RESUMO
The definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) without the need for neuropathological confirmation remains a challenge in AD research today, despite efforts to uncover the molecular and biological underpinnings of the disease process. Furthermore, the potential for therapeutic intervention is limited upon the onset of symptoms, providing motivation for studying and treating the AD precursor mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the prodromal stage of AD instead. Applying machine learning classification to transcriptomic data of MCI, AD, and cognitively normal (CN) control patients, we identified differentially expressed genes that serve as biomarkers for the characterization and classification of subjects into MCI or AD groups. Predictive models employing these biomarker genes exhibited good classification performances for CN, MCI, and AD, significantly above random chance. The PI3K-Akt, IL-17, JAK-STAT, TNF, and Ras signaling pathways were also enriched in these biomarker genes, indicating their diagnostic potential and pathophysiological roles in MCI and AD. These findings could aid in the recognition of MCI and AD risk in clinical settings, allow for the tracking of disease progression over time in individuals as part of a therapeutic approach, and provide possible personalized drug targets for early intervention of MCI and AD.
RESUMO
Background: It is believed that activation of microglia in the central nervous system upon detection of stimulus like lipopolysaccharides provokes neuroinflammation via the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines. The cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of various folk medicine has been gaining attention as a strategy to combat various disease. This study aimed to assess the anti-neuroinflammatory properties of chloroform extract of in vitro Panax ginseng root culture based on nitric oxide and cytokines production. Methods: The study was initiated with the determination of maximum non-toxic dose (MNTD) of P. ginseng root culture chloroform extract using the MTT assay. The lipopolysaccharides-stimulated BV2 microglia cells were treated with MNTD and ½MNTD of the extract and its anti-neuroinflammatory properties were assessed by measuring the production of nitric oxide (NO) via Griess assay, as well as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 using Quantikine ELISA. Results: It was found that the MNTD and ½MNTD of the extract did not play a significant role in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as NO, TNF-α and IL-6. However, the MNTD and ½MNTD of chloroform extract significantly increased the anti-inflammatory IL-10 compared to the untreated cells. Conclusion: With this, the chloroform extract of P. ginseng root culture potentially exerts anti-neuroinflammatory properties.
