Protective effects of a wheat germ peptide (RVF) against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in human neuroblastoma cells

RVF (Arg-Val-Phe), a peptide derived from wheat germ, shows antioxidant properties. Here, the neuroprotective efficacies of RVF were investigated in human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) that were pretreated with RVF (150-250 mu M, 4 h) and exposed to H2O2 (200 mu M). RVF increased viable cell numbers by 37 % and reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase. Pretreatment with RVF also inhibited H2O2-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species and maintained the mitochondrial transmembrane potential as well as preventing intracellular Ca2+ dysregulation during H2O2 exposure. Furthermore, pretreatment with RVF increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and blocked cleavage poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase by inhibiting caspase-3 activation, thus decreasing apoptosis.