title: Organic silicon protects human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells against hydrogen peroxide effects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a toxic agent that induces oxidative stress and cell death. Silicon (Si) is a biological element involved in limiting aluminium (Al) absorption with possible preventive effects in Alzheimer's disease. However, Si has not yet been associated with other neuroprotective mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present experiments evaluated in the SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line the possible role of different Si G5 (50-1000 ng/mL) concentrations in preventing cellular death induced by H2O2 (400 μM, 24 hours).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings showed that H2O2 promoted cell death in the human SH-SY5Y cell cultures and this could be prevented by Si treatment. The loss in cell viability mediated by H2O2 was due to an apoptotic and necrotic process. Apoptotic death was incurred by regulating caspase-8 activity in the extrinsic pathway. The apoptotic and necrotic cell death induced by H2O2 was almost totally reversed by Si (50-500 ng/mL), indicating that it down-regulates both processes in H2O2 treated cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our data, Si is able to increase SH-SY5Y cell survival throughout partially blocking cellular damage related to oxidative stress through a mechanism that would affect H2O2/ROS elimination.
authors.affiliation: Depatamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. a.garcimartin@ucm.es.
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcimartín
authors.forename: José J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.forename: Maria Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Maria Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Reus
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Muniz
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bastida
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benedí
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D012825:Silicon / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D012825:Silicon