Effects of Ganleroma lucidum spores on the apoptosis of brain neurons and the expression of brain IGF‐1 and NF‐κB in the epilepsy rat

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to observe effects of Ganleroma lucidum spore on brain insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB and apoptosis of brain neurons in the epilepsy rat induced by pentetrazole (PTZ). 30 male rats were divided into control, epilepsy, epilepsy plus Ganleroma lucidum spore groups. The epilepsy rats were made by application of oral PTZ (sub-eclampsia dosage). The epilepsy rats had more apoptosis neurons in hippocampus (n=10, P<0.01) and cortex (n=10, P<0.01) than control, and Ganleroma lucidum spore reduced epilepsy-induced increases in the number of apoptosis neurons in hippocampus (n=10, P<0.05) and cortex (n=10, P<0.05). The epilepsy rats had more IGF-1 positive neurons in hippocampus (n=10, P<0.01) and cortex (n=10, P<0.01) than control, and Ganleroma lucidum spore augmented epilepsy-induced increases in the number of IGF-1 positive neurons in hippocampus (n=10, P<0.05) and cortex (n=10, P<0.05). The epilepsy rats had more NF-κB p65 positive neurons in hippocampus (n=10, P<0.01) and cortex (n=10, P<0.01) than control, and Ganleroma lucidum spore reduced epilepsy-induced increases in the number of NF-κB p65 positive neurons in hippocampus (n=10, P<0.05) and cortex (n=10, P<0.05). Ganleroma lucidum spore prolonged the incubation period of epilepsy on the 17th, 21st and 25th day after the epilepsy rats were made. The results suggest that IGF-1 and NF-κB and apoptosis of neurons are involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy, and Garoderma lucidum spores has protective effects in rats with epilepsy.