title: Vitamin E suppression of microglial activation is neuroprotective.
abstract: Neurotoxic microglial-neuronal interactions have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, and vitamin E has been shown to have direct neuroprotective effects. To determine whether vitamin E also has indirect neuroprotective effects through suppression of microglial activation, we used a microglial-neuronal coculture. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment of a microglial cell line (N9) induced a time-dependent activation of both p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NFkappaB), with consequent increases in interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and nitric oxide (NO) production. Differentiated neuronal cells (PC12 cells treated with nerve growth factor) exhibited marked loss of processes and decreased survival when cocultured with LPS-activated microglia. Preincubation of microglia with vitamin E diminished this neurotoxic effect, independently of direct effects of the antioxidant on the neuronal cells. Microglial NO production and the induction of IL-1alpha and TNFalpha expression also were attenuated by vitamin E. Such antiinflammatory effects of vitamin E were correlated with suppression of p38 MAPK and NFkappaB activation and were mimicked by an inhibition of either p38 MAPK (by SB203580) or NFkappaB (by decoy oligonucleotides). These results suggest that, in addition to the beneficial effects of providing direct antioxidant protection to neurons reported by others, vitamin E may provide neuroprotection in vivo through suppression of signaling events necessary for microglial activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Barger
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mrak
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016716:PC12 Cells / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000975:Antioxidants; D016207:Cytokines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007093:Imidazoles; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011725:Pyridines; D013873:Thionucleotides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014810:Vitamin E; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C093642:SB 203580