Effect of ginsenoside on IL-1 beta and IL-6 mRNA expression in hippocampal neurons in chronic inflammation model of aged rats.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of ginseng root saponins (GRS) on interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression in hippocampal neurons in chronic inflammation model of aged rats.


METHODS
Chronic inflammation was induced by consecutive intraperitioneal injections of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in aged rats. The semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for determination of IL-1 beta and IL-6 mRNA in hippocampal neurons of aged rats.


RESULTS
No marked expression of IL-1 beta and IL-6 mRNA was found in hippocampal neurons of young rats (3 months). In adult rats (9 months) the levels of IL-1 beta and IL-6 expressed were 1.54 +/- 0.21 and 1.63 +/- 0.21, respectively; in aged rats (24 months) treated with LPS the levels were 1.98 +/- 0.21 and 1.91 +/- 0.11 respectively, significantly higher than those of adult rats. After treatment with GRS (10, 20, 40 mg/kg), the IL-1 beta and IL-6 mRNA content in aged rats decreased markedly.


CONCLUSIONS
The levels of IL-1 beta and IL-6 mRNA in hippocampal neurons increased with aging. GRS exerted inhibitory effects on IL-1 beta and IL-6 gene expression in chronic inflammation model of aged rats.
Yu
S C
SC
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Li
X Y
XY
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015870:Gene Expression; D036145:Ginsenosides; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*
D036145:Ginsenosides; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012503:Saponins