Abstract
Cryptotanshinone (CPT), a terpenoid isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, was reported to have neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemic stroke. However, the exact molecular mechanism underlying its neuroprotective ability remains unclear. The present study aimed to explore the regulatory effects of CPT on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-induced cell injury in a model of hippocampal neurons. Our results demonstrated that CPT improved cell viability and reduced the lactate dehydrogenase leakage in OGD/R-stimulated hippocampal neurons. In addition, CPT significantly inhibited oxidative stress and apoptosis in hippocampal neurons after OGD/R stimulation. Furthermore, CPT significantly enhanced the nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in hippocampal neurons exposed to OGD/R. Moreover, Nrf2 knockdown reversed the anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidant activities of CPT in primary hippocampal neurons exposed to OGD/R. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that CPT attenuated oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis after OGD/R injury through the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in hippocampal neurons. Thus, CPT may be a novel therapeutic agent for cerebral I/R injury.
Highlights
Stroke is a leading cause of death and permanent adult disability all over the world and remains a major challenge to public health (Xie et al, 2018)
The results indicated that the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway was implicated in the neuroprotective effects of CPT
Cerebral ischemia is a common cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and its prevalence increases with increasing age (Teng et al, 2019)
Summary
Stroke is a leading cause of death and permanent adult disability all over the world and remains a major challenge to public health (Xie et al, 2018). The treatment for this condition usually involves the restoration of blood flow as quickly as possible (Puyal et al, 2013). This can entail secondary injury to the ischemic area, referred to as ischemia/reperfusion injury (Chen et al, 2011). Traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been described in medicine systems as a neuroprotective treatment associated with ischemic brain injury
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