Ocimum sanctum Linn. stimulate the expression of choline acetyltransferase on the human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells.

AIM: This research was conducted to identify the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) and to clarify the capability of Ocimum sanctum Linn. ethanolic extract to stimulate the presence of ChAT in the aging HCMECs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we perform an in vitro analysis some in the presence of an ethanolic extract of O. sanctum Linn. as a stimulator for the ChAT expression. HCMECs are divided become two groups, the first is in low passage cells as a model of young aged and the second is in a high passage as a model of aging. Furthermore to analysis the expression of ChAT without and with extract treatments, immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry analysis were performed. In addition, ChAT sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is developed to detect the increasing activity of the ChAT under normal, and aging HCMECs on the condition treated and untreated cells.

RESULTS: In our in vitro models using HCMECs, we found that ChAT is expressed throughout intracytoplasmic areas. On the status of aging, the ethanolic extract from O. sanctum Linn. is capable to stimulate and restore the expression of ChAT. The increasing of ChAT expression is in line with the increasing activity of this enzyme on the aging treated HCMECs.

CONCLUSIONS: Our observation indicates that HCMECs is one of the noncholinergic cells which is produced ChAT. The administrated of O. sanctum Linn. ethanolic extract may stimulate and restore the expression of ChAT on the deteriorating cells of HCMECs, thus its may give nerve protection and help the production of acetylcholine.