The neuroprotective action of puerarin in Parkinson's disease (PD) models has been well investigated. However, the mechanisms involved in protection have not been completely understood. G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) is a G protein-coupled estrogen receptor and considered a potential target in the neuroprotection against PD. In this study, we investigated whether puerarin prevented against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)-induced cell death via GPR30. Our results showed that the GPR30 agonist, G1, exhibited puerarin-mediated neuroprotection against MPP+-induced cell death of SH-SY5Y cells. This protective action was reversed by the GPR30 antagonist. Moreover, a time- and concentration-dependent effect of puerarin on GPR30 expression was verified at the protein level but not at the mRNA level. Further, we showed that an mTor-dependent new GPR30 synthesis contributed to the protection conferred by puerarin. Finally, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) levels were enhanced by puerarin and G1 in both control and MPP+-lesioned cells via GPR30. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that puerarin prevents MPP+-induced cell death via facilitating GPR30 expression and GDNF release.
Keywords: GPR30; New protein synthesis; Parkinson’s disease; Puerarin; mTor.