Viscolin-mediated antiapoptotic and neuroprotective effects in cortical neurons exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation and rats subjected to transient focal cerebral ischemia

ABSTRACT

Objective

Previously, we have successfully purified and synthesized viscolin, an agent derived from Viscum coloratum extract, which has shown significant potential in the treatment of stroke. Our study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of viscolin.

Methods

We first assessed the cytotoxicity of viscolin on primary neuronal cultures and determined its antioxidant and radical scavenging properties. Subsequently, we identified the optimal dose-response of viscolin in protecting against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity.

Results

Our results demonstrated that viscolin at a concentration of 10 μM effectively reduced neuronal cell death up to 6 hours after glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Additionally, we investigated the therapeutic window of opportunity and the potential of viscolin in preventing necrotic and apoptotic damage in cultured neurons exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation-induced neurotoxicity. Our findings showed that viscolin treatment significantly reduced DNA breakage, prevented the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol, increased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, decreased the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, and reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cells. Additionally, our in vivo investigation demonstrated a reduction in brain infarction following middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Conclusion

Viscolin has potential utility as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of stroke.

KEYWORDS:

• Ischemia
• viscolin
• oxygen-glucose deprivation
• neuron
• apoptosis
• neuroprotection

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

Conceptualization, E-Jian Lee and Ai-Hua Lee; methodology, Hao-Hsiang Hsu and Shih-Huang Tai; validation, Shih-Huang Tai and Liang-Yi Chen; formal analysis, Yu-Chang Hung and Sheng-Yang Huang; investigation, Hao-Hsiang Hsu and Sheng-Yang Huang; resources, Tian-Shung Wu; data curation, Yi-Yun Chen and Ai-Hua Lee; writing – original draft preparation, Hao-Hsiang Hsu and Sheng-Yang Huang; writing – review and editing, E-Jian Lee; visualization, Hao-Hsiang Hsu, Ai-Hua Lee and Liang-Yi Chen; supervision, E-Jian Lee; project administration, Shih-Huang Tai. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan, grant number 102-2314-B-006 -037 -MY3.