title: Curcumin improves synaptic plasticity impairment induced by HIV-1gp120 V3 loop.
abstract: Curcumin has been shown to significantly improve spatial memory impairment induced by HIV-1 gp120 V3 in rats, but the electrophysiological mechanism remains unknown. Using extracellular microelectrode recording techniques, this study confirmed that the gp120 V3 loop could suppress long-term potentiation in the rat hippocampal CA1 region and synaptic plasticity, and that curcumin could antagonize these inhibitory effects. Using a Fura-2/AM calcium ion probe, we found that curcumin resisted the effects of the gp120 V3 loop on hippocampal synaptosomes and decreased Ca(2+) concentration in synaptosomes. This effect of curcumin was identical to nimodipine, suggesting that curcumin improved the inhibitory effects of gp120 on synaptic plasticity, ameliorated damage caused to the central nervous system, and might be a potential neuroprotective drug.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China ; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Liang
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China ; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Si-Si
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Min-Chun
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Qiu
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China ; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Qing
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China ; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China ; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Gui-Lin
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China ; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China ; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dong
keywords: Ca2+; HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop; HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders; NSFC grants; curcumin; excitatory postsynaptic potential; long-term potentiation; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neurons; output/input curve; paired-pulse facilitation; plasticity; synaptosome