title: β-Asarone Rescues Pb-Induced Impairments of Spatial Memory and Synaptogenesis in Rats.
abstract: Chronic lead (Pb) exposure causes cognitive deficits. This study aimed to explore the neuroprotective effect and mechanism of β-asarone, an active component from Chinese Herbs Acorus tatarinowii Schott, to alleviate impairments of spatial memory and synaptogenesis in Pb-exposed rats. Both Sprague-Dawley developmental rat pups and adult rats were used in the study. Developmental rat pups were exposed to Pb throughout the lactation period and β-asarone (10, 40mg kg-1, respectively) was given intraperitoneally from postnatal day 14 to 21. Also, the adult rats were exposed to Pb from embryo stage to 11 weeks old and β-asarone (2.5, 10, 40mg kg-1, respectively) was given from 9 to 11 weeks old. The level of β-asarone in brain tissue was measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The Morris water maze test and Golgi-Cox staining method were used to assess spatial memory ability and synaptogenesis. The protein expression of NR2B subunit of NMDA receptor, Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc/Arg3.1) and Wnt family member 7A (Wnt7a) in hippocampus, as well as mRNA expression of Arc/Arg3.1 and Wnt7a, was also explored. We found that β-asarone could pass through the blood brain barrier quickly. And β-asarone effectively attenuated Pb-induced reduction of spine density in hippocampal CA1 and dentate gyrus areas in a dose-dependent manner both in developmental and adult rats, meanwhile the Pb-induced impairments of learning and memory were partially rescued. In addition, β-asarone effectively up-regulated the protein expression of NR2B, Arc and Wnt7a, as well as the mRNA levels of Arc/Arg3.1 and Wnt7a, which had been suppressed by Pb exposure. The results suggest the neuroprotective properties of β-asarone against Pb-induced memory impairments, and the effect is possibly through the regulation of synaptogenesis, which is mediated via Arc/Arg3.1 and Wnt pathway.
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Qian-Qian
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Zhen
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Rong-Xin
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Lai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Li
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Tao
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D029023:Acorus / Q000737:chemistry; D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000818:Animals; D000840:Anisoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D065852:Spatial Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000840:Anisoles; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; C012195:asarone; D007854:Lead