Metabolic alteration of neuroactive steroids and protective effect of progesterone in Alzheimer's disease-like rats  

作　　者：Sha Liu Honghai Wu Gai Xue Xin Ma Jie Wu Yabin Qin Yanning Hou 

机构地区：[1]Hebei Medical University [2]Department of Pharmacy, Bethune International Peace Hospital of Chinese PLA

出　　处：《Neural Regeneration Research》2013年第30期2800-2810,共11页中国神经再生研究（英文版）

基　　金：the Department of Pathophysiology of Hebei Medical University, China for their help

摘　　要：A correlation between metabolic alterations of neuroactive steroids and Alzheimer’s disease remains unknown. In the present study, amyloid beta （Aβ） 25-35 （Aβ25-35） injected into the bilateral campus CA1 region significantly reduced learning and memory. At the biochemical level, hippocampal levels of pregnenolone were significantly reduced with Aβ25-35 treatment. Furthermore, progesterone was considerably decreased in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, and 17β-estradiol was signifi-cantly elevated. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that Aβ25-35, a main etiological factor of Alzheimer’s disease, can alter the level and metabolism of neuroactive steroids in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, which are brain regions significantly involved in learning and memory. Aβ25-35 exposure also increased the expression of inflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1β. However, subcutaneous injection of progesterone reversed the upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1βin a dose-dependent manner. Concomitant with improved cognitive abilities, progesterone blocked Aβ-mediated inflammation and increased the survival rate of hippocampal pyramidal cells. We thus hypothesize that Aβ-mediated cognitive deficits may occur via changes in neuroactive steroids. Moreover, our findings provide a possible therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease via neuroactive steroids, particularly progesterone.A correlation between metabolic alterations of neuroactive steroids and Alzheimer’s disease remains unknown. In the present study, amyloid beta （Aβ） 25-35 （Aβ25-35） injected into the bilateral campus CA1 region significantly reduced learning and memory. At the biochemical level, hippocampal levels of pregnenolone were significantly reduced with Aβ25-35 treatment. Furthermore, progesterone was considerably decreased in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, and 17β-estradiol was signifi-cantly elevated. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that Aβ25-35, a main etiological factor of Alzheimer’s disease, can alter the level and metabolism of neuroactive steroids in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, which are brain regions significantly involved in learning and memory. Aβ25-35 exposure also increased the expression of inflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1β. However, subcutaneous injection of progesterone reversed the upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin-1βin a dose-dependent manner. Concomitant with improved cognitive abilities, progesterone blocked Aβ-mediated inflammation and increased the survival rate of hippocampal pyramidal cells. We thus hypothesize that Aβ-mediated cognitive deficits may occur via changes in neuroactive steroids. Moreover, our findings provide a possible therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease via neuroactive steroids, particularly progesterone.

关 键 词：neural regeneration neurodegenerative disease neuroactive steroids Alzheimer＇s disease pro-gesterone amyloid beta COGNITION NEUROPROTECTION NEUROREGENERATION 

分 类 号：R749.16[医药卫生—神经病学与精神病学]