目的观察本室自行研制的中药新复方参乌胶囊(SW)及其有效成分何首乌四羟基二苯乙烯苷(TSG)对老年大鼠海马区神经生长因子(NGF)及其受体表达的影响。方法老年sD大鼠从21月龄始,分别灌胃给予SW低、高剂量(0.8s/kg、1.6g/kg)和TSG低、高剂量(0.03s/kg、0.06g/kg)至24月龄。以6月龄大鼠为青年对照,未给药的24月龄大鼠为老年对照。应用实时定量PCR方法检测大鼠海马区NGF及其受体TrkA的mRNA表达水平,免疫组织化学染色和Westernblot方法检测海马区NGF及TrkA表达水平。结果从基因和蛋白质水平观察到,老年大鼠海马区NGF及其受体TrkA的mRNA表达和蛋白表达明显降低。老年大鼠灌胃给予SW能够上调其海马区NGFmRNA和TrkAmRNA水平;SW和TSG对NGF蛋白表达有明显的增高作用,高剂量SW和TSG对TrkA表达的上调作用显著。结论SW和TSG能够增高老年大鼠海马区NGF及其受体水平,提示它们可作用在神经元信号转导通路的起始端,有利于提高神经元的存活和功能。
Objective To investigate the effects of Shenwu capsule (SW) , a new combination drug of traditional Chinese medicine, and its active component tetrabydroxystilbene glueoside (TSG) on the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its reeeptor in the hippoeampus of aged rats. Methods Twelve 6-month old and sixty 24-month old male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The aged rats were intragastfieally administrated with SW (0. 8 g. kg- 1 and 1.6 g'kg-1 ) and TSG (0.03 g.kg-1 and 0. 06 g'kg-1 ) for 3 months (from 21 to 24 months of age) , respectively. Realtime PCR was applied to measure NGF mRNA and TrkA mRNA in the hippocampus. Immunohistochemieal staining and Western blot assay were used for detecting the expression of NGF and TrkA in the hippoeampus. Results At the gene andprotein levels, the mRNA and protein expression of NGF and TrkA showed a decrease in the hippocampus of aged rats. Intragastrical administration of SW to the aged rats up-regulated the expression of NGF mRNA and TrkA mRNA in the hippocampus. SW and TSG enhanced the expression of NGF, and the high-dose SW and TSG elevated the expression of TrkA. Conclusions SW and TSG increased the expression of NGF and its receptor in the hippocampus of aged rats, suggesting that the drugs may act on the beginning of neuronal signal transduction pathway, and may be beneficial to neuronal survival and function.