Increasing evidence implicates changes in [Ca2+]i and oxidative stress as causative factors in amyloid beta (Aβ)-induced neuronal cell death. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a component of anthocyanin, has been reported to protect against glutamate-induced neuronal cell death by inhibiting Ca2+ and Zn2+ signaling. The present study aimed to determine whether C3G exerts a protective effect against Aβ25–35-induced neuronal cell death in cultured rat hippocampal neurons from embryonic day 17 fetal Sprague-Dawley rats using MTT assay for cell survival, and caspase-3 assay and digital imaging methods for Ca2+, Zn2+, MMP and ROS. Treatment with Aβ25–35 (20 µM) for 48 h induced neuronal cell death in cultured rat pure hippocampal neurons. Treatment with C3G for 48 h significantly increased cell survival. Pretreatment with C3G for 30 min significantly inhibited Aβ25–35-induced [Zn2+]i increases as well as [Ca2+]i increases in the cultured rat hippocampal neurons. C3G also significantly inhibited Aβ25–35-induced mitochondrial depolarization. C3G also blocked the Aβ25–35-induced formation of ROS. In addition, C3G significantly inhibited the Aβ25–35-induced activation of caspase-3. These results suggest that cyanidin-3-glucoside protects against amyloid β-induced neuronal cell death by reducing multiple apoptotic signals.

Group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) can positively affect postsynaptic neuronal excitability and epileptogenesis. The objective of the present study was to determine whether group 1 mGluRs might be involved in synaptically-induced intracellular free Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) spikes and neuronal cell death induced by 0.1 mM Mg 2+ and 10 µM glycine in cultured rat hippocampal neurons from embryonic day 17 fetal Sprague–Dawley rats using imaging methods for Ca 2+ and 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays for cell survival. Reduction of extracellular Mg 2+ concentration ([Mg 2+ ] o ) to 0.1 mM induced repetitive [Ca 2+ ] i spikes within 30 sec at day 11.5. The mGluR5 antagonist 6-Methyl-2-(phenylethynyl) pyridine (MPEP) almost completely inhibited the [Ca 2+ ] i spikes, but the mGluR1 antagonist LY367385 did not. The group 1 mGluRs agonist, 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG), significantly increased the [Ca 2+ ] i spikes. The phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 significantly inhibited the [Ca 2+ ] i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The IP 3 receptor antagonist 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate or the ryanodine receptor antagonist 8-(diethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate also significantly inhibited the [Ca 2+ ] i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The TRPC channel inhibitors SKF96365 and flufenamic acid significantly inhibited the [Ca 2+ ] i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The mGluR5 antagonist MPEP significantly increased the neuronal cell survival, but mGluR1 antagonist LY367385 did not. These results suggest a possibility that mGluR5 is involved in synaptically-induced [Ca 2+ ] i spikes and neuronal cell death in cultured rat hippocampal neurons by releasing Ca 2+ from IP 3 and ryanodine-sensitive intracellular stores and activating TRPC channels.