Lycium barbarum polysaccharides attenuate nonylphenol and octylphenol-induced oxidative stress and neurotransmitter disorders in PC-12 cells

Linjing Xu; Huan Liu; Yifeng Rang; Lizi Zhou; Xukai Wang; Yinhuan Li; Chunhong Liu

doi:10.1016/j.tox.2024.153808

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides attenuate nonylphenol and octylphenol-induced oxidative stress and neurotransmitter disorders in PC-12 cells

Toxicology. 2024 Apr 18:505:153808. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153808. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Linjing Xu¹, Huan Liu², Yifeng Rang¹, Lizi Zhou¹, Xukai Wang¹, Yinhuan Li¹, Chunhong Liu³

Affiliations

¹ College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; The Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510642, China.
² College of Life Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi 435000, China.
³ College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; The Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: liuch@scau.edu.cn.

PMID: 38642822
DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153808

Abstract

Nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP) are environmental contaminants with potential endocrine disrupting effects. However, there is limited research on the mechanisms and intervention of combined NP and OP exposure-induced neurotoxicity. This study aims to explore the cytotoxicity of combined NP and OP exposure and evaluate the potential of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) in mitigating the aforementioned toxicity. In present study, LBP (62.5, 125 and 250 µg/mL) were applied to intervene rat adrenal pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells treated with combined NP and OP (NP: OP = 4:1, w/w; 1, 2, 4 and 8 µg/mL). The results showed that NP and OP induced oxidative stress, disrupted the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and cholinergic systems in PC-12 cells. Additionally, they activated the p38 protein kinase (p38) and suppressed the expression of silent information regulation type 1 (SIRT1), monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), phosphorylated cyclic-AMP response binding protein (p-CREB), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated tropomyosin-related kinase receptor type B (p-TrkB). However, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) treatment counteracted the changes of signalling molecule p38, SIRT1/MAOA and CREB/BDNF/TrkB pathways-related proteins induced by NP and OP. LBP pretreatment ameliorated combined NP and OP exposure-induced oxidative stress and neurotransmitter imbalances. Furthermore, the application of LBP and administration of a p38 inhibitor both reversed the alterations in the signaling molecule p38, as well as the proteins associated to the SIRT1/MAOA and CREB/BDNF/TrkB pathways. These results implied that LBP may have neuroprotective effects via p38-mediated SIRT1/MAOA and CREB/BDNF/TrkB pathways.

Keywords: Lycium barbarum polysaccharides; Neurotransmitter disorders; Nonylphenol; Octylphenol; Oxidative stress.