Investigating the potential neuroprotective benefits of taurine and Dihydrotestosterone and Hydroxyprogesterone levels in SH-SY5Y cells.

Background: Taurine, an amino acid abundantly found in the brain and other tissues, has potential neuroprotective properties. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a commonly occurring type of dementia, which becomes more prevalent as people age. This experiment aimed to assess the neuroprotective effects of taurine on SH-SY5Y cells by examining its impact on Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), Dihydroprogesterone (DHP), as well as the expression of miRNA-21 and miRNA-181.
Methods: The effects of various taurine concentrations (0.25, and 0.75 mg/mL), and LPS (0.1, and 12 mg/mL) on the SH-SY5Y cell line were assessed using the MTT assay. The levels of DHT and DHP were quantified using an ELISA kit. Additionally, the expression levels of miRNA-181 and miRNA-21 genes were examined through Real-Time PCR analysis.
Results: The results of the MTT assay showed that treatment with taurine at concentrations of 0.25, and 0.75 mg/mL reduces the toxicity of LPS in SH-SY5Y cells. ELISA results indicated that taurine at a concentration of 0.25, and 0.75 mg/mL significantly elevated DHT and DHP hormones in the SH-SY5Y cell line compared to the untreated group ( p  < 0.01). The expression levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were decreased under the influence of LPS in SH-SY5Y cells after taurine treatment (p < 0.01). Gene expression analysis revealed that increasing taurine concentration resulted in heightened expression of miRNA-181 and miRNA-21, with the most significant increase observed at a concentration of 0.75 mg/mL ( p  < 0.001).
Conclusion: Our study findings revealed that the expression of miRNA-181 and miRNA-21 can be enhanced by taurine. Consequently, exploring the targeting of taurine, miRNA-181, and miRNA-21 or considering hormone therapy may offer potential therapeutic approaches for treating AD or alleviating severe symptoms. Nonetheless, in order to fully comprehend the precise mechanisms involved, additional research is required.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2024 Almohaimeed, Almars, Alsulaimani, Basri, Althobaiti, Albalaw, Alsharif, Al Abdulmonem, Hershan and Soliman.)