J. Neurochem. (2011) 118, 416–428.
Abstract
Oxidative stress, resulting from accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays a critical role on astrocyte death associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Astroglial cells produce endozepines, a family of biologically active peptides that have been implicated in cell protection. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the potential protective effect of one of the endozepines, the octadecaneuropeptide ODN, on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)‐induced oxidative stress and cell death in rat astrocytes. Incubation of cultured astrocytes with graded concentrations of H2O2 for 1 h provoked a dose‐dependent reduction of the number of living cells as evaluated by lactate dehydrogenase assay. The cytotoxic effect of H2O2 was associated with morphological modifications that were characteristic of apoptotic cell death. H2O2‐treated cells exhibited high level of ROS associated with a reduction of both superoxide dismutases (SOD) and catalase activities. Pre‐treatment of astrocytes with low concentrations of ODN dose‐dependently prevented cell death induced by H2O2. This effect was accompanied by a marked attenuation of ROS accumulation, reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of caspase 3 activity. ODN stimulated SOD and catalase activities in a concentration‐dependent manner, and blocked H2O2‐evoked inhibition of SOD and catalase activities. Blockers of SOD and catalase suppressed the effect of ODN on cell survival. Taken together, these data demonstrate for the first time that ODN is a potent protective agent that prevents oxidative stress‐induced apoptotic cell death.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.