title: Protective effects of S-nitrosoglutathione against amyloid beta-peptide neurotoxicity.
abstract: Amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) is a major constituent of senile plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. We have previously demonstrated ceramide production secondary to Abeta-induced activation of neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase) in cerebral endothelial cells and oligodendrocytes, which may contribute to cellular injury during progression of AD. In this study, we first established the "Abeta --> nSMase --> ceramide --> free radical --> cell death" pathway in primary cultures of fetal rat cortical neurons. We also provided experimental evidence showing that S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a potent endogenous antioxidant derived from the interaction between nitric oxide (NO) and glutathione, caused dose-dependent protective effects against Abeta/ceramide neurotoxicity via inhibition of caspase activation and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This GSNO-mediated neuroprotection appeared to involve activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Activation of the cGMP/PKG pathway induced expression of thioredoxin and Bcl-2 that were beneficial to cortical neurons in antagonizing Abeta/ceramide toxicity. Consistently, exogenous application of thioredoxin exerted remarkable neuroprotective efficacy in our experimental paradigm. Results derived from the present study establish a neuroprotective role of GSNO, an endogenous NO carrier, against Abeta toxicity via multiple signaling pathways.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Tzu Chi University 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien 970, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzyh-Chwen
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Shang-Der
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chia-Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ding-I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D026422:S-Nitrosoglutathione / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000975:Antioxidants; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013879:Thioredoxins; D026422:S-Nitrosoglutathione; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases