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Neuroprotective effect of cocoa flavonids on in vitro oxidative stress

European Journal of Nutrition volume 48, pages 54–61 (2009)Cite this article

An ERRATUM to this article was published on 10 December 2008

Abstract

Background

Cocoa is a rich source of flavonoids that, among other functions, can act as antioxidants. In living systems, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) activate an array of intracellular cascades, including mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), that are closely associated with cell death or survival pathways.

Aim of the study

To ascertain the role of a cocoa extract and its main flavonoid, (-)-epicatechin, in an in vitro model of oxidative stress induced in a neuronal cell line.

Methods

We analyzed ROS production by fluorometry (dichlorofluorescein assay), and activation of MAPK pathways including extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK 1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p-38, by Western blot analysis.

Results

Cells incubated with cocoa extract or (-)-epicatechin, reduced ROS production in a dose-dependent manner, reaching 35% inhibition. pJNK and p38, involved in apoptosis, were down-modulated by cocoa extract and (-)-epicatechin with p38 inhibition reaching up to 70%.

Conclusions

Our results show that cocoa extract and (-)-epicatechin may exert a neuroprotective action by reducing ROS production and modulating MAPK activation.

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Abbreviations

AD:

Alzheimer’s disease

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

Aβ:

Amyloid-β protein

DA:

diacetate

DCF:

2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein

DMSO:

Dimethyl sulfoxide

ERK 1/2:

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2

GSTPi:

Glutathione-S-transferase enzyme-class Pi

H2DCF:

reduced DCF

JNK:

c-Jun N-terminal kinase

LDH:

Lactate dehydrogenase

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinases

ORAC:

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity

PMSF:

Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

RT:

Room temperature

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TBS:

Tris buffered saline solution

TBST:

TBS with 0.1% Tween 20

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Acknowledgments

E.R. is the recipient of fellowships from the Generalitat de Catalunya (2003FI 00578 and 2005BE 00709).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. de Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia (Universitat de Barcelona), Av. Joan XXIII s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Emma Ramiro-Puig, Francisco J. Pérez-Cano & Margarida Castell

  2. Dept. of Neuroscience, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Gemma Casadesús

  3. Dept. of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Hyoung-gon Lee, Xiongwei Zhu, George Perry & Mark A. Smith

  4. Research and Development, Theo Chocolate, Seattle, WA, USA

    Andrew McShea

  5. College of Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    George Perry

Authors
  1. Emma Ramiro-Puig
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  9. Margarida Castell
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Correspondence to Margarida Castell.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found under doi:10.1007/s00394-008-0766-z.

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00394-008-0766-z

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Ramiro-Puig, E., Casadesús, G., Lee, Hg. et al. Neuroprotective effect of cocoa flavonids on in vitro oxidative stress. Eur J Nutr 48, 54–61 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-008-0761-4

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Keywords

  • cocoa
  • c-JNK
  • MAPK
  • neuronal damage
  • oxidative stress