title: Protective effect of vitamin C against the ethanol mediated toxic effects on human brain glial cells.
abstract: It is now known that chronic consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol is a major source of social and medical problems. Ethanol-mediated glial cell activation may lead to neuron damage in many ways, including the formation of free radicals and production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Vitamin C (vit-C) is an essential dietary nutrient required as a co-factor for many enzymes and a very efficient antioxidant, protecting cells against free radical-mediated damage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of vit-C on glial cell activation and viability against ethanol-mediated toxicity. Human brain astrocyte cells (HA) were exposed to ethanol (0, 50, and 350 mmol/L) for 24 h. We found that glial cells incubated with different concentrations of vit-C increase their vit-C in a dose-dependent manner. HA incubated with 0, 50 or 350 mmol/L of ethanol for up to 24 h showed toxic effects that were proportional to the levels of ethanol in the medium, HA showed increased levels of heat shock protein (Hsp70). However, cells enriched with vit-C before being exposed to ethanol, were better protected against the alcohol-mediated toxicity than non-supplemented cells, and showed significantly lower concentrations of Hsp70. Ethanol also caused increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which were reduced by vit-C. In summary, HA supplemented with vit-C were significantly more resistant to the ethanol-mediated toxic effects.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Neurocognitive Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA-Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Moreno
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paniagua
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madrid
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martín
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000431:Ethanol; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D015232:Dinoprostone; D001205:Ascorbic Acid