Your search for: 'author:("Cao, Zhiming")' has returned 2 results. (0.004s) Save search

Authors: Xu, Yanan | Cao, Zhiming | Khan, Ikhlas | Luo, Yuan

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that shows cognitive deficits and memory impairment. Extract from the leaves of Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) have been used as an alternative medicine for memory improvement in Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine for a long time. Although several studies have revealed its effect in ameliorating the cognitive impairment in rat models of AD and stimulating property on neuronal dendrites of hippocampal region, the molecular mechanism of Gotu Kola on neuroprotection still remains to be elucidated. In this study, we report that phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) is enhanced …in both a neuroblastoma cell line expressing amyloid beta 1–42 (Aβ) and in rat embryonic cortical primary cell culture. In addition, the contribution of two major single components to the enhanced CREB phosphorylatioin was examined. Furthermore, inhibitors were applied in this study revealing that ERK/RSK signaling pathway might mediate this effect of Gotu Kola extract. Taken together, we provide a possible molecular mechanism for memory enhancing property of Gotu Kola extract for the first time. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2008-13311

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 341-349, 2008

Authors: Tchantchou, Flaubert | Lacor, Pascale N. | Cao, Zhiming | Lao, Lixing | Hou, Yan | Cui, Changhai | Klein, William L. | Luo, Yuan

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Loss of synapses has been correlated with dementia in Alzheimer's disease (AD) as an early event during the disease progression. Hence, synaptogenesis and neurogenesis in adulthood could serve as a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of AD. Recently, we have demonstrated enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis by oral administration of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) to a mouse model of AD. This study aims to identify the constituents that contribute to EGb 761-induced neurogenesis. Among the constituents tested, bilobalide and quercetin significantly increased cell proliferation in the hippocampal neurons in a dose-dependent manner. Bilobalide and quercetin also enhanced phosphorylation of …cyclic-AMP Response Element Binding Protein (CREB) in these cells, and elevated the levels of pCREB and, brain-derived neurotrophic factor in mice brain. Immunofluorescence staining of synaptic markers shows remarkable dendritic processes in hippocampal neurons treated with either quercetin or bilobalide. Furthermore, both constituents restored amyloid-β oligomers (also known as ADDL)-induced synaptic loss and phosphorylation of CREB. The present findings suggest that enhanced neurogenesis and synaptogenesis by bilobalide and quercetin may share a common final signaling pathway mediated by phosphorylation of CREB. Despite a recent report showing that EGb 761 was insufficient in prevent dementia, its constituents still warrant future investigation. Show more

Keywords: Amyloid-beta derived diffusible ligands (ADDL), bilobalide, CREB, neurogenesis, quercetin, synaptogenesis

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2009-1189

Citation: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 787-798, 2009