Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans attenuates neuroinflammation in symptomatic hSOD1G93A mice

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Abstract

Background

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective motor neuron death in the spinal cord, brainstem, and motor cortex. Neuroinflammation is one of several pathological causes of degenerating motor neurons and is induced by activated microglial cells and astrocytes in ALS.

Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans (SSM) is utilized in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine for the treatment of a variety of diseases, such as cancer, apoplexy, and epilepsy. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of SSM are currently unclear, even though SSM increases immune and antibiotic activity.

Methods

To determine the effects of SSM on symptomatic hSOD1 ^G93A transgenic mice, SSM (2.5 μℓ/g) was injected bilaterally at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint three times per week for two weeks. The effects of SSM treatment on anti-neuroinflammation in the brainstem and spinal cord of hSOD1 ^G93A mice were assessed via Nissl and Fluoro-Jade B (FJB) staining, and immunohistochemistry using Iba-1, CD14, HO1, and NQO1 proteins was evaluated by Western blotting.

Results

In this study, we investigated whether SSM affects neuroinflammation in the spinal cord of symptomatic hSOD1 ^G93A transgenic mice. We found that SSM treatment attenuated the loss of motor neurons and reduced the activation of microglial cells and astrocytes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SSM administration in this animal model of ALS suppressed oxidative stress in the brainstem and spinal cord by 1.6- and 1.8-fold, respectively.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that SSM, which has previously been used in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), might also be considered as an anti-neuroinflammatory therapy for neurodegenerative diseases.

Related collections

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Author and article information

Contributors

MuDan Cai

Sun-Mi Choi

Bong Keun Song

Ilhong Son

Sungchul Kim

Eun Jin Yang

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Neuroinflammation

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): J Neuroinflammation

Title: Journal of Neuroinflammation

Publisher: BioMed Central

ISSN (Electronic): 1742-2094

Publication date Collection: 2013

Publication date (Electronic): 29 October 2013

Volume: 10

Page: 131

Affiliations

[1 ]Department of Medial Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 483 Expo-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-811, Republic of Korea

[2 ]Department of Internal Medicine, Wonkwang University of Medical School, Iksan, Republic of Korea

[3 ]Department of Neurology, Inam Neuroscience Research Center, Sanbon Medical Center, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Republic of Korea

[4 ]Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Wonkwang University Gwangju Oriental Hospital, 543-8, Juweol1-Dong, Nam-Gu, Gwangju 503-310, Republic of Korea

Article

Publisher ID: 1742-2094-10-131

DOI: 10.1186/1742-2094-10-131

PMC ID: 4231348

PubMed ID: 24168240

SO-VID: 9865fda0-ab25-4bdc-95d1-7d394fdd551c

License:

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.