title: Effects of curcumin on synapses in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice.
abstract: Significant losses of synapses have been demonstrated in studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but structural and functional changes in synapses that depend on alterations of the postsynaptic density (PSD) area occur prior to synaptic loss and play a crucial role in the pathology of AD. Evidence suggests that curcumin can ameliorate the learning and memory deficits of AD. To investigate the effects of curcumin on synapses, APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice (an AD model) were used, and the ultra-structures of synapses and synapse-associated proteins were observed. Six months after administration, few abnormal synapses were observed upon electron microscopy in the hippocampal CA1 areas of the APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice. The treatment of the mice with curcumin resulted in improvements in the quantity and structure of the synapses. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses revealed that the expressions of PSD95 and Shank1 were reduced in the hippocampal CA1 areas of the APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice, but curcumin treatment increased the expressions of these proteins. Our findings suggest that curcumin improved the structure and function of the synapses by regulating the synapse-related proteins PSD95 and Shank1.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Dongzhimen Hospital (BUCM), State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yingkun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Dongzhimen Hospital (BUCM), State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, PR China pw_wang@163.com.
authors.forename: Pengwen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China Jiaozuo Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Dongzhimen Hospital (BUCM), State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Huili
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Dongzhimen Hospital (BUCM), State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Dongzhimen Hospital (BUCM), State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Jinduo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Yingxue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, BUCM Neurology Center, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), Beijing, PR China Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, BUCM Neurology Center, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Jinzhou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D053764:Presenilin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D053764:Presenilin-1; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice; PSD95; Shank1; curcumin; synapse