title: Ameliorative effects of baicalein in MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease: A microarray study.
abstract: Baicalein, a flavonoid from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, has been shown to possess neuroprotective properties. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of baicalein on motor behavioral deficits and gene expression in N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mice model of Parkinson's disease (PD). The behavioral results showed that baicalein significantly improves the abnormal behaviors in MPTP-induced mice model of PD, as manifested by shortening the total time for climbing down the pole, prolonging the latent periods of rotarod, and increasing the vertical movements. Using cDNA microarray and subsequent bioinformatic analyses, it was found that baicalein significantly promotes the biological processes including neurogenesis, neuroblast proliferation, neurotrophin signaling pathway, walking and locomotor behaviors, and inhibits dopamine metabolic process through regulation of gene expressions. Based on analysis of gene co-expression networks, the results indicated that the regulation of genes such as LIMK1, SNCA and GLRA1 by baicalein might play central roles in the network. Our results provide experimental evidence for the potential use of baicalein in the treatment of PD, and revealed gene expression profiles, biological processes and pathways influenced by baicalein in MPTP-treated mice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, PR China; Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, PR China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, PR China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, PR China.
authors.forename: Ran-Yao
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, PR China.
authors.forename: Wen-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian-Song
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Cong
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, PR China.
authors.forename: Xue-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Drug Screening, Beijing 100050, PR China. Electronic address: liuailin@imm.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Ai-Lin
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Beijing 100050, PR China. Electronic address: dugh@imm.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Guan-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D044950:Flavanones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010302:Parkinson Disease, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D045442:Rotarod Performance Test; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D044950:Flavanones; C006680:baicalein; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: Baicalein; Biological process; Gene expression; MPTP; Parkinson's disease