Notoginsenoside R1 Promotes the Growth of Neonatal Rat Cortical Neurons via the Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway

CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2018;17(7):547-556. doi: 10.2174/1871527317666180711093538.

Abstract

Background & objective: Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1) is one of the main effective components of Panax notoginseng.

Method: Primary cortical neurons were harvested from neonatal rats and cultured to analyze the role of NGR1 in neuronal growth and the effects of NGR1 on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Following treatment with NGR1, immunocytochemistry was used to detect expression of Tuj1 and MAP2, and RT-qPCR was used to measure mRNA levels of key factors in the Wnt signaling pathway.

Results: Results showed that NGR1 promotes growth of cultured neurons and significantly upregulates mRNA levels of β-catenin, Dishevelled, and Frizzled. To further confirm whether NGR1 promoted cortical neuron growth via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, we knocked down β- catenin mRNA by siRNA interference; following NGR1 treatment of β-catenin-knockdown neurons, β-catenin mRNA levels increased significantly.

Conclusion: In conclusion, these results demonstrate that NGR1 promotes growth of cultured cortical neurons from the neonatal rat, possibly via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Keywords: NGR1; RNA interference; Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway; cortical neuron; growth; β-catenin..

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / drug effects
  • Action Potentials / genetics
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebral Cortex / cytology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Embryo, Mammalian
  • Ginsenosides / genetics
  • Ginsenosides / metabolism
  • Ginsenosides / pharmacology*
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Transfection
  • Tubulin / genetics
  • Tubulin / metabolism
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / drug effects
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Ginsenosides
  • MAP2 protein, rat
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Tubb3 protein, rat
  • Tubulin
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • notoginsenoside R1