title: Huperzine A protects SHSY5Y neuroblastoma cells against oxidative stress damage via nerve growth factor production.
abstract: Our previous study demonstrated that huperzine A, a selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, stimulates the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF) in cultured rat cortical astrocytes. The present studies are designed to examine if huperzine A exerts its neuroprotective activity against oxidative stress damage through increasing the synthesis of NGF in SHSY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Transient exposure of the cells to 200 microM H2O2 triggered a significant reduction of cell viability and decreased the mRNA and protein levels of NGF, neurotrophin receptor P75 (P75NTR) receptor and tyrosine kinase A (TrkA) receptor. Incubation of cells with 10 microM huperzine A prior to H2O2 exposure significantly elevated their survival and restored the mRNA and protein levels of NGF, P75NTR receptor and TrkA receptor. These neuroprotective effects of huperzine A on H2O2-induced cytotoxicity were blocked by the TrkA receptor phosphorylation inhibitor K252alpha, and were antagonized by the mitogen-activated protein (MAP)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor, PD98059. The present results indicate that the cytoprotective effect of huperzine A is mediated at least partly by up-regulated NGF and NGF receptors. The results also show that the MAP/ERK kinase signal pathway is crucial for huperzine A to protect against H2O2-induced damage in SHSY5Y cells.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China.
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xi-Can
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077191:Wortmannin
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000730:Androstadienes; D002227:Carbazoles; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016877:Oxidants; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C050426:huperzine A; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; C049985:staurosporine aglycone; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D000077191:Wortmannin