Curcumin attenuates the kainic acid-induced hippocampal cell death in the mice.
Kainic acid (KA) induced oxidative stress is associated with hippocampal cell death. Recent studies suggest that curcumin, a potent antioxidant, may provide protection for KA-induced oxidative stress. We investigated the effects of curcumin treatment on hippocampal reactive astrocytes in mice with KA-induced seizures. Eighteen hours after curcumin treatment, mice were treated with KA (30 mg/kg, i.p.), and then sacrificed after a further 48 h. Using cresyl violet staining and TUNEL analysis, histological evaluation revealed cell death in the KA-treated hippocampus. However, marked cell death was not observed in mice treated with curcumin. In addition, curcumin treatment reduced the KA-induced immunoreactivity of caspase-3. Similarly, immunoreactivity analyses indicated that KA causes upregulation of hippocampal GFAP, eNOS, and HO-1 levels, all of which were reduced in animals those received the curcumin treatment. Our findings indicate that curcumin is a potent inhibitor of reactive astrocyte expression and thus, prevents hippocampal cell death. These results also support its potential for use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Shin
Hyun Joo
HJ
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Research Center for Neural Dysfunction, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam, South Korea.
Lee
Ji Yeong
JY
Son
Eunyung
E
Lee
Dong Hun
DH
Kim
Hyun Joon
HJ
Kang
Sang Soo
SS
Cho
Gyeong Jae
GJ
Choi
Wan Sung
WS
Roh
Gu Seob
GS
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects*; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000633:toxicity; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects
D000975:Antioxidants; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496315:Nos3 protein, mouse; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D053148:Caspase 3; D003474:Curcumin; D007608:Kainic Acid