title: Effects of propofol on proliferation and anti-apoptosis of neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line: new insights into neuroprotection.
abstract: Recently, it has been suggested that anesthetic agents may have neuroprotective potency. The notion that anesthetic agents can offer neuroprotection remains controversial. Propofol, which is a short-acting intravenous anesthetic agent, may have potential as a neuroprotective agent. In this study, we tried to determine whether propofol affected the viability of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells by using the MTT assay. Surprisingly, our results showed that propofol at a dose of 1-10 μM could improve cell proliferation. However, at higher doses (200 μM), propofol appears to be cytotoxic. On the other hand, propofol could up-regulate the expression of key proteins involved in neuroprotection including B-cell lymphoma 2 at a dose range of 1-10 μM, activation of phospho-serine/threonine protein kinase at a dose range of 0.5-10 μM, and activation of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinases at a dose range of 5-10 μM. Similarly, we demonstrate that propofol (10 μM) could elevate protein levels of heat shock protein 90 and heat shock protein 70. Therefore, we choose to utilize a 10 μM concentration of propofol to assess neuroprotective activities in our studies. In the following experiments, we used dynorphin A to generate cytotoxic effects on SH-SY5Y cells. Our data indicate that propofol (10 μM) could inhibit the cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells induced by dynorphin A. Furthermore, propofol (10 μM) could decrease the expression of the p-P38 protein as well. These data together suggest that propofol may have the potential to act as a neuroprotective agent against various neurologic diseases. However, further delineation of the precise neuroprotective effects of propofol will need to be examined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Gong-Jhe
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wu-Fu
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Han-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Yen-Hsuan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jean
authors.forename: Chun-Sung
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Chiranjib
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: Hsin-Pai
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nan-Fu
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi-Hong
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D004399:Dynorphins; D015742:Propofol