title: Neuroprotective effects of natural products: interaction with intracellular kinases, amyloid peptides and a possible role for transthyretin.
abstract: Various studies reported on the neuroprotective effects of natural products, particularly polyphenols, widely present in food and beverages. For example, we have shown that resveratrol, a polyphenol contained present in red wine and other foods, activates the phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKC), this effect being involved in its neuroprotective action against Ass-induced toxicity. Moreover, tea-derived catechin gallate esters inhibit the formation Ass oligomers/fibrils, suggesting that this action likely contributes to their neuroprotective effects. Interestingly, the effects of polyphenols may be attributable, at least in part, to the presence of specific binding sites. Autoradiographic studies revealed that these binding sites are particularly enriched in choroids plexus in the rat brain. Interestingly, the choroid plexus secretes transthyretin, a protein that has been shown to prevent Abeta aggregation and that may be critical to the maintenance of normal learning capacities in aging. Taken together, these data suggest that polyphenols target multiple enzymes/proteins leading to their neuroprotective actions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Verdun, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4H 1R3.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bastianetto
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brouillette
authors.forename: Rémi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quirion
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002392:Catechin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D059808:Polyphenols; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077185:Resveratrol; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000975:Antioxidants; D001688:Biological Products; D005419:Flavonoids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010455:Peptides; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols; D011228:Prealbumin; D013267:Stilbenes; D014212:Tretinoin; D002392:Catechin; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D000077185:Resveratrol