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Published in: Metabolic Brain Disease 1/2015

01-02-2015 | Research Article

Berberine protects homocysteic acid-induced HT-22 cell death: involvement of Akt pathway

Authors: Meihui Chen, Min Tan, Minghua Jing, Anmin Liu, Qinyu Liu, Shijun Wen, Ziwei Chen, Xiaojuan Chao, Xixin He, Charles Ramassamy, Youheng Gao, Rongbiao Pi

Published in: Metabolic Brain Disease | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Berberine (BBR), one of the major constituents of Chinese herb Rhizoma coptidis, has been reported to exert beneficial effects to various diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In the present work, we aimed to investigate the effects of BBR on neuronal cell death induced by homocysteic acid (HCA), which was considered as a risk of AD. BBR significantly reduced HCA-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lactate dehydrogenase release and subsequent cell death. LY294002, the PI3K inhibitor, blocked the protection as well as the up-regulation of Akt phosphorylation of BBR. Taken together, our results indicate that BBR protects HCA-induced HT-22 cell death partly via modulating Akt pathway, suggesting BBR may be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of HCA-related diseases, including AD.
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Metadata
Title
Berberine protects homocysteic acid-induced HT-22 cell death: involvement of Akt pathway
Authors
Meihui Chen
Min Tan
Minghua Jing
Anmin Liu
Qinyu Liu
Shijun Wen
Ziwei Chen
Xiaojuan Chao
Xixin He
Charles Ramassamy
Youheng Gao
Rongbiao Pi
Publication date
01-02-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Metabolic Brain Disease / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 0885-7490
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7365
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-014-9580-x

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