title: Phenolic compounds from the bark of Oroxylum indicum activate the Ngn2 promoter.
abstract: A reporter gene assay that detects neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) promoter activity was utilized to identify compounds that induce neuronal differentiation. Ngn2 is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that activates transcription of pro-neural genes. Using this assay system and an activity-guided approach, seven phenolic compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of Oroxylum indicum: 1 oroxylin A, 2 chrysin, 3 hispidulin, 4 baicalein, 5 apigenin, 6 baicalin, and 7 isoverbascoside. Compounds 1 and 2 induced an estimated 2.7-fold increase in Ngn2 promoter activity, whereas 3 increased the activity by 2.5-fold. Furthermore, 1 and 2 enhanced neuronal differentiation of C17.2 cells, which are multipotent stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan.
authors.forename: Rolly G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Fuentes
authors.forename: Midori A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Samir K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sadhu
authors.forename: Firoj
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014157:Transcription Factors; C491183:NEUROG2 protein, human