C-phycocyanin shows neuroprotective effect against rotenone-induced Parkinson’s disease in mice

Objective:To investigate the neuroprotective effect of C-phycocyanin in a mouse model of rotenone-induced Parkinson’s disease.Methods:C-phycocyanin(50 mg/kg,i.p.,daily)was administered to rotenone(30 mg/kg,p.o.,daily)treated mice for 28 days.Behavioral studies(Y-maze,rotarod,round beam walk,and wire-hang tests)were carried out to assess neurobehavioral deficits.Glutathione and malondialdehyde were determined in both serum and striatal tissue.Molecular proteins(AKT,AMPK,NF-κB,BDNF,and alpha-synuclein)in the striatum were estimated using ELISA.Histopathological analyses(hematoxylin and eosin stainning as well as Nissl staining)were carried out to assess structural abnormalities in the striatum.Results:C-phycocyanin significantly increased BDNF levels and decreased alpha-synuclein levels.It also slightly upregulated AMPK and AKT levels without significant difference compared with the rotenone group.Additionally,rotenone-induced elevated oxidative stress and structural abnormalities in the striatum were markedly mitigated by C-phycocyanin.Conclusions:C-phycocyanin might have potential neuroprotective effects against Parkinson’s disease.Further studies are warranted to verify its efficacy and to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the neuroprotective effects of C-phycocyanin in Parkinson’s disease.

How does conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor protect against and rescue neurodegeneration of PC12 cells？

Conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor protects and rescues dopaminergic neurodegeneration induced by 6-hydroxydopamine in vivo,but its potential value in treating Parkinson＇s disease remains controversial.Here,we used the proteasome inhibitors lactacystin and MG132 to induce neurodegeneration of PC12 cells.Afterwards,conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor was administrated as a therapeutic factor,both pretreatment and posttreatment.Our results showed that（1）conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor enhanced lactacystin/MG132-induced cell viability and morphology,and attenuated alpha-synuclein accumulation in differentiated PC12 cells.（2）Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay showed up-regulated 26S proteasomal activity in MG132-induced PC12 cells after pre-and posttreatment with conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor.Similarly,26S proteasome activity was upregulated in lactacystin-induced PC12 cells pretreated with conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor.（3）With regard proteolytic enzymes（specifically,glutamyl peptide hydrolase,chymotrypsin,and trypsin）,glutamyl peptide hydrolase activity was up-regulated in lactacystin/MG132-administered PC12 cells after pre-and posttreatment with conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor.However,upregulation of chymotrypsin activity was only observed in MG132-administered PC12 cells pretreated with conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor.There was no change in trypsin expression.We conclude that conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor develops its neurotrophic effects by modulating proteasomal activities,and thereby protects and rescues PC12 cells against neurodegeneration.