BACKGROUND: Neuronal loss, synapse mutilation, and increasing malnourished axons are pathologically related to Alzheimer's disease. Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) is of importance for neuronal, axonal, and dendritic generation, extension, and stabilization, as well as for the regulation of synaptic plasticity.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antagonistic effects of natural-cerebrolysin-containing serum on beta amyloid protein 1-40 (Aβ1-40)-induced neurotoxicity from the standpoints of cell proliferation, synaptogenesis, and cytoskeleton formation (MAP2 expression).DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A paralleled, controlled, neural cell, and molecular biology experiment was performed at the Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University between February 2006 and April 2008.MATERIALS: PC12 cells, derived from the rat central nervous system, were purchased from Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. A β1-40 was provided by Sigma, USA. Natural-cerebrolysin was provided by Shenzhen Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, China. The natural-cerebrolysin was predominantly composed of Renshen (Radix Ginseng), Tianma (Rhizoma Gastrodiae), and Yixingye (Ginkgo Leaf) in a proportion of 1:2:2. Following conventional water extraction technology, an extract (1:20) was prepared. Each gram of extract equaled 20 grams of crude drug. In a total of 12 adult male New Zealand rabbits, six underwent intragastric administration of natural-cerebrolysin extract for 1 month to prepare administration of physiological saline to prepare normal blank serum.METHODS: An Alzheimer's disease in vitro model was induced in PC12 cells using Aβ1-40. The cells were incubated with varying doses of natural-cerebrolysin-containing serum (2.5%, 5%, and 10%). Normal blank serum-treated PC12 cells served as a blank control group.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Through the use of inverted phase contrast microscope, cell morphology and neurite growth were observed, neurite length was measured, and the percentage of neurite-positive cells was calculated. Cell proliferation rate was determined by MTT assay, and MAP 2 expression was detected by fluorescent immunocytochemistry.RESULTS: Following Aβ1-40 treatments, some PC12 cells were apoptotic/dying, and only a few short neurites were observed. Following interventions with natural-cerebrolysin-containing serum, the PC12 cells proliferated, there was an increased number of neurites, and neurite length was enhanced. After middle- and high-dose natural-cerebrolysin treatments, the percentage of neurite-positive cells, as well as the average length of neurites, was significantly greater than the normal blank serum-treated PC12 cells (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Compared with the blank control group, MAP2 expression in the Aβ1-40-treated PC12 cells was significantly inhibited, and the cell proliferation rate was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Following incubations with natural-cerebrolysin-containing serum, MAP2 expression and cell proliferation rate in the PC12 cells were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner, compared with treatments with blank control serum (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01).CONCLUSION: Natural-cerebrolysin exhibited antagonistic effects on neurotoxicity in Aβ1-40-induced Alzheimer's disease in vitro models. These effects were likely related to cell proliferation and the upregulation of intracellular MAP2 expression.