title: Gastrodia elata prevents rat pheochromocytoma cells from serum-deprived apoptosis: the role of the MAPK family.
abstract: Gastrodia elata (G. elata) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating headaches, dizziness, tetanus, and epilepsy. In this study, differential methanol (MeOH) extracts of G. elata were found to prevent serum-deprived rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell apoptosis by the MTT assay and Hoechst staining. A serine/threonine kinase inhibitor attenuated this protection. G. elata resulted in phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2-p38 MAPKs (members of the serine/threonine kinase family), respectively, as revealed by Western blot analysis. An upstream ERK inhibitor attenuated G. elata-induced ERK phosphorylation but not protective effect. Although JNK and p38 inhibitors attenuated their related enzyme activities during serum deprivation, only JNK inhibitor prevented serum-deprived apoptosis. Thus, G. elata prevents serum-deprived apoptosis through activation of the serine/threonine kinase-dependent pathway and suppression of JNK activity.
authors.affiliation: National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, No. 155-1, Li-Nung St., Sec. 2, Shipai, Peitou, Taipei 112, Taiwan, ROC. andrew@mail.nricm.edu.tw
authors.forename: Nai-Kuei
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yun-Lian
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jing-Jy
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Wen-Lin
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001728:Dicumarol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D048056:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D007093:Imidazoles; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011725:Pyridines; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D001728:Dicumarol; D048056:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C022616:thiazolyl blue; C090942:4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)imidazole; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one