Low-dose levodopa protects nerve cells from oxidative stress and up-regulates expression of pCREB and CD39.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the influence of low-dose levodopa (L-DOPA) on neuronal cell death under oxidative stress.
Methods: PC12 cells were treated with L-DOPA at different concentrations. We detected the L-DOPA induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). Meanwhile, MTT and LDH assay were performed to determine the proliferation and growth of PC12 cells with or without ROS scavenger. In addition, after pretreatment with L-DOPA at different concentrations alone or in combination with CD39 inhibitor, PC12 cells were incubated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the cell viability was evaluated by MTT and LDH assay. In addition, the expression of pCREB and CD39 was detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot assay in both cells and rat's brain after L-DOPA treatment.
Results: After treatment with L-DOPA for 3 days, the cell proliferation and growth were promoted when the L-DOPA concentration was <30 µM, while cell proliferation was comparable to that in control group when the L-DOPA concentration was >30 µM. Low dose L-DOPA could protect the PC12 cells from H2O2 induced oxidative stress, which was compromised by CD39 inhibitor. In addition, the expression of CD39 and pCREB increased in both PC12 cells and rats' brain after L-DOPA treatment.
Conclusions: L-DOPA at different concentrations has distinct influence on proliferation and growth of PC12 cells, and low dose (<30 µM) L-DOPA protects PC12 cells against oxidative stress which might be related to the up-regulation of CD39 and pCREB expression.