Geniposide Prevents PC12 Cells from Peroxynitrite via the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathway

Reactive oxygen species play an important role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and stroke. The present study investigated the neuroprotective action of geniposide and its signaling pathway in peroxynitrite induced PC12 cells. After coculture of PC12 cells with geniposide in the presence or absence of 3-morpholinosydnonmine hydrochloride (SIN-1), a donor of peroxynitrite, Bcl-2, Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were probed with Western blotting. The results showed that geniposide enhanced the expression of Bcl-2 to prevent the peroxynitrite damage induced by SIN-1 in PC12 cells. U0126, a selective inhibitor of MAPK/ERK, attenuated the protective effects of geniposide by inhibiting the phosphorylation of MAPK and expression of Bcl-2. All these data indicate that geniposide prevents PC12 cells from peroxynitrite damage induced by SIN-1 involved in the MAPK signaling pathway.