Effect of TX0201 on expression of the apoptosis signal transduction molecule caspase-3 and apoptosis associated genes bcl-2 and bax mRNA in brain tissue of rat analogue model of Alzheimer's disease / 中国中西医结合杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the mechanism of TX0201, an effective fraction extracted from Tiaoxin recipe in regulating apoptosis associated genes in brain tissue of rat analogue model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) induced by beta-amyloid protein 25-35 (Abeta 25-35).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The model of AD was induced by bilateral amygdala injection of Abeta 25-35 to study the spatial memory capacity using Morris water maze test, and by means of RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry assay, the expressions of beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP), apoptosis correlative genes (bcl-2, bax), and apoptosis signal transduction molecule (Caspase-3) in the brain, and the effect of TX0201 on expressions of these genes were examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In AD model group, the spatial capacity was damaged significantly. Caspase-3 and the expression of APP mRNA and bax/bcl-2 mRNA were increased in the cortex and hippocampus; TX0201 ameliorated all the pathologic changes mentioned above.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TX0201 could improve the oriented learning and memory capacity in AD rats by decreasing bax/bcl-2 and down-regulating Caspase-3 to reduce neurocyte apoptosis, suggesting that effective regulation of neuron apoptosis associated genes may be one of the mechanisms of TX0201.</p>