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Coenzyme Q10 Protects Astrocytes from Ultraviolet B-Induced Damage Through Inhibition of ERK 1/2 Pathway Overexpression

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Abstract

Overexpression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase ½ (ERK ½) signaling pathway leads to overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which induces oxidative stress. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) scavenges ROS and protects cells against oxidative stress. The present study was designed to examine whether the protection of Coenzyme Q10 against oxidative damage in astrocytes is through regulating ERK 1/2 pathway. Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation was chosen as a tool to induce oxidative stress. Murine astrocytes were treated with 10 μg/ml and 25 μg/ml of CoQ10 for 24 h prior to UVB and maintained during UVB and 24 h post-UVB. Cell viability was evaluated by counting viable cells and MTT conversion assay. ROS production was measured using fluorescent probes. Levels of p-ERK 1/2, ERK 1/2, p-PKA, PKA were detected using immunocytochemistry and/or Western blotting. The results showed that UVB irradiation decreased the number of viable cells. This damaging effect was associated with accumulation of ROS and elevations of p-ERK 1/2 and p-PKA. Treatment with CoQ10 at 25 μg/ml significantly increased the number of viable cells and prevented the UVB-induced increases of ROS, p-ERK 1/2, and p-PKA. It is concluded that suppression of the PKA-ERK 1/2 signaling pathway may be one of the important mechanisms by which CoQ10 protects astrocytes from UVB-induced oxidative damage.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31780280, 81560208) and West China first-class Disciplines Basic Medical Sciences at Ningxia Medical University (No. NXYLXK2017B07).

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Author notes

  1. Qi Zhao, Yan-Mei Ma and Li Jing contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Pathology, Ningxia Medical University; Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair, Yinchuan, Ningxia, People’s Republic of China

    Qi Zhao, Yan-Mei Ma, Li Jing, Tian-Xiang Zheng, Hai-Feng Jiang & Jian-Zhong Zhang

  2. Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, People’s Republic of China

    Hai-Feng Jiang

  3. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technological Enterprise (BRITE), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, USA

    P. Andy Li

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  1. Qi Zhao
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Zhao, Q., Ma, YM., Jing, L. et al. Coenzyme Q10 Protects Astrocytes from Ultraviolet B-Induced Damage Through Inhibition of ERK 1/2 Pathway Overexpression. Neurochem Res 44, 1755–1763 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-019-02812-6

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