 was attenuated by pre­treatment with GGA. In addition, the morphine-induced increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels was suppressed by GGA. Furthermore, GGA enhanced morphine-induced expression of Trx-1 and Hsp70 in the liver and kidney. The findings of this study suggest that GGA may be a safe and novel therapeutic agent for morphine­induced hepatic and renal damage.

Thioredoxin-1 expression regulated by morphine in SH-SY5Y cells.

Attempts are being made to identify genes targeted by morphine. It is beneficial for developing new treatments that alleviate side-effects of morphine. Thioredoxin-1 is a small ubiquitous protein that has various biological activities, such as the control of redox balance, the inhibition of apoptosis and the modulation of inflammation. In this study, we found that thioredoxin-1 was induced by morphine in SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, opioid receptor, PI3K and ERK pathways were involved in morphine-induced increase of thioredoxin-1 expression. These results suggest that thioredoxin-1 maybe play a role in the actions of morphine. More detailed analysis could clarify cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the actions of morphine.

Induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress and the modulation of thioredoxin-1 in formaldehyde-induced neurotoxicity.

Formaldehyde (FA), a common environmental pollutant, has toxic effects on central nervous system. The detailed mechanisms on FA-induced neurotoxicity have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we found that glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression, biomarkers of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, were increased and pro-caspase-12 was decreased after PC12 cells exposure to FA. These results suggest that FA actually induces ER stress. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) has various biological activities, including the control of redox balance, the modulation of ER stress and inhibition of apoptosis. In the present study, Trx-1 expression was increased at early stage, but decreased at late stage after FA treatment. Knockdown of Trx-1 expression increased the susceptibility of PC12 cells to FA-induced neurotoxicity. We also found that ginsenoside Rg1 had the potential to induce Trx-1 expression and attenuated neurotoxicity induced by FA. ER stress caused by FA was suppressed by ginsenoside Rg1. These data indicate that Trx-1 is a therapeutic candidate for protecting against FA-induced neurotoxicity.

Geranylgeranylacetone protects mice against morphine-induced hyperlocomotion, rewarding effect, and withdrawal syndrome.

There are few efficacious interventions to combat morphine dependence. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) are emerging as important modulators of neuronal function. They have been shown to be involved in cellular protective mechanisms against a variety of toxic stressors. This study was designed to investigate the effects of geranylgeranylacetone (GGA), a pharmacological inducer of Trx-1 and Hsp70, on morphine-induced hyperlocomotion, rewarding effect, and withdrawal syndrome. Trx-1 and Hsp70 expression was increased in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, ventral tegmental area, and nucleus accumbens of mice after GGA treatment. GGA administration reduced morphine-induced motor activity and inhibited conditioned place preference. GGA markedly attenuated the morphine-naloxone-induced withdrawal signs, including jumping, rearing, and forepaw tremor. Furthermore, the activation of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein and the expression of ΔFosB and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 were decreased in the nucleus accumbens by GGA treatment after morphine withdrawal. In the nucleus accumbens, GGA enhanced morphine-induced expression of Trx-1 and Hsp70 after morphine withdrawal. These results suggest that strengthening the expression of Trx-1 and Hsp70 in the brain by using noncytotoxic pharmacological inducers may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for morphine dependence. GGA could be a safe and novel therapeutic agent for morphine dependence.

Protective effect of panaxatriol saponins extracted from Panax notoginseng against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity in vivo.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Panaxatriol saponins (PTS), the main constituents extracted from Panax notoginseng, a Chinese herbal medicine, has been shown to be an effective agent on various diseases. Our previous study has demonstrated that PTS is an inducer of thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) and has a possible potential as a therapeutic agent for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the effect of PTS on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neurotoxicity in vivo is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using locomotor activity test and traction test, we detected the effect of PTS on MPTP-induced behavioral impairment. Tyrosine hydroxylase, Trx-1, cyclooxygenase-2, pro-caspase-9, pro-caspase-12 and caspase-3 expressions in the anatomical region of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) were tested by Western blot. RESULTS: PTS provided neuroprotection against the loss of dopaminergic neurons and behavioral impairment caused by MPTP. MPTP-induced neuronal death in the SNc was suppressed by PTS through increasing Trx-1 expression, suppressing cyclooxygenase-2 over-expression and inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: PTS, an inducer of Trx-1, has pluripharmacological properties in the protection against PD including enhancing antioxidant activity, acting as neurotrophic factor, modulating inflammation and inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptosis.

Panaxatriol saponins extracted from Panax notoginseng induces thioredoxin-1 and prevents 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion-induced neurotoxicity.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Thioredoxin-1 has various biologic activities, including the control of redox balance and the inhibition of apoptosis. The current study was designed to examine the effects of panaxatriol saponins (PTS) extracted from Panax notoginseng on thioredoxin-1 expression and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion-induced injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using PC12 cells and Kunming mice, we test thioredoxin-1 expression after PTS treatment by Western blot. The protective effect of PTS against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion-induced injury was assessed by MTT assay and LDH release assay. RESULTS: PTS induced thioredoxin-1 expression in vitro and in vivo, and attenuated 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion-induced cell death of PC12 cells. CONCLUSIONS: PTS is a new inducer of thioredoxin-1 and has a possible potential as a therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease.