1. The Role of 6-Gingerol on Inhibiting Amyloid β Protein-Induced Apoptosis in PC12 Cells.
- Author
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Zeng GF, Zong SH, Zhang ZY, Fu SW, Li KK, Fang Y, Lu L, and Xiao DQ
- Subjects
- Animals, Bisbenzimidazole, Cell Survival drug effects, Culture Media, Enzyme Activation drug effects, Flow Cytometry, Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 metabolism, Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta, Intracellular Space metabolism, L-Lactate Dehydrogenase metabolism, Malondialdehyde metabolism, Nitric Oxide biosynthesis, PC12 Cells, Phosphorylation drug effects, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt metabolism, Rats, Reactive Oxygen Species metabolism, Staining and Labeling, Superoxide Dismutase metabolism, Amyloid beta-Peptides toxicity, Apoptosis drug effects, Catechols pharmacology, Fatty Alcohols pharmacology, Peptide Fragments toxicity
- Abstract
Our previous study suggests that ginger root extract can reverse behavioral dysfunction and prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like symptoms induced by the amyloid-β protein (Aβ) in a rat model. 6-Gingerol is the major gingerol in ginger rhizomes, but its effect on the treatment of AD remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine if 6-gingerol had a protective effect on Aβ1-42-induced damage and apoptotic death in rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells) and to investigate the underlying mechanisms by which 6-gingerol may exert its neuroprotective effects. Our results indicated that pre-treatment with 6-gingerol significantly increased cell viability and reduced cell apoptosis in Aβ1-42-treated cells. Moreover, 6-gingerol pretreatment markedly reduced the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), the production of nitric oxide (NO), and the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity compared with the Aβ1-42 treatment group. In addition, 6-gingerol pretreatment also significantly enhanced the protein levels of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (p-GSK-3β). Overall, these results indicate that 6-gingerol exhibited protective effects on apoptosis induced by Aβ1-42 in cultured PC12 cells by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, suppressing the activation of GSK-3β and enhancing the activation of Akt, thereby exerting neuroprotective effects. Therefore, 6-gingerol may be useful in the prevention and/or treatment of AD.
- Published
- 2015
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