Dataset Information

Yokukansan inhibits neuronal death during ER stress by regulating the unfolded protein response.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Recently, several studies have reported Yokukansan (Tsumura TJ-54), a traditional Japanese medicine, as a potential new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD, particularly in neuronal death. Therefore, we examined the effect of Yokukansan on ER stress-induced neurotoxicity and on familial AD-linked presenilin-1 mutation-associated cell death.

Methods

We employed the WST-1 assay and monitored morphological changes to evaluate cell viability following Yokukansan treatment or treatment with its components. Western blotting and PCR were used to observe the expression levels of GRP78/BiP, caspase-4 and C/EBP homologous protein.

Results

Yokukansan inhibited neuronal death during ER stress, with Cnidii Rhizoma (Senkyu), a component of Yokukansan, being particularly effective. We also showed that Yokukansan and Senkyu affect the unfolded protein response following ER stress and that these drugs inhibit the activation of caspase-4, resulting in the inhibition of ER stress-induced neuronal death. Furthermore, we found that the protective effect of Yokukansan and Senkyu against ER stress could be attributed to the ferulic acid content of these two drugs.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that Yokukansan, Senkyu and ferulic acid are protective against ER stress-induced neuronal cell death and may provide a possible new treatment for AD.

SUBMITTER: Hiratsuka T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2953506 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Yokukansan inhibits neuronal death during ER stress by regulating the unfolded protein response.

Hiratsuka Toru T Matsuzaki Shinsuke S Miyata Shingo S Kinoshita Mitsuhiro M Kakehi Kazuaki K Nishida Shinji S Katayama Taiichi T Tohyama Masaya M

PloS one 20101012 10

<h4>Background</h4>Recently, several studies have reported Yokukansan (Tsumura TJ-54), a traditional Japanese medicine, as a potential new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD, particularly in neuronal death. Therefore, we examined the effect of Yokukansan on ER stress-induced neurotoxicity and on familial AD-linked presenilin-1 mutation-associated cell death.<h4>Methods</h4>We employed ...[more]

PMID: 20967273

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Project description:The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the cellular organelle responsible for protein folding and assembly, lipid and sterol biosynthesis, and calcium storage. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an adaptive intracellular stress response to accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER. In this study, we show that the most conserved UPR sensor inositol-requiring enzyme 1 ? (IRE1?), an ER transmembrane protein kinase/endoribonuclease, is required to maintain hepatic lipid homeostasis under ER stress conditions through repressing hepatic lipid accumulation and maintaining lipoprotein secretion. To elucidate physiological roles of IRE1?-mediated signalling in the liver, we generated hepatocyte-specific Ire1?-null mice by utilizing an albumin promoter-controlled Cre recombinase-mediated deletion. Deletion of Ire1? caused defective induction of genes encoding functions in ER-to-Golgi protein transport, oxidative protein folding, and ER-associated degradation (ERAD) of misfolded proteins, and led to selective induction of pro-apoptotic UPR trans-activators. We show that IRE1? is required to maintain the secretion efficiency of selective proteins. In the absence of ER stress, mice with hepatocyte-specific Ire1? deletion displayed modest hepatosteatosis that became profound after induction of ER stress. Further investigation revealed that IRE1? represses expression of key metabolic transcriptional regulators, including CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) ?, C/EBP?, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ? (PPAR?), and enzymes involved in triglyceride biosynthesis. IRE1? was also found to be required for efficient secretion of apolipoproteins upon disruption of ER homeostasis. Consistent with a role for IRE1? in preventing intracellular lipid accumulation, mice with hepatocyte-specific deletion of Ire1? developed severe hepatic steatosis after treatment with an ER stress-inducing anti-cancer drug Bortezomib, upon expression of a misfolding-prone human blood clotting factor VIII, or after partial hepatectomy. The identification of IRE1? as a key regulator to prevent hepatic steatosis provides novel insights into ER stress mechanisms in fatty liver diseases associated with toxic liver injuries.

Dataset Information

Yokukansan inhibits neuronal death during ER stress by regulating the unfolded protein response.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Yokukansan inhibits neuronal death during ER stress by regulating the unfolded protein response.

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