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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2021, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (1): 133-139.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2021.01.015

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Efficacy of tanshinone ⅡA and mesenchymal stem cell treatment of learning and memory impairment in a rat model of vascular dementia

KONG Deyan, LUO Jiefeng, SHI Shengliang, HUANG Zhenhua   

  1. Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University;Department of Urology, National Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region;
  • Online:2021-02-03 Published:2021-06-03
  • Supported by:
    Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation-funded Project: Melanin Nanoparticles Promote the Survival of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Ischemic Conditions and Enhance Their Therapeutic Effect on Ischemic Stroke via up-regulating the Expression of Iduna (No. 81801361)

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Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of administration of tanshinone Ⅱ A(TSA) combined with mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) for the treatment of learning and memory impairment caused by vascular dementia(Va D) and to determine the underlying mechanism.METHODS: Modified four-vessel occlusion was used to establish a Va D model in rats, and their spatial learning and memory capacity was assessed by the Morris water maze. The rats were randomized into MSCs, TSA, MSCs combined with TSA, vehicle and sham groups. Histological changes were determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the hippocampal neuron apoptosis ratio was assessed by flow cytometry. Western blotting was performed to detect Bcl-2 and Bax expression. The reactive oxidative species(ROS) levels and the activity of total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD), an antioxidant enzyme in the rat hippocampus, were determined.RESULTS: TSA combined with MSCs treatment administered by intravenous injection in the tail significantly attenuated cognitive deficits in the Va D model compared with the vehicle group(P < 0.01),and its protective effect on cognitive function was greater than that obtained by treatment with MSCs or TSA alone. Furthermore, TSA combined with MSCs treatment achieved synergistic effects in suppressing neuronal apoptosis in the rat hippocampus caused by global brain ischemia via up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptosis protein, and decreasing the expression of Bax, a pro-apoptotic protein. In addition, TSA combined with MSCs treatment attenuated ROS production and enhanced T-SOD activity in the rat hippocampus, and the antioxidant effect was greater than that of treatment with MSCs or TSA alone.CONCLUSION: TSA combined with MSCs treatment improved the spatial learning and memory capacity in a Va D model via suppressing neuronal apoptosis and antioxidant activity in the hippocampus, and this improvement was greater with combined treatment than with treatment with MSCs or TSA alone.

Key words: Dementia,vascular, Mesenchymal stem cells, Tanshinone ⅡA, Apoptosis, Antioxidants

Cite this article

KONG Deyan, LUO Jiefeng, SHI Shengliang, HUANG Zhenhua. Efficacy of tanshinone ⅡA and mesenchymal stem cell treatment of learning and memory impairment in a rat model of vascular dementia[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2021, 41(1): 133-139.