title: Immunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects of ginsenoside Rg1 in the MPTP(1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) -induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Ginsenoside Rg1, one of the biologically active ingredients of ginseng, has been considered to be a candidate neuroprotective drug. The objective of the study was to study the protective effects of Rg1 through the peripheral and central inflammation in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) mouse model. Rg1 treatment protected TH-positive cells in the SNpc region from MPTP toxicity measured with immunofluoresence. The protein expression levels of TH in the SNpc region of MPTP-induced mice following treatment with Rg1 were higher than MPTP-induced mice which were tested with Western blot. The ratio of CD3(+)CD4(+) to CD3(+)CD8(+) T cells and CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells in the blood increased in MPTP-induced mice following treatment with Rg1 which were detected by flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, Rg1 reduced the serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β and IL-6 which were tested with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, Rg1 inhibited the activation of microglia and reduced the infiltration of CD3(+) T cells into the SNpc region which were measured by immunofluorescence. Our results indicated that Rg1 may represent a promising drug for the treatment of PD via the regulation of the peripheral and central inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, China.
authors.forename: Ting-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116023, China.
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
authors.forename: Shao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, China. Electronic address: zhanhualiangdl@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhan-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China. Electronic address: dlzhaoj@163.com.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D036145:Ginsenosides; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1
keywords: Ginsenoside Rg1; Neurodegenerative disease; Neuroimmunology; Neuroprotection; Parkinson's disease