In Vitro Evaluation of the Neuroprotective Effect of Panax notoginseng Saponins by Activating the EGFR/PI3K/AKT Pathway

Shuang Wu; Tiantian Yang; Kai Cen; Yihuai Zou; Xiaowei Shi; Dongrui Zhou; Yonghong Gao; Limin Chai; Yizhou Zhao; Yikun Sun; Lingqun Zhu

doi:10.1155/2020/1403572

In Vitro Evaluation of the Neuroprotective Effect of Panax notoginseng Saponins by Activating the EGFR/PI3K/AKT Pathway

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 Jul 31:2020:1403572. doi: 10.1155/2020/1403572. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Shuang Wu¹, Tiantian Yang¹, Kai Cen², Yihuai Zou³, Xiaowei Shi⁴, Dongrui Zhou¹, Yonghong Gao¹, Limin Chai¹, Yizhou Zhao¹, Yikun Sun¹, Lingqun Zhu¹

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Educational Ministry and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
² Department of Stomatology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
³ Department of Neurology and Stroke Center, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
⁴ School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated whether Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) extracted from Panax notoginseng (Bruk.) F. H. Chen played a neuroprotective role by affecting the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway in oxygen-glucose deprived (OGD) SH-SY5Y cells.

Materials and methods: Different groups of OGD SH-SY5Y cells were treated with varying doses of PNS, PNS + AG1478 (a specific inhibitor of EGFR), or AG1478 for 16 hours. CCK8, Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis analysis, and LDH release analysis were used to determine cell viability, apoptosis rate, and amounts of LDH. Quantitative real-time PCR (q-RT-PCR) and western blotting were used to measure mRNA and proteins levels of p-EGFR/EGFR, p-PI3K/PI3K, and p-AKT/AKT in SH-SY5Y cells subjected to OGD.

Results: PNS significantly enhanced cell viability, reduced apoptosis, and weakened cytotoxicity by inhibiting the release of LDH. The mRNA expression profiles of EGFR, PI3K, and AKT showed no difference between model and other groups. Additionally, ratios of p-EGFR, p-PI3K, and p-AKT to EGFR, PI3K, and AKT proteins expression, respectively, all increased significantly.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that PNS enhanced neuroprotective effects by activating the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway and elevating phosphorylation levels in OGD SH-SY5Y cells.