title: Nordihydroguaiaretic acid protects hippocampal neurons against amyloid beta-peptide toxicity, and attenuates free radical and calcium accumulation.
abstract: Recent findings indicate that amyloid beta-peptide (A beta) can be neurotoxic by a mechanism involving an increase in the concentration of intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and the generation of free radicals. In the present study, the lipoxygenase inhibitor/antioxidant nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) protected cultured rat hippocampal neurons against the toxicity of A beta in a concentration-dependent manner. Measurements of cellular oxidation (using the oxidation-sensitive dye 2,7-dichlorofluorescin) and intracellular free Ca2+ levels (using the Ca2+ indicator dye fura-2), showed that NDGA suppressed A beta-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca2+; Ca2+ responses to glutamate were also suppressed by NDGA. NDGA prevented neuronal injury and accumulation of ROS induced by iron, indicating a role for NDGA as an antioxidant in NDGA-mediated neuroprotection. Another lipoxygenase inhibitor (AA861) also protected against A beta and iron toxicity whereas the the 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein inhibitor L655,238 and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin were ineffective. These findings suggest that NDGA can interupt a neurodegenerative pathway relevant to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Sanders-Brown Research Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536-0230.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mattson
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009637:Masoprocol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D009637:Masoprocol; D002118:Calcium; D007213:Indomethacin