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.
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.
Kyoung Hye
KH
Kong
Hyun Kyu
HK
Kim
Kwan Sung
KS
Song
Young Sik
YS
Woo
Won Suk
WS
Choi
Hee Ra
HR
Park
Mikyung
M
Park
Mi Eun
ME
Kim
Min-Sun
MS
Kim
Jeong Sim
JS
Ryu
Hyung Sik
HS
Kim
Jaewon
J
Lee
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