Mechanism of Dihuang Yinzi in Improving Energy Metabolism Disorder and Autophagy Injury of Astrocytes in Brain of AD Mice
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20230607
- VernacularTitle:地黄饮子改善AD小鼠脑星形胶质细胞能量代谢障碍及自噬损伤的作用机制
- Author:
Mengjie SUN
1
;
Hongni YU
1
;
Guanghui HAN
1
;
Fengli WANG
1
;
Shenghua KANG
1
;
Dongyue LI
2
;
Tao MA
1
Author Information
1. Dongfang Hospital,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Beijing 100078,China
2. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Beijing 100029,China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Dihuang Yinzi;
Alzheimer's disease;
astrocytes;
energy disorder;
autophagy;
mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1)
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2023;29(8):19-26
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Dihuang Yinzi (DHYZ)in improving astrocyte injury in the brain and regulating energy metabolism and autophagy disorder in Alzheimer's disease (AD) model mice. MethodForty male APP/PS1 transgenic mice aged four months were randomly divided into a model group and a model + DHYZ group (2.5 g·kg-1), with 20 mice in each group. Forty C57BL/6J mice with the same background and same age were randomly divided into a control group and a control + DHYZ group (2.5 g·kg-1), with 20 mice in each group. The mice in the control group and the model group were administered with an equal volume of sterilized normal saline by gavage, once a day for 150 days. Novel object recognition test and step-down test were performed to evaluate the learning and memory ability of mice. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in astrocytes was detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to detect adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in brain tissues of mice, and the data obtained were used to calculate energy charge (EC) levels. The phosphorylation levels of liver kinase B1 (LKB1), adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins Beclin-1, microtuble-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ, and p62 in mouse brain were measured by Western blot. ResultCompared with the control group, the model group showed decreased novel object recognition index, shortened retention latency, increased error times in the step-down test, up-regulated protein expression of GFAP, decreased content of ATP, ADP, and EC in brain tissues, elevated AMP , increased levels of p-AMPK, p-LKB1, and p-mTOR, and protein expression of p62 , and down-regulated p-ULK1 level and protein expression of Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ(P<0.01), while the above experimental indexes were not significantly different in the control + DHYZ group. Compared with the model group, the model + DHYZ group showed increased novel object recognition index(P<0.05), prolonged retention latency(P<0.01), decreased error times(P<0.01) in the step-down test, reduced protein expression of GFAP(P<0.05), increased content of ATP, ADP, and EC in brain tissues (P<0.05, P<0.01), decreased AMP content(P<0.05), reduced p-AMPK, p-LKB1, and p-mTOR levels and protein expression of p62, and up-regulated p-ULK1 level and protein expression of Beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ(P<0.01). ConclusionBy protecting astrocytes, DHYZ can improve energy metabolism and autophagy disorder in AD mice to improve the learning and memory ability of model mice.