Thymoquinone prevents β-amyloid neurotoxicity in primary cultured cerebellar granule neurons

• الحاوية / القاعدة: Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
• المؤلف الرئيسي: 2-s2.0-84886438363
• التنسيق: مقال
• اللغة: English
• منشور في: Springer Science and Business Media, LLC 2013
• الوصول للمادة أونلاين: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84886438363&doi=10.1007%2fs10571-013-9982-z&partnerID=40&md5=607ecc0836189c6325a831bb686e28df

Thymoquinone (TQ), a bioactive constituent of Nigella sativa Linn (N. sativa) has demonstrated several neuropharmacological attributes. In the present study, the neuroprotective properties of TQ were investigated by studying its anti-apoptotic potential to diminish β-amyloid peptide 1-40 sequence (Aβ1-40)-induced neuronal cell death in primary cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). The effects of TQ against Aβ1-40-induced neurotoxicity, morphological damages, DNA condensation, the generation of reactive oxygen species, and caspase-3, -8, and -9 activation were investigated. Pretreatment of CGNs with TQ (0.1 and 1 μM) and subsequent exposure to 10 μM Aβ1-40 protected the CGNs against the neurotoxic effects of the latter. In addition, the CGNs were better preserved with intact cell bodies, extensive neurite networks, a loss of condensed chromatin and less free radical generation than those exposed to Aβ1-40 alone. TQ pretreatment inhibited Aβ1-40- induced apoptosis of CGNs via both extrinsic and intrinsic caspase pathways. Thus, the findings of this study suggest that TQ may prevent neurotoxicity and Aβ1-40-induced apoptosis. TQ is, therefore, worth studying further for its potential to reduce the risks of developing Alzheimer's disease. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.