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Neuroprotective Effects of Theaflavins Against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis in PC12 Cells

Neurochemical Research volume 41, pages 3364–3372 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Oxidative stress can induce neuronal apoptosis via the production of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. This process is as a major pathogenic mechanism in neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we aimed to clarify whether theaflavins protect PC12 cells from oxidative stress damage induced by H2O2. A cell model of PC12 cells undergoing oxidative stress was created by exposing cells to 200 μM H2O2 in the presence or absence of varying concentrations of theaflavins (5, 10, and 20 μM). Cell viability was monitored using the MTT assay and Hoechst 33258 staining, showing that 10 μM theaflavins enhanced cell survival following 200 μM H2O2 induced toxicity and increased cell viability by approximately 40 %. Additionally, we measured levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant enzyme activity. This suggested that the neuroprotective effect of theaflavins against oxidative stress in PC12 cells is derived from suppression of oxidant enzyme activity. Furthermore, Western blot analyses indicated that theaflavins downregulated the ratio of pro-apoptosis/anti-apoptosis proteins Bax/Bcl-2. Theaflavins also downregulated the expression of caspase-3 compared with a H2O2-treated group that had not been treated with theaflavins. Interestingly, this is the first study to report that the four main components of theaflavins found in black tea can protect neural cells (PC12) from apoptosis induced by H2O2. These findings provide the foundations for a new field of using theaflavins or its source, black tea, in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases caused by oxidative stress.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31471590), the Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center of Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients Project, China (HNCR-2014003), the Key Project of National Technology System for Tea Industry in China (CARS-23-11B).

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Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Tea Science, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China

    Jing Zhang, Shuxian Cai, Juan Li, Ligui Xiong, Lili Tian, Jianjun Liu, Jianan Huang & Zhonghua Liu

  2. National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, 410128, China

    Jianan Huang & Zhonghua Liu

  3. Collaborative Innovation Center of Utilization of Functional Ingredients from Botanicals, Changsha, 410128, China

    Jianan Huang & Zhonghua Liu

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  1. Jing Zhang
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  2. Shuxian Cai
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  3. Juan Li
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Correspondence to Jianan Huang or Zhonghua Liu.

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Zhang, J., Cai, S., Li, J. et al. Neuroprotective Effects of Theaflavins Against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis in PC12 Cells. Neurochem Res 41, 3364–3372 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-016-2069-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-016-2069-8

Keywords

  • Theaflavin
  • Neuroprotective effect
  • Oxidative stress
  • Apoptosis
  • PC12 cells