title: Antioxidant responses of cortex neurons to iron loading.
abstract: Brain cells have a highly active oxidative metabolism, yet they contain only low to moderate superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Thus, their antioxidant defenses rely mainly on cellular reduced glutathione levels. In this work, in cortical neurons we characterized viability and changes in reduced and oxidized glutathione levels in response to a protocol of iron accumulation. We found that massive death occurred after 2 days in culture with 10 microM Fe. Surviving cells developed an adaptative response that included increased synthesis of GSH and the maintenance of a glutathione-based reduction potential. These results highlight the fundamental role of glutathione homeostasis in the antioxidant response and provide novel insights into the adaptative mechanisms of neurons subjected to progressive iron loads.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department and Cell Dynamics and Biotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile.
authors.forename: Pabla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mena
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tapia
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arredondo
authors.forename: Marco Tulio
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Núñez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007501:Iron; D005978:Glutathione; D019803:Glutathione Disulfide