[Effects of nao-yi-an on expressions of nerve growth factor and interleukin-1 beta following injury induced by hemoglobin in cultured hippocampal neurons].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Nao-yi-an (NYA) on protecting the cultured hippocampal neurons against the injury induced by hemoglobin (Hb) and modulating the expressions of nerve growth factor (NGF) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) following Hb injury. METHODS: The experimental techniques of neuronal culture, alive cells count, Northern blotting, and enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed to detect the survival rate of cultured neurons, the expression level of NGF and IL-1 beta following Hb injury in cultured hippocampal neurons. RESULTS: 1. The hippocampal neurons survived for more than 5 months in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM) containing 2% bovine serum. 2. 38.5% cultured neurons were dead in Lock' s solution with 5 mmol.L-1 glucose containing 50 mumol.L-1 Hb. The rate of survival neurons was significantly increased by addition of decoction of NYA. 3. The expression of IL-1 beta was markedly increased at 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, and 12 h after Hb injury. The expression of NGF was temporarily increased. 4. The levels of IL-1 beta mRNA and protein were significantly decreased in NYA treated group, while the expression of NGF mRNA and protein was not reduced. CONCLUSION: NYA has the effects on increasing the neuronal survival, decreasing the expression of IL-1 beta, and maintaining the expression of NGF following Hb injury in cultured neurons.