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Triptolide Upregulates NGF Synthesis in Rat Astrocyte Cultures

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Abstract

Triptolide (T10), an extract from the traditional Chinese herb, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TWHF), has been shown to attenuate the rotational behavior induced by d-amphetamine and prevent the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra in rat models of Parkinson’s disease. To examine if the neuroprotective effect is mediated by its stimulation of production of neurotrophic factors from astrocytes, we investigated the effect of T10 on synthesis and release of nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in rat astrocyte cultures. T10 did not affect the synthesis and release of either BDNF or GDNF. However, it significantly increased NGF mRNA expression. It also increased both intracellular NGF and NGF level in culture medium. These results indicate that the neuroprotective effect of T10 might be mediated, at least in part, via a stimulation of the production and release of NGF in astrocytes.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2006CB500700) and NSFC fund (30571704). We also thank Dr. Xiao-Ming Xu for critical reading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Neuroscience (PKU), Ministry of Education, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Bing Xue, Jian Jiao, Kai-Rong Li, Yun-Tao Gong & Xiao-Min Wang

  2. Beijing Institute for Neuroscience, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disorders of the Ministry of Education, 10 Xitoutiao, Youanmen, Beijing, 100069, People’s Republic of China

    Lei Zhang & Xiao-Min Wang

  3. Department of Physiology, Qingdao University Medical College, 38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266021, People’s Repulic of China

    Jian Jiao & Jun-Xia Xie

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  1. Bing Xue
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  2. Jian Jiao
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  3. Lei Zhang
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  4. Kai-Rong Li
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  5. Yun-Tao Gong
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  6. Jun-Xia Xie
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  7. Xiao-Min Wang
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Correspondence to Xiao-Min Wang.

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Authors Bing Xue and Jian Jiao contributed equally to this work.

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Xue, B., Jiao, J., Zhang, L. et al. Triptolide Upregulates NGF Synthesis in Rat Astrocyte Cultures. Neurochem Res 32, 1113–1119 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-006-9253-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-006-9253-1

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