Nitrosative Cell Death Research Articles

Protective Effect of Korean Red Ginseng against 6-Hydroxydopamine-induced Nitrosative Cell Death via Fortifying Cellular Defense System

Protective Effect of Korean Red Ginseng against 6-Hydroxydopamine-induced Nitrosative Cell Death via Fortifying Cellular Defense System

Cellular antioxidant adaptive survival response to 6-hydroxydopamine-induced nitrosative cell death in C6 glioma cells

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is a catecholaminergic neurotoxin widely used to produce experimental models of PD and has been reported to cause oxidative and/or nitrosative stress. In this study, we have investigated 6-OHDA-induced nitrosative cell death and its self-defense mechanism in C6 glioma cells. Treatment of C6 cells with 6-OHDA increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and subsequent production of nitric oxide (NO). Furthermore 6-OHDA treatment led to peroxynitrite generation and nitrotyrosine formation. 6-OHDA-induced nitrosative stress ultimately caused apoptotic cell death as determined by decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio, activation of c-Jun N-termianl kinase (JNK), and cleavage of caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), which were attenuated by peroxynitrite decomposition catalyst, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)prophyrinato iron(III) (FeTPPS). In another experiment, exposure of C6 glioma cells to 6-OHDA resulted in an increased expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and 6-OHDA-induced cytotoxicity was effectively suppressed by the HO-1 inducer SnCl 2 and aggravated by HO-1 inhibitor zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), supporting the cytoprotective role of HO-1. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying 6-OHDA-mediated HO-1 induction, we have examined the possible involvement of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which plays an important role in the transcriptional regulation of phase II detoxifying and antioxidant enzymes. 6-OHDA treatment increased nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity of Nrf2, which seemed to be partly mediated by activation of upstream kinases such as Akt/protein kinase B (PKB). Taken together these findings suggest that HO-1 up-regulation via Nrf2 activation may mediate the cellular adaptive survival response to 6-OHDA-induced nitrosative cell death in C6 glioma cells.

6]-Gingerol attenuates β-amyloid-induced oxidative cell death via fortifying cellular antioxidant defense system

β-Amyloid (Aβ) is involved in the formation of senile plaques, the typical neuropathological marker for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and has been reported to cause apoptosis in neurons via oxidative and/or nitrosative stress. In this study, we have investigated the neuroprotective effect and molecular mechanism of [6]-gingerol, a pungent ingredient of ginger against Αβ25–35-induced oxidative and/or nitrosative cell death in SH-SY5Y cells. [6]-Gingerol pretreatment protected against Aβ25–35-induced cytotoxicity and apoptotic cell death such as DNA fragmentation, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and activation of caspase-3. To elucidate the neuroprotective mechanism of [6]-gingerol, we have examined Aβ25–35-induced oxidative and/or nitrosative stress and cellular antioxidant defense system against them. [6]-Gingerol effectively suppressed Aβ25–35-induced intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen and/or nitrogen species and restored Aβ25–35-depleted endogenous antioxidant glutathione levels. Furthermore, [6]-gingerol treatment up-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of antioxidant enzymes such as γ-glutamylcysteine ligase (GCL) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), the rate limiting enzymes in the glutathione biosynthesis and the degradation of heme, respectively. The expression of aforementioned antioxidant enzymes seemed to be mediated by activation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). These results suggest that [6]-gingerol exhibits preventive and/or therapeutic potential for the management of AD via augmentation of antioxidant capacity.

Neuroprotective effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate against β-amyloid-induced oxidative and nitrosative cell death via augmentation of antioxidant defense capacity

beta-Amyloid (Abeta) peptide, a major component of senile plaques has been regarded to play a crucial role in the development and neuropathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Increasing data from in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that Abeta-induced damages in neurons and glia are mediated via nitrosative as well as oxidative stress. Therefore, recent researches have been focused on searching for dietary and herbal manipulations to protect against the Abeta-induced oxidative and/or nitrosative cell death. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of these candidates is a major polyphenolic compound present in green tea and has been reported to exhibit potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of EGCG against Abeta-induced oxidative and/or nitrosative cell death in BV2 microglia. Abeta treatment led to apoptosis in BV2 cells as revealed by DNA fragmentation, perturbation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and alterations in the expression of apoptosis-regulator Bcl-2 family proteins. EGCG pretreatment effectively ameliorated Abeta-induced cytotoxicity and manifestation of proapoptotic signals. Furthermore, BV2 cells exposed to Abeta underwent nitrosative stress as shown by the increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and subsequent production of nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite, which were effectively suppressed by EGCG pretreatment. To elucidate a molecular mechanism underlying the neuroprotective effect of EGCG, we have examined the cellular metabolism of reduced glutathione (GSH) with antioxidant properties. EGCG treatment fortified cellular GSH pool through elevated mRNA expression of gamma-glutamylcysteine ligase (GCL), the rate limiting enzyme in the glutathione biosynthesis. These results suggest that EGCG may have preventive and/or therapeutic potential in AD patients by augmenting cellular antioxidant defense capacity and attenuating Abeta-mediated oxidative and/or nitrosative cell death.

Ergothioneine rescues PC12 cells from β-amyloid-induced apoptotic death

β-Amyloid (Aβ) peptide is the major component of senile plaques and considered to have a causal role in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. There has been compelling evidence that Aβ-induced cytotoxicity is mediated through oxidative and/or nitrosative stress. Recently, considerable attention has been focused on dietary manipulation of oxidative and/or nitrosative damage. l-Ergothioneine (EGT; 2-mercaptohistidine trimethylbetaine) is a low-molecular-weight naturally occurring thiol compound of dietary origin that exists in the brain, liver, kidney, erythrocytes, ocular tissues, and seminal fluids of mammals. This water-soluble antioxidant has the ability to scavenge hydroxyl and peroxynitrite radicals as well as activated oxygen species, such as singlet oxygen. In this study, we investigated the effects of EGT on Aβ-induced oxidative and/or nitrosative cell death. Rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells treated with Aβ underwent apoptotic death as determined by positive in situ terminal end-labeling (TUNEL staining), decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential, increased ratio of proapoptotic Bax to antiapoptotic Bcl-X L, elevated caspase-3 activity, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. EGT pretreatment attenuated Aβ-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells. Compared to N-acetyl- l-cysteine, which mainly scavenges reactive oxygen species, EGT effectively inhibited Aβ-induced cell death by suppressing peroxynitrite formation and subsequent nitration of protein tyrosine residues. The effects of EGT on the cytotoxicity induced by the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and the peroxynitrite-generating 3-morpholinosydnonimine chlorhydrate (SIN-1) were compared. Whereas EGT significantly protected against SIN-1-mediated cell death, it barely affected the cytotoxicity induced by SNP. Thus EGT may attenuate apoptosis caused by Aβ, preferentially by eliminating peroxynitrite derived from the neurotoxic peptide. The importance of diet-derived antioxidants in the management of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders is discussed.

Induction of cyclooxygenase-2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma during nitric oxide-induced apoptotic PC12 cell death.

Inappropriate expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and unregulated production of nitric oxide (NO) may contribute to neuronal cell death implicated in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we have investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying nitrosative cell death induced by NO in cultured rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Incubation of PC12 cells with the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) resulted in apoptotic death as revealed by the decrease of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (deltapsi(m)), cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and induction of p21(Waf1/Cip1). It has been reported that the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) is elevated in Alzheimer's disease, and certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can reduce the risk and delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Treatment of PC12 cells with a proapoptotic dose of SNP induced expression of both COX-2 and PPARgamma. Addition of the PPARgamma antagonist GW9662 to the media augmented the NO-induced cytotoxicity. Although cotreatment of PGE(2) (50 micro M) and SNP (0.4 mM) aggravated the NO-induced cytotoxicity, preincubation of the same concentration of PGE(2) was cytoprotective. Taken together, the above findings suggest that the proinflammatory mediators such as PGE(2) and PPARgamma may regulate the nitrosative stress-induced apoptotic cell death.