Effect of Breviscapine on the survival and growth of rat cortical neurons cultured in vitro

Li Jun-yan; Wang Dong-yan; Yang Jin-wei; Zhao Nan; Li Li-yan; Cheng Jing-ru; Ru Jin; Guo Jian-hui; Liu Jun

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2014.20.015

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Nerve growth factor plays an irreplaceable role on the survival, differentiation and maintenance of the central nervous system cells, also promote the growth and development of these cells. <br> OBJECTIVE:To explore effect of Breviscapine on the growth of in vitro cultured neurons in cerebral cortex of Sprague-Dawley rats, and preliminarily investigate the action mechanism. <br> METHODS:The cerebral cortex of newborn Sprague-Dawley rat embryos was col ected, the neurons were primary cultured and randomly divided into three groups:normal control group (no treatment), control group (neurons were cultured with normal saline), Breviscapine group (neurons were cultured with 10 g/L Breviscapine). Furthermore each group was assigned into 24-hour and 48-hour subgroups. Images were captured from the 24-wel plates at each time points. RT-PCR was applied to examine the expression of nerve growth factor and TrkA mRNA. MTT was used to detect the neuronal growth at each time point. <br> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There was no difference between normal control group and control group in the cellcounts, cellbody area, neurite length and viability (P>0.05), as the time prolonged, al data were raised in the two groups (P<0.05). Breviscapine group showed a higher cellcount, cellbody area, neurite length and viability than normal control group and control group (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in the expression of nerve growth factor and TrkA mRNA between normal control group and control group (P>0.05). At each time point, these data in Breviscapine group were increased compared with normal control group and control group (P<0.05). Breviscapine can promote the survival and growth of brain-derived neurons in Sprague-Dawley rats, and the mechanism might depend on the up-regulating expression of nerve growth factor and its receptor TrkA.