Neuroprotective Effects of Ugonin K on Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Cell Death in Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathological processes of various neurodegenerative diseases. Ugonin K, a flavonoid isolated from the rhizomes of Helminthostachys zeylanica, possesses potent antioxidant property. In this study, we investigate the neuroprotective effects of ugonin K on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. Incubation of SH-SY5Y cells with H2O2 for 24 h induced cell death measured with MTT assay. Hoechst 33258 staining confirmed that the reduced cell viability by H2O2 was due to apoptosis. In addition, H2O2 increased the expression of 17-kDa cleaved fragment of caspase-3 which could be reversed by pretreatment with ugonin K. Pretreatment with ugonin K attenuated H2O2-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Neuroprotective effect of ugonin K was abolished by ERK and PI3K inhibitors. Pretreatment with JNK kinase and p38 MAPK inhibitors had no effect on ugonin K-mediated protection against H2O2-induced apoptosis. Western blotting with anti-phospho-ERK1/2 and anti-phospho-Akt (pS473) antibodies showed that ugonin K increased both ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation. These results suggest that ugonin K by activation of ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt signal pathways protects SH-SY5Y cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis.