title: Neuroprotective effects ofRhizoma Dioscoreaepolysaccharides against neuronal apoptosis induced byin vitrohypoxia.
abstract: Rhizoma Dioscoreaepolysaccharides (RDPS) are the primary active ingredient ofRhizoma Dioscoreae, which is a traditional Chinese medicine. RDPS have previously been shown to scavenge reactive oxygen species, and protect against D-galactose-induced mimetic aging. The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of RDPS against hypoxia-induced neuronal cell apoptosis. Neuronal cells harvested from pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into groups, as follows: i) Normal control group; ii) hypoxia-induced apoptosis neuronal cell model; iii) 0.025 g/l RDPS-treated group; iv) 0.05 g/l RDPS-treated group; v) 0.1 g/l RDPS-treated group; and vi) 0.25 g/l RDPS treated group. Neuronal cell viability was investigated using an MTT assay, and neuronal cell apoptosis was analyzed using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double-staining, Hoechst 33342 fluorescent staining, Rhodamine 123 staining, polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemical staining. The RDPS-treated neuronal cells exhibited improved viability, and decreased hypoxia-induced mitochondrial injury and apoptosis. In addition, the mRNA and protein expression levels of caspase-3 and B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2-associated X protein (Bax) were significantly downregulated, whereas the mRNA and protein expression levels of Bcl-2 were significantly upregulated, in the RDPS-treated hypoxic neurons, as compared with the apoptosis model (P<0.05). Furthermore, the ratio of Bcl-2 expression:Bax expression significantly increased following RDPS treatment, as compared with the apoptosis model (P<0.05). The results of the present study suggested that RDPS may attenuate hypoxia-induced neuronal cell apoptosis by altering the expression levels of key apoptosis-regulating proteins in hypoxic neurons.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Province People's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wen-Yun
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei-Xu
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Jiangxi Academy of Medical Science, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Province People's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Province People's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Mu
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Province People's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hui-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Province People's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wen-Ding
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Province People's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guo-Zhu
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Hu
keywords: Rhizoma Dioscoreae; apoptosis; hypoxia; in vitro; neurons; polysaccharides