Lychee seed saponins improve cognitive function and ameliorate hippocampal neuronal injury in Alzheimer disease rat model induced by Aβ 25-35through AKT/GSK3β pathway

Jian-ming WU,Xiao-xuan LI,Xiu LI,2,Bing-jin JIN,3,Yong TANG,Jian LIU,Xiu-ling WANG,Hai-xia CHEN,Shou-song CAO,Chong-lin YU,Da-lian QIN

(Southwest Medical University,1.Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica,Department of Pharmacology,School of Pharmacy,4.Department of Human Anatomy,School of Preclinical Medicine,Luzhou 646000,China;2.Department of Human Anatomy,School of Preclinical Medicine,Chengdu Medical Collage,Chengdu 610000,China;3.Pharmacy department of Qinghai Provincial People′s Hospital,Xining 810000，China)

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Lychee seed saponins improve cognitive function and ameliorate hippocampal neuronal injury in Alzheimer disease rat model induced by Aβ25-35through AKT/GSK3β pathway

Jian-ming WU1,Xiao-xuan LI1,Xiu LI1,2,Bing-jin JIN1,3,Yong TANG1,Jian LIU1,Xiu-ling WANG1,Hai-xia CHEN1,Shou-song CAO1,Chong-lin YU4,Da-lian QIN1

(Southwest Medical University,1.Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica,Department of Pharmacology,School of Pharmacy,4.Department of Human Anatomy,School of Preclinical Medicine,Luzhou 646000,China;2.Department of Human Anatomy,School of Preclinical Medicine,Chengdu Medical Collage,Chengdu 610000,China;3.Pharmacy department of Qinghai Provincial People′s Hospital,Xining 810000，China)

OBJECTIVELychee seed,a famous traditional Chinese medicine,recently were reported to improve the learning and memory abilities in mice.However,it is still unclear whether lychee seed saponins(LSS)can improve the cognitive function and associated mechanisms.METHODSIn present studies,we established the Alzheimer disease(AD)model by injecting Aβ25-35into the lateral ventricle of rats.Then the spatial learning and memory abilities of LSS-treated rats were evaluated with the Morris water maze,meanwhile the protein expressions of AKT,GSK3β and Tau in the hippo?campal neuron were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.RESULTSThe results showed LSS can improve the cognitive functions of AD rats through shortening the escape latency,increasing the number across the platform,platform quadrant dwell time and the percentage of the total distance run platform quadrant.The protein expression of AKT was significantly up-regulated and that of GSK3β and Tau were decreased remarkably in the hippocampal CA1 area.CONCLUSIONOur study is the first to show that LSS significantly improve the cognitive function and prevent hippocampal neuronal injury of the rats with AD by activation of the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway,suggesting LSS may be developed into the nutrient supplement for the treatment of AD.

lychee seed saponins;Alzheimer disease;Aβ25-35;cognitive function;AKT;GSK3β;Tau

The project supported by Science and Technology Planning Project of Sichuan Province(2008SZ0050,14JC0798);Educational Commission of Sichuan Province(10ZA035,15ZA0155);Science and Technology Program of Luzhou(2015-S-43,2016LZXNYD-T03);and Key Development Program of Southwest Medical University(2010ZD-010)

Da-lian QIN,Tel:13518376093,E-mail：dalianqin@swmu.edu.cn,Chong-lin YU,Tel:(0830)3160073,E-mail：chonglinyu@126.com