Capsaicin impairs proliferation of neural progenitor cells and hippocampal neurogenesis in young mice.
Capsaicin (N-vanillyl-8-methyl-1-nonenamide) is a major pungent ingredient in hot peppers and induces apoptosis in malignant carcinoma cell lines. However, the adverse effects of capsaicin on neuronal development have not been fully explored. The aim of this study was to determine whether capsaicin affected murine-derived cerebellar multi-potent neural progenitor cells (NPC) or adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo. Capsaicin dose-dependently suppressed NPC proliferation, and higher concentrations were cytotoxic. Capsaicin decreased the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) without markedly affecting p38 kinases. Capsaicin reduced the number of newly generated cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus but did not significantly alter learning and memory performance in young adult mice. Interestingly, capsaicin decreased ERK activation in the hippocampus, suggesting that reduced ERK signaling may be involved in the capsaicin-mediated regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis.
Kong
Kyoung Hye
KH
Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Research Institute for Drug Development, Longevity Life Science and Technology Institutes, Pusan National University, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, Korea.
Kim
Hyun Kyu
HK
Song
Kwan Sung
KS
Woo
Young Sik
YS
Choi
Won Suk
WS
Park
Hee Ra
HR
Park
Mikyung
M
Kim
Mi Eun
ME
Kim
Min-Sun
MS
Ryu
Jeong Sim
JS
Kim
Hyung Sik
HS
Lee
Jaewon
J
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000633:toxicity*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018689:Sensory System Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D013550:Swimming; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018689:Sensory System Agents; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002211:Capsaicin