[Effect of ferulic acid on the proliferation of nerve cells of retinas in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the possible mechanism of ferulic acid (FA) on the proliferation of nerve cells of retinas in vitro and provide the principal for prevention and treatment of some degenerative retinal diseases.


METHODS
Retinal cells suspension from 7 months human embryo, neonatal calf, and 4 months postnatal mice were treated with FA, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and kakonein were used as placebo. 72 hours after incubation with BDNT, MTT and (3)H-thymidine ((3)H-TdR) incorporation were used to evaluate cell proliferation and DNA synthesis.


RESULTS
The proliferation of three retinas cell lines was stimulated by the treatment of FA, it was shown that the effect of FA on cell viability was dose-dependent, and the highest response was seen in mice retinal cell. It has been found that to the adult mice group, FA within 15.6 to 1,000.0 mg/L was shown promotion for nerve cell proliferation, but only FA with 125.0 - 1,000.0 mg/L to that of 7 months human embryo, neonatal calf. To the 7 months human embryo group, FA with 62.5 - 1,000.0 mg/L was shown the promotion for DNA synthesis, moreover, 500.0 mg/L was most suitable for cell proliferation and DNA synthesis. BDNF with 12.5 - 50.0 microg/L was also shown promotion for nerve cell proliferation, moreover the 50.0 microg/L was the most suitable, but kakonein was not shown obvious promotional effect.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that FA was better for nerve cell proliferation than that of BDNF, and would probably become one of new agents for prevention and treatment of some degenerative retinal diseases.
Li
Gen-lin
GL
Beijing Tongren Ophthalmic Center, Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China. ligenglin@263.net
Wang
Jin-jin
JJ
Wang
Jing-zhao
JZ
Liu
Yue-yue
YY
Jin
Yan
Y
D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D004247:DNA; C004999:ferulic acid