Argan Oil-Mediated Attenuation of Organelle Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress and Cell Death Induced by 7-Ketocholesterol in Murine Oligodendrocytes 158N

Abstract

Argan oil is widely used in Morocco in traditional medicine. Its ability to treat cardiovascular diseases is well-established. However, nothing is known about its effects on neurodegenerative diseases, which are often associated with increased oxidative stress leading to lipid peroxidation and the formation of 7-ketocholesterol (7KC) resulting from cholesterol auto-oxidation. As 7KC induces oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death, it is important to identify compounds able to impair its harmful effects. These compounds may be either natural or synthetic molecules or mixtures of molecules such as oils. In this context: (i) the lipid profiles of dietary argan oils from Berkane and Agadir (Morocco) in fatty acids, phytosterols, tocopherols and polyphenols were determined by different chromatographic techniques; and (ii) their anti-oxidant and cytoprotective effects in 158N murine oligodendrocytes cultured with 7KC (25–50 µM; 24 h) without and with argan oil (0.1% v/v) or α-tocopherol (400 µM, positive control) were evaluated with complementary techniques of cellular and molecular biology. Among the unsaturated fatty acids present in argan oils, oleate (C18:1 n-9) and linoleate (C18:1 n-6) were the most abundant; the highest quantities of saturated fatty acids were palmitate (C16:0) and stearate (C18:0). Several phytosterols were found, mainly schottenol and spinasterol (specific to argan oil), cycloartenol, β-amyrin and citrostadienol. α- and γ-tocopherols were also present. Tyrosol and protocatechic acid were the only polyphenols detected. Argan and extra virgin olive oils have many compounds in common, principally oleate and linoleate, and tocopherols. Kit Radicaux Libres (KRL) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) tests showed that argan and extra virgin olive oils have anti-oxidant properties. Argan oils were able to attenuate the cytotoxic effects of 7KC on 158N cells: loss of cell adhesion, cell growth inhibition, increased plasma membrane permeability, mitochondrial, peroxisomal and lysosomal dysfunction, and the induction of oxiapoptophagy (OXIdation + APOPTOsis + autoPHAGY). Altogether, our data obtained in 158N oligodendrocytes provide evidence that argan oil is able to counteract the toxic effects of 7KC on nerve cells, thus suggesting that some of its compounds could prevent or mitigate neurodegenerative diseases to the extent that they are able to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Cytoprotective Activities of Milk Thistle Seed Oil Used in Traditional Tunisian Medicine on 7-Ketocholesterol and 24S-Hydroxycholesterol-Induced Toxicity on 158N Murine Oligodendrocytes

“…The lipids were transmethylated using boron trifluoride in methanol, in accordance with Morrison & Smith [ 45 ]. The fatty acid methyl esters were then analyzed under the same conditions as those described by Debbabi et al [ 46 ] and Badreddine et al [ 47 ]. The data were processed with EZChrom Elite software (Agilent Technologies, Massy, France) and are reported in mg/g total lipids.…”

Argan Oil as an Effective Nutri-Therapeutic Agent in Metabolic Syndrome: A Preclinical Study

“…In the present study, the preventive effect of argan oil on hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance might be associated with the blockade of the kinin B 1 receptor protein overexpression in the gastrocnemius muscle and its composition in fatty acids notably in linoleic and oleic acids [ 42 ] in glucose-fed rats. This is in accordance with a previous study [ 34 ], which has reported that four weeks of treatment with argan oil blunted hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in obese insulin-resistant rats.…”

“…Corn oil was found to be safe with no clinical signs or toxicity at 5 mL kg −1 day −1 for 12 weeks in treated SD rats [ 56 ]. We compared corn oil to argan oil because they contain approximately the same composition of fatty acids with the exception that argan oil also contains tocopherols, sterols and, to lesser extent, melatonin [ 42 ]. The dose of argan and corn oil was selected on the basis of our previous study [ 33 ], which failed to show any negative effects when administered for a period of 5 weeks in this model and on the basis of other studies using 5 mL kg −1 day −1 chronically administered by oral gavage in other animal models [ 37 ].…”

Lipids Nutrients in Parkinson and Alzheimer’s Diseases: Cell Death and Cytoprotection

“…Argan oil is capable of inhibiting processes induced by 7KC: loss of cell adhesion; cell growth inhibition; increased plasma membrane permeability; mitochondrial, peroxisomal and lysosomal dysfunction and the induction of oxiapoptophagy (OXIdation + APOPTOsis + autoPHAGY) in oligodendrocytes [111].…”