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ABSTRACT: This study aims to assess the protective effect of berberine against neuronal damage in the brain parenchyma of mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
EAE was induced in female C57 BL/6 mice with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55 amino acid peptide. The berberine treatment was initiated on the day of disease onset and administered daily until the mice were sacrificed. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, gelatin gel, and gelatin in situ zymography were analysed in this study.
Berberine reduced the TUNEL-positive neuronal cells of EAE mice. Gelatin gel and gelatin in situ zymography showed up-regulation of gelatinase activity, which was mainly located in neurons and colocalized with remarkable laminin degradation in EAE mice. Berberine significantly inhibited gelatinase activity and reduced the laminin degradation in EAE mice.
Our data suggest that berberine could provide protection against neuronal damage in EAE by inhibiting gelatinase activity and reducing laminin degradation. These findings provide further support that berberine can be a potential therapeutic agent for multiple sclerosis.
Neurological Research 05/2013; 35(4):360-8. · 1.52 Impact Factor
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Angiology 02/2013; · 1.51 Impact Factor
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Xiaohong Chen,
Shaoqiong Chen,
Ying Jiang,
Cansheng Zhu,
Aimin Wu,
Xiaomeng Ma,
Fuhua Peng,
Lili Ma,
Dongliang Zhu,
Qing Wang,
Rongbiao Pi
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: Minocycline has shown anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antioxidative activities in many models of cerebral ischemia and human acute ischemic stroke. However, the cellular and molecular bases for its neuroprotective effects have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether pre-treatment with minocycline could attenuate oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced PC12 cytotoxicity. The activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 was detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis zymography. And the expressions of integrin β1, Akt and phosphorylated Akt were analyzed by Western blot. Our results showed that minocycline could ameliorate oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced PC12 cell cytotoxicity at concentrations of 20 nM-20 μM, down-regulate the production and activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9, inhibit the degradation of integrin β1, and up-regulate Akt phosphorylation at optimal concentration of 200 nM. The results may provide a new area for minocycline's therapeutic intervention for improving the outcomes of cerebral ischemia.
Neurological Sciences 12/2012; · 1.32 Impact Factor
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Mengqiu Pan,
Huimin Gao,
Ling Long,
Yunqi Xu,
Mei Liu,
Jing Zou,
Aimin Wu,
Xiaobo Wei, Xiaohong Chen,
Beisha Tang,
Qing Wang
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: Background: Elevation of serum uric acid (UA) is correlated with a decreased risk of Parkinson's disease (PD); however, the association and clinical relevance of serum UA levels in patients with PD and vascular parkinsonism (VP) are unknown. Objective: We performed a cross-sectional study of 160 Chinese patients with PD and VP to determine whether UA levels in patients could predict the outcomes. Methods: Serum UA levels were divided into quartiles and the association between UA and the severity of PD or VP was investigated in each quartile. Results: The serum levels of UA in PD were significantly lower than those in normal subjects and VP. The serum UA levels in PD patients were significantly correlated with some clinical parameters. Strong correlations were observed in male PD patients, but significant correlations were observed only between UA and the non-motor symptoms (NMS) of burden of sleep/fatigue and mood in female PD patients. PD patients in the lowest quartile of serum UA levels had significant correlations between UA and the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale, the modified Hoehn and Yahr staging scale and NMS burden for attention/memory. Conclusion: Our findings support the hypothesis that subjects with low serum UA levels may be more prone to developing PD and indicate that the inverse relationship between UA and severity of PD was robust for men but weak for women. Our results strongly imply that either low serum UA level is a deteriorative predictor or that serum UA level serves as an indirect biomarker of prediction in PD but not in VP patients.
NeuroImmunoModulation 11/2012; 20(1):19-28. · 2.38 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Carbon nanofibers were synthesized from common solid carbon sources (such as artifical graphites and acetylene black) in the presence of an iron catalyst by direct carbonization. This inexpensive and simple method is expected to trigger a revolution in the preparation of nanocarbons.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition 10/2012; · 13.45 Impact Factor
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Xiaohong Chen,
Lili Ma,
Ying Jiang,
Shaoqiong Chen,
Cansheng Zhu,
Mei Liu,
Xiaomeng Ma,
Dongliang Zhu,
Yingying Liu,
Fuhua Peng,
Qing Wang,
Rongbiao Pi
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: Previous evidence demonstrated that minocycline could ameliorate clinical severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and exhibit several anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. However, few studies have been carried out to assess its effects on the expression of neurotrophins in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis or multiple sclerosis. Here we investigated the alteration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in the sera, cerebral cortex, and lumbar spinal cord of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis C57 BL/6 mice in vivo as well as the splenocytes culture supernatants in vitro after minocycline administration. Our results demonstrated that minocycline could up-regulate the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor both in peripheral (sera and splenocytes culture supernatants) and target organs (cerebral cortex and lumber spinal cord) of mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. These data suggest that up-regulation of neurotrophins in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis may be a novel neuroprotective mechanism of minocycline.
European journal of pharmacology 05/2012; 686(1-3):124-9. · 2.59 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Sound understanding of hydrological alterations and the underlying causes means too much for the water resource management
in the Pearl River Delta. Incision of river channels plays the key role in the hydrological alterations. As for the causes
behind the river channel incision, sand dredging within the river network of the Pearl River Delta is usually assumed to play
the overwhelming role in changes of geometric shapes of the river channels. Based on thorough analysis of well-collected data
of channel geometry, streamflow, sediment load and water level, this study exposes new findings, investigating possible underlying
causes behind the changes of the geometric shapes of the river channels at the Sanshui and Makou station. The results of this
study indicate: (1) different changing properties of the geometric shapes are identified at the Sanshui and Makou stations.
Larger magnitude of changes can be found in the river channel geometry of the cross section at the Sanshui station when compared
to that at the Makou station. Lower water level due to fast riverbed downcutting at the Sanshui station than that at the Makou
station is the major reason why the reallocation of streamflow occurred and hence the hydrological alterations over the Pearl
River Delta; (2) depletion of sediment load as a result of construction of water reservoirs in the middle and upper Pearl
River basin, sand dredging mainly in the Pearl River Delta and heavy floods all contribute much to the incision or deposition
of the riverbed. Regulations of erosion and siltation process of the river channel often alleviate the incision of the river
channels after a relatively long time span, and which makes it even harder to differentiate the factors causing the river
channel incision; (3) the intensifying urbanization in the lower Pearl River basin greatly alters the underlying surface properties,
which has the potential to shorten the recession of the flood event and may cause serious scouring processes and this role
of flash floods in the incision of the river channels can not be ignored. This study is of great scientific and practical
merits in improving human understanding of regulations of river channels and associated consequences with respect to hydrological
alterations and water resource management, particularly in the economically booming region of China.
KeywordsHuman regulation–River channel geometry–Hydrological processes–Hydrological alterations–Sediment load–Pearl River Delta
Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment 04/2012; 25(7):1001-1011. · 1.52 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to statistically examine changes of surface air temperature in time and space and to analyze
two factors potentially influencing air temperature changes in China, i.e., urbanization and net solar radiation. Trends within
the temperature series were detected by using Mann-Kendall trend test technique. The scientific problem this study expected
to address was that what could be the role of human activities in the changes of temperature extremes. Other influencing factors
such as net solar radiation were also discussed. The results of this study indicated that: (1) increasing temperature was
observed mainly in the northeast and northwest China; (2) different behaviors were identified in the changes of maximum and
minimum temperature respectively. Maximum temperature seemed to be more influenced by urbanization, which could be due to
increasing urban albedo, aerosol, and air pollutions in the urbanized areas. Minimum temperature was subject to influences
of variations of net solar radiation; (3) not significant increasing and even decreasing temperature extremes in the Yangtze
River basin and the regions south to the Yangtze River basin could be the consequences of higher relative humidity as a result
of increasing precipitation; (4) the entire China was dominated by increasing minimum temperature. Thus, we can say that the
warming process of China was reflected mainly by increasing minimum temperature. In addition, consistently increasing temperature
was found in the upper reaches of the Yellow River basin, the Yangtze River basin, which have the potential to enhance the
melting of permafrost in these areas. This may trigger new ecological problems and raise new challenges for the river basin
scale water resource management.
Theoretical and Applied Climatology 04/2012; 106(3):417-431. · 1.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The novel resorcinol–formaldehyde/SiO2 (RF/SiO2) hybrid aerogels were chosen to synthesize the cubic silicon carbide (β-SiC) nanostructures via a carbothermal reduction
route. In this process, the in situ polymerized RF/SiO2 aerogels were used as both the silicon and carbon sources. The morphologies and structures of SiC nanostructures were characterized
by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM)
equipped with EDS. The effects of C/Si atomic ratios in RF/SiO2 aerogels and heat treatment temperatures on the formation of SiC nanomaterials were investigated in detail. It was shown
that β-SiC nanowhiskers with diameters of 50–150nm and high crystallinity were obtained at the temperatures from 1400 to
1500°C. The role of the interpenetrating network of RF/SiO2 hybrid aerogels in the carbothermal reduction was discussed and a possible mechanism was proposed.
Journal of Materials Science 04/2012; 44(17):4661-4667. · 2.02 Impact Factor
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Xuexuan Mao,
Jiantao Ye,
Shiyou Zhou,
Rongbiao Pi,
Juan Dou,
Linquan Zang, Xiaohong Chen,
Xiaojuan Chao,
Wenming Li,
Mengfei Liu,
Peiqing Liu
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ABSTRACT: The pathogens of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are still unclear, while accumulating evidences have indicated that both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the pathogenesis of AD. Recent studies suggest that AD is primarily a vascular disorder and copper (Cu) may play an important role in AD pathology. However, the consequences of chronic Cu exposure at the presence of other AD risk factors remain to be clarified. To investigate the effects of chronic Cu intake on cerebral hypoperfusion-induced AD pathology, Sprague-Dawley rats suffered bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (2VO) were administrated with 250 ppm copper-containing water or not. Morris water maze test showed that Cu exposure for 3 months exacerbated cognitive impairment induced by 2VO. Elevated amyloid precursor protein (APP) and beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) expression in mRNA and protein levels were also observed in brain of Cu-exposed rats suffered 2VO. In contrast, these Cu-exacerbated changes were ameliorated after Cu was withdrawn from drinking water. In summary, our findings demonstrate that chronic Cu exposure might exacerbate AD pathology in 2VO rats.
Neuroscience Letters 04/2012; 518(1):14-8. · 2.11 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: PurposeThe proper induction of cellular immunity is required for effective bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy of bladder
cancer. It has been known that BCG stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) leads to the generation
of effector cells cytotoxic to bladder cancer cells in vitro. To improve BCG therapy, we previously developed human interferon
(IFN)-α 2B secreting recombinant (r) BCG (rBCG-IFN-α). We demonstrated that rBCG-IFN-α augmented T helper type 1 (Th1) cytokine
IFN-γ production by PBMC. In this study, we further investigated whether rBCG-IFN-α could also enhance PBMC cytotoxicity toward
bladder cancer cells.
Materials and methodsPBMC were prepared from healthy individuals, left alone or stimulated with rBCG-IFN-α or control MV261 BCG, and used as effector
cells in 51Cr-release assays. Human bladder cancer cell lines T24, J82, 5637, TCCSUP, and UMUC-3 were used as target cells. To determine
the role of secreted rIFN-α as well as endogenously expressed IFN-γ and IL-2 in inducing the cytotoxicity, PBMC were stimulated
with rBCG-IFN-α in the presence of neutralizing antibodies to IFN-α, IFN-γ or IL-2. To determine the role of natural killer
(NK) and CD8+ T cells in inducing the cytotoxicity, both cell types were isolated after BCG stimulation of PBMC and used as effector cells
in 51Cr-release assays.
ResultsNon-stimulated PBMC showed basal levels of cytotoxicity against all target cell lines tested. MV261 BCG increased the PBMC
cytotoxicity by 1.8- to 4.2-fold. rBCG-IFN-α further increased the PBMC cytotoxicity by up to 2-fold. Elevated production
of IFN-γ and IL-2 by PBMC was observed after rBCG-IFN-α stimulation. Blockage of IFN-α, IFN-γ or IL-2 by neutralizing antibodies
during rBCG-IFN-α stimulation reduced or abolished the induction of PBMC cytotoxicity. Both NK and CD8+ T cells were found to be responsible for the enhanced PBMC cytotoxicity induced by rBCG-IFN-α with the former cell type being
more predominant.
ConclusionsrBCG-IFN-α is an improved BCG agent that induces enhanced PBMC cytotoxicity against bladder cancer cells in vitro. This rBCG
strain may serve as an alternative to BCG for the treatment of superficial bladder cancer.
Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy 04/2012; 58(10):1647-1655. · 3.70 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In this study, we systematically analyze the changing properties of reference evapotranspiration (ETref) across China using
Penman–Monteith (P-M) method, exploring the major sensitive meteorological variables for ETref, and investigating influences
of human activities, mainly urbanization in this study, on ETref changes in both space and time. We obtain some important
conclusions: (1) decreasing annual and seasonal ETref is observed in the east, south and northwest China. However, a long
strip lying between these regions is identified to be characterized by increasing ETref; (2) in the regions east to 100°E,
the net total solar radiation is the main cause behind the decreasing ETref. In northwest China, however, relative humidity
is recognized as the most sensitive variable for the ETref; (3) in the east and south China, urbanization greatly influences
the ETref by directly decreasing net solar radiation. The increased air pollution and aerosols in the highly urbanized regions
are the main driving factors causing decreasing net radiation; and (4) this study reveals accelerating hydrological cycle
from south to north China. Besides, increasing ETref in the source regions of large rivers in China may pose new challenges
for the basin-scale water resource management. The results of this study highlight the integrated effects of climate changes
and human activities on ETref changes in different regions of China, which will be of great scientific and practical merits
in in-depth understanding of hydrological cycle alterations under the changing environment in China.
Theoretical and Applied Climatology 04/2012; 103(3):479-488. · 1.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Elevated serum bilirubin concentrations protect from atherosclerotic diseases, however it is not clear whether or not higher serum bilirubin concentrations have the same effect in coronary artery disease (CAD). The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is a reproducible method to assess arterial stiffness. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between serum total bilirubin (TB) and baPWV in patients with established CAD.
We enrolled 638 patients (390 men, 248 women) with established CAD. TB was divided into tertiles. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the correlation between baPWV and TB.
The mean baPWV tended to decrease in men according to TB tertiles: Tertile 1=2,126.0, Tertile 2=1,832.5, and Tertile 3=1,692.5 cm/s. Likewise, the mean baPWV tended to decrease in women according to TB tertiles: Tertile 1=1,920.8, Tertile 2=1,829.0, and Tertile 3=1,701.3 cm/s. Univariate analysis showed that age, BMI, TB, ALT, GGT, Cho, SBP, DBP, UA, and TC were significantly associated with baPWV in men. In women, age, BMI, current smoker, Cho, SBP, DBP, UA, TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C were significantly associated with baPWV. BMI, LnSBP, UA, TB, LnCho, and LnTC were correlated with baPWV in men in the multivariate model. However, only LnSBP, UA, and LnHDL-C were correlated with baPWV in women. TB was found to be a significant determinant for decreased baPWV only in men (β=-0.136; p<0.001).
Our findings show that the level of total serum bilirubin is negatively correlated with arterial stiffness in men with established CAD.
Internal Medicine 01/2012; 51(16):2083-9. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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Rongbiao Pi,
Xuexuan Mao,
Xiaojuan Chao,
Zhiyi Cheng,
Mengfei Liu,
Xiaolu Duan,
Mingzhong Ye, Xiaohong Chen,
Zhengrong Mei,
Peiqing Liu,
Wenming Li,
Yifan Han
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: We have previously synthesized a series of hybrid compounds by linking ferulic acid to tacrine as multifunctional agents based on the hypotheses that Alzheimer's disease (AD) generates cholinergic deficiency and oxidative stress. Interestingly, we found that they may have potential pharmacological activities for treating AD. Here we report for the first time that tacrine-6-ferulic acid (T6FA), one of these compounds, can prevent amyloid-β peptide (Aβ)-induced AD-associated pathological changes in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that T6FA significantly inhibited auto- and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-induced aggregation of Aβ(1-40)in vitro and blocked the cell death induced by Aβ(1-40) in PC12 cells. In an AD mouse model by the intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ(1-40), T6FA significantly improved the cognitive ability along with increasing choline acetyltransferase and superoxide dismutase activity, decreasing AChE activity and malondialdehyde level. Based on our findings, we conclude that T6FA may be a promising multifunctional drug candidate for AD.
PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(2):e31921. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Microglial activation plays an important role in neuroinflammation, which contributes to neuronal damage, and inhibition of microglial activation may have therapeutic benefits that could alleviate the progression of neurodegeneration. Recent studies have indicated that the antimalarial agent artemisinin has the ability to inhibit NF-κB activation. In this study, the inhibitory effects of artemisinin on the production of proinflammatory mediators were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated primary microglia. Our results show that artemisinin significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and nitric oxide (NO). Artemisinin significantly decreased both the mRNA and the protein levels of these pro-inflammatory cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and increased the protein levels of IκB-α, which forms a cytoplasmic inactive complex with the p65-p50 heterodimeric complex. Artemisinin treatment significantly inhibited basal and LPS-induced migration of BV-2 microglia. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed increased NF-κB binding activity in LPS-stimulated primary microglia, and this increase could be prevented by artemisinin. The inhibitory effects of artemisinin on LPS-stimulated microglia were blocked after IκB-α was silenced with IκB-α siRNA. Our results suggest that artemisinin is able to inhibit neuroinflammation by interfering with NF-κB signaling. The data provide direct evidence of the potential application of artemisinin for the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases.
PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(4):e35125. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The abrupt changes in the streamflow and sediment load at nine hydrological stations of the Pearl River basin were systematically analysed by using the simple two-phase linear regression scheme and the coherency analysis technique. Possible underlying causes were also discussed. Our study results indicated that abrupt changes in the streamflow occurred mainly in the early 1990s. The change points were followed by significant decreasing streamflow. Multiscale abrupt behaviour of the sediment load classified the hydrological stations into two groups: (1) Xiaolongtan, Nanning and Liuzhou; and (2) Qianjiang, Dahuangjiangkou, Wuzhou, Gaoyao, Shijiao and Boluo. The grouped categories implied obvious influences of water reservoirs on the hydrological processes of the Pearl River. On the basis of analysis of the locations and the construction time of the water reservoirs, and also the time when the change points occurred, we figured out different ways the water reservoirs impacted the hydrological processes within the Pearl River basin. As for the hydrological variation along the mainstream of the Pearl River, the water reservoirs have considerable influences on both the streamflow and sediment load variations; however, more influences seemed to be exerted on the sediment load transport. In the North River, the hydrological processes seemed to be influenced mainly by climate changes. In the East River, the hydrological variations tended to be impacted by the water reservoirs. The study results also indicated no fixed modes when we address the influences of water reservoirs on hydrological processes. Drainage area and regulation behaviour of the water reservoirs should be taken into account. The results of this study will be of considerable importance for the effective water resources management of the Pearl River basin under the changing environment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrological Processes 09/2011; · 2.49 Impact Factor
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[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: In this study, we comprehensively analysed daily precipitation time series of 590 rain stations in China covering 1960–2005. Ten indices were defined to evaluate changing patterns of precipitation regimes and trend detection was performed using Mann–Kendall trend test and linear regressive technique. For the sake of better understanding of underlying causes behind changing properties of precipitation regimes, we also investigated spatial and temporal variations of atmospheric circulation of water vapour flux. The results revealed different changing properties of precipitation events across China. Generally, wet tendency was identified in the south China and dry tendency in north China. Besides, slight wet tendency could be found in northwest China. In addition, increasing precipitation intensity could be observed mainly in the lower Yangtze River basin and the Pearl River basin. Remarkable seasonal shifts of wet/dry conditions were also detected in China: wet tendency in winter and dry tendency in summer. Furthermore, this study revealed good agreement between spatial distribution of precipitation regimes and water vapour flux, showing tremendous influences of water vapour flux on the precipitation changes across China. Regions east to 100°E were dominated by increasing water vapour flux in winter. Weaker East Asian Summer Monsoon was the main cause responsible for decreasing northward propagation of water vapour flux, causing different wet (dry) tendency in south (north) China. This study can provide theoretical evidence for effective water resource management and sound arrangement of agriculture activities on river basin scale under the changing environment across China. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
International Journal of Climatology 08/2011; 31(11):1665 - 1678. · 2.91 Impact Factor
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Journal of the American Chemical Society 08/2011; 133(34):13761. · 9.91 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Bilirubin is the end product of heme catabolism by heme oxygenases. Although bilirubin has long been considered as a toxic waste product, it is now recognized as an endogenous antioxidant. It has been reported that bilirubin is an effective treatment in both acute and chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) disease models. However, the relationship between bilirubin and multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been fully explored. The serum bilirubin concentrations were measured in 340 individuals comprising 88 healthy subjects, 133 patients with MS and 119 patients with cerebral infarction. Serum total bilirubin (Tbil), direct bilirubin (Dbil) and indirect bilirubin (Ibil) concentrations were significantly lower in patients with MS than in either patients with cerebral infarction or healthy controls (p<0.001). The correlation identified between bilirubin and MS was still highly significant when the effect of gender was eliminated. Among patients with MS, Tbil, Dbil and Ibil concentrations were lower in patients with MS with longer duration (>2 years), less disabling disease (Expanded Disability Status Scale score<3), and inactive MRI appearance, although the differences did not reach statistical significance. Our results suggest that there are reduced serum bilirubin concentrations in patients with MS.
Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 07/2011; 18(10):1355-9. · 1.25 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Statins have been widely used for the treatment of a variety of conditions beyond their original role in lowering cholesterol. Since statins have relatively few side effects, they have been recognized as useful medicine to ameliorate neurodegenerative disorders. Current studies on the applications of statins have demonstrated their neuroprotective and clinical significance among neurodegenerative diseases like cerebral ischemic stroke, vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, though the neuroprotective mechanisms are not completely understood. This review will discuss recent development in the use of statins in slowing down the progression of these neurodegenerative diseases. It will summarize the potential mechanisms for statin-mediated neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative diseases. In detail, this review discuss the roles of statins in lowering cholesterol, reducing reactive oxygen species, impairing β-amyloid production and serum apolipoprotein E levels, enhancing the levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and cerebral blood flow, and modulating cognitive related receptors and matrix metalloproteases. Finally, different alterations of various receptors in brain regions following statin treatment and their correlations with cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease will also be reviewed, as well as the potential for therapy in ameliorating the progression of Parkinson's disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Interaction between repair, disease, & inflammation."
Experimental Neurology 07/2011; 230(1):27-34. · 4.70 Impact Factor
