Lycium Extracts Protect Against ? Amyloid-Induced Pathological Behaviors Through UPRmt in Transgenic Caenorhabditis Elegans - Abstract
Lycium barbarum, a classic Chinese medicine, has a large variety of biological activities, including improvements in immunity, as well as anti-aging and anti-oxidation activities. It has been used to improve or restore deteriorating functions related to aging and diseases. Although its nerve protection effects also have been proved in vitro and in vivo, the molecular mechanism of action is not clear. Here, we report on the effect and possible mechanisms of Lycium extract-mediated protection of A?-induced paralysis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Lycium extracts effectively reduced A? accumulation and delayed A?-induced paralysis in a transgenic C. elegans (CL2006) model that expresses human A?1–42. By evaluating the expression of genes related to the proteostasis network, we found that the expression of UPRmt, UPRER and autophagy-related genes was induced by Lucium extracts in CL2006 transgenic strains but not in the wild-type stains. Further RNAi experiments demonstrated that knock down of the UPRmt-related genes could reduce levels of down-regulation induced by Lucium extracts, suggesting that UPRmt is necessary for Lucium to prevent A? aggregation and maintain protein stabilization. Therefore, our studies provide more insights into the action and molecular mechanism of Lucium barbarum as a potential neuroprotective agent.