Aqueous extract of the Chinese medicine, Danggui-Shaoyao-San, inhibits apoptosis in hydrogen peroxide-induced PC12 cells by preventing cytochrome c release and inactivating of caspase cascade.
Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS), a traditional Chinese medicine used for centuries for the enhancement of women's health, has been shown to display therapeutic efficacy on senile dementia. In the present study, using a rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell line, the effect of DSS on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induced apoptosis was studied. The apoptosis in H2O2-induced PC12 cells was accompanied by downregulation of Bcl-2, upregulation of Bax, the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into cytosol, and sequential activation of caspase-9 and -3. DSS was able to suppress all these changes and eventually protected against H2O2-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these results suggest that treatment of PC12 cells with DSS can block H2O2-induced apoptosis by the regulation of Bcl-2 family members, as well as suppression of cytochrome c release and caspase cascade activation.
Qian
Yun-fei
YF
School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
Wang
Hua
H
Yao
Wen-bing
WB
Gao
Xiang-dong
XD
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016877:Oxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D020169:Caspases