title: Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans attenuates neuroinflammation in symptomatic hSOD1(G93A) mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective motor neuron death in the spinal cord, brainstem, and motor cortex. Neuroinflammation is one of several pathological causes of degenerating motor neurons and is induced by activated microglial cells and astrocytes in ALS.Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans (SSM) is utilized in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine for the treatment of a variety of diseases, such as cancer, apoplexy, and epilepsy. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of SSM are currently unclear, even though SSM increases immune and antibiotic activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the effects of SSM on symptomatic hSOD1G93A transgenic mice, SSM (2.5 μℓ/g) was injected bilaterally at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint three times per week for two weeks. The effects of SSM treatment on anti-neuroinflammation in the brainstem and spinal cord of hSOD1G93A mice were assessed via Nissl and Fluoro-Jade B (FJB) staining, and immunohistochemistry using Iba-1, CD14, HO1, and NQO1 proteins was evaluated by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, we investigated whether SSM affects neuroinflammation in the spinal cord of symptomatic hSOD1G93A transgenic mice. We found that SSM treatment attenuated the loss of motor neurons and reduced the activation of microglial cells and astrocytes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SSM administration in this animal model of ALS suppressed oxidative stress in the brainstem and spinal cord by 1.6- and 1.8-fold, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that SSM, which has previously been used in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), might also be considered as an anti-neuroinflammatory therapy for neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.forename: MuDan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Sun-Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Bong Keun
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ilhong
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Medial Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 483 Expo-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-811, Republic of Korea. kscndl@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Sungchul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000077743:Diterpene Alkaloids; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1
chemical_list: D000077743:Diterpene Alkaloids; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C000606290:SOD1 protein, human; C000606291:Sod1 protein, mouse; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; C574917:scolopendra alkaloids