Polygalasaponin F against rotenone-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells via mitochondria protection pathway

Abstract

To investigate the protective effect and the underlying mechanism of polygalasaponin F (PS-F) against rotenone-induced PC12 cells, the cell viability was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay. The cell apoptosis rate was analyzed using flow cytometry. The reactive oxygen species was examined using 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate, and the adenosine triphosphate depletion was examined using a luciferase-coupled quantification assay. JC-1 staining was used to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential. Western blotting analysis was used to determine cytochrome c, p53, Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3. Treatment of PC12 cells with rotenone (1–10 μmol/l) significantly reduced the cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment with PS-F (0.1, 1, and 10 μmol/l) increased the viability of rotenone-induced PC12 cells, decreased rotenone-induced apoptosis, restored rotenone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, and suppressed rotenone-induced protein expression. PS-F showed a dose-dependent manner in all the treatments. PS-F protects PC12 cells against rotenone-induced apoptosis via ameliorating the mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, PS-F may be a potential bioactive compound for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Keywords::

• polygalasaponin F
• neuroprotection
• Parkinson's disease

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Grants (grant numbers 81274122, 81102831, 81073078, and 81373997), Special Purpose for New Drug Development (grant number 2012ZX09301002-004), Studies on Structure and function of Bioactive Substances from Natural Medicines (grant number IRT1007), National Natural Science Foundation of Beijing Grants (grant number 7131013), and Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (grant number 20121106130001).

Notes

^1. These authors contributed equally.