title: Pycnogenol and vitamin E inhibit ethanol-induced apoptosis in rat cerebellar granule cells.
abstract: Pycnogenol (PYC), a patented combination of bioflavonoids extracted from the bark of French maritime pine (Pinus maritima), scavenges free radicals and promotes cellular health. The protective capacity of PYC against ethanol toxicity of neurons has not previously been explored. The present study demonstrates that in postnatal day 9 (P9) rat cerebellar granule cells the antioxidants vitamin E (VE) and PYC (1) dose dependently block cell death following 400, 800, and 1600 mg/dL ethanol exposure (2) inhibit the ethanol-induced activation of caspase-3 in the same model system; and (3) reduce neuronal membrane disruption as assayed by phosphatidylserine translocation to the cell surface. These results suggest that both PYC and VE have the potential to act as therapeutic agents, antagonizing the induction of neuronal cell death by ethanol exposure.
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA. kendra@ufl.edu
authors.forename: Kendra I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Siler-Marsiglio
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Marieta B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Heaton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007211:Indoles; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011419:Propidium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D005419:Flavonoids; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007211:Indoles; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014404:Tubulin; D014810:Vitamin E; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D011419:Propidium; D000431:Ethanol; C007293:DAPI; C024070:pycnogenols; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases