AUTHOR=Chen Yong , Wang Baojiang , Lai Wing-Fu , Chen Yanjuan , Pan Rongbin , Tang Zhongsheng , Liu Dongzhou 

TITLE=Chinese herbal formula (GCNY)-medicated serum alleviates peroxidation induced by H2O2 in human microglial cells

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2022.990040

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2022.990040

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=TTransitional Chinese herbal medicine aiming at nourishing yin formed a distinctive school of thought in history to achieve anti-aging and longevity. In the formula Gancao Nurishing-yin (GCNY) decoction, all of the ingredients show antioxidant properties. However, in real clinical practice, extractions of herbs are rarely applied alone but are prescribed as the integrated formula. In order to investigate whether GCNY possesses anti-oxidation potential, we applied GCNY to treat rats in order to acquire medicated serum, which was then added on H2O2 (200 µM)-modeled human microglial cell line HMC-3 in comparison with its control serum. The results revealed that GCNY-medicated serum decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Inflammatory cytokines such as pNF-ƙB p65 (ser536) and IL-6 were also decreased. Nrf2 and its pathway-related molecules, such as HO1, ABCC2, GLCM, ME1, NQO1 and TKT were activated by H2O2 modelling while declined by treating with GCNY-medicated serum, which indicated attenuated oxidative stress of GCNY. Further, mRNA-seq analysis showed 58 differential expressed genes (DEGs), which were enriched in pathways including antigen processing and presentation, longevity regulation, oxidative phosphorylation, and Parkinson’s disease progression. DEGs that were down-regulated by H2O2 modelling but up-regulated by GCNY treatment include CENPF, MKI67, PRR11 and TOP2A. Those targets were reported to be associated with the cell cycle, cell proliferation, and belong to the category of growth factor genes. In conclusion, the current study verified anti-oxidation effects of GCNY and indicated its promising application for cognitive degeneration and aging-related disorders.