Withania somnifera Reverses Transactive Response DNA Binding Protein 43 Proteinopathy in a Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration.

ABSTRACT: Abnormal cytoplasmic mislocalization of transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TARDBP or TDP-43) in degenerating neurons is a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions (FTLD-U). Our previous work suggested that nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) may constitute a therapeutic target for TDP-43-mediated disease. Here, we investigated the effects of root extract of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha), an herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory properties, in transgenic mice expressing a genomic fragment encoding human TDP-43^A315T mutant. Ashwagandha extract was administered orally to hTDP-43^A315T mice for a period of 8 weeks starting at 64 and 48 weeks of age for males and females, respectively.

SUBMITTER: Dutta K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5398980 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature