Berberine Alleviates Amyloid-Beta Pathology in the Brain of APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice via Inhibiting β/γ-Secretases Activity and Enhancing α-Secretases.

Berberine (BBR) has neuroprotective effects on many brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid -beta (Aβ) senile plaque is the most classical pathological hallmarks of AD. Aβ produces from a sequential cleavage by β-secretase (beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1, BACE1) and γ -secretase. The aim of our work was to investigate whether the neuroprotective effects of BBR on AD is related to inhibiting Aβ pathology. The cognitive function of mice was assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM) test. The Aβ levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; the expression of APP, sAPPα, ADAM10 and ADAM17, sAPPβ and BACE1 was detected by Western blotting; and the activity of γ -secretase complex (NCT, PS1, Aph-1α and Pen-2) was determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. BBR improved learning and memory deficits of APP/PS1 mice. BBR decreased Aβ levels in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice. BACE1 and sAPP -β levels in the BBR-treated groups were significantly reduced in the hippocampus of AD mice. BBR markedly decreased the expression of PS1, Aph-1α and Pen-2, but had no effect on NCT. The levels of sAPPα, ADAM10 and ADAM17 in the hippocampus of BBR-treated mice significantly increased, compared with the control ones (P<0.05). BBR inhibits the activity of β/γ-secretases, enhances α-secretases, and lowers the Aβ level in the hippocampus of AD mice, and improves Alzheimer's-like cognitive impairment.

Cai Z ，Wang C ，He W ，Chen Y ... -  《-》

Berberine ameliorates β-amyloid pathology, gliosis, and cognitive impairment in an Alzheimer's disease transgenic mouse model.

The accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide derived from abnormal processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a common pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of berberine (BBR) extracted from Coptis chinensis Franch, a Chinese medicinal herb, on the neuropathology and cognitive impairment in TgCRND8 mice, a well established transgenic mouse model of AD. Two-month-old TgCRND8 mice received a low (25 mg/kg per day) or a high dose of BBR (100 mg/kg per day) by oral gavage until 6 months old. BBR treatment significantly ameliorated learning deficits, long-term spatial memory retention, as well as plaque load compared with vehicle control treatment. In addition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measurement showed that there was a profound reduction in levels of detergent-soluble and -insoluble β-amyloid in brain homogenates of BBR-treated mice. Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3, a major kinase involved in APP and tau phosphorylation, was significantly inhibited by BBR treatment. We also found that BBR significantly decreased the levels of C-terminal fragments of APP and the hyperphosphorylation of APP and tau via the Akt/glycogen synthase kinase 3 signaling pathway in N2a mouse neuroblastoma cells stably expressing human Swedish mutant APP695 (N2a-SwedAPP). Our results suggest that BBR provides neuroprotective effects in TgCRND8 mice through regulating APP processing and that further investigation of the BBR for therapeutic use in treating AD is warranted.

Durairajan SS ，Liu LF ，Lu JH ，Chen LL ，Yuan Q ，Chung SK ，Huang L ，Li XS ，Huang JD ，Li M ... -  《-》

[Effect of βsheet blocking peptide H102 on APP metabolic enzymes in hippocampal brain of double transgenic AD mice].

Jiang F ，Sun FX ，Xu SM 《-》

Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion Promotes Amyloid-Beta Pathogenesis via Activating β/γ-Secretases.

Cai Z ，Liu Z ，Xiao M ，Wang C ，Tian F ... -  《-》

Effects of Folic Acid on Secretases Involved in Aβ Deposition in APP/PS1 Mice.

Tian T ，Bai D ，Li W ，Huang GW ，Liu H ... -  《Nutrients》