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Cytoprotective effects of polyphenolics on H2O2-induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells in relation to their antioxidant activities

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Abstract

The cytoprotective effects of five flavonoids (quercetin, rutin, catechin, kaempferol and morin) and four hydroxycinnamic acids (caffeic, ferulic, sinapic and chlorogenic acids) were evaluated by the degree of protection they provided against H2O2-induced damage to human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. All compounds exhibited protection against H2O2-mediated cytotoxicity in a dose dependent manner. The concentration required to give a 50% reduction in cell death (EC50 value) were derived from their dose–response relationships. The cytoprotective activities of these phenolic compounds in the order of quercetin > caffeic acid > rutin > chlorogenic acid > catechin > ferulic acid > sinapic acid > morin > kaempferol. The EC50 values of the phenolic compounds were strongly related to their chemical structures. The EC50 values were compared with the antioxidant activities as determined by five different chemically based antioxidant assays [2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity (LPIC)]. The ability of these phenolic compounds to protect from H2O2-induced SH-SY5Y cell death correlated (r 2 = 0.85) with their determined LPIC values and weakly (r 2 = 0.44) with their ABTS activities. There was no correlation between EC50 values and ORAC, FRAP or DPPH activities. The cytoprotection assay is a more biologically relevant measurement than the chemically defined antioxidant activity assays because it uses human cells as a substrate and therefore accounts for some aspects of uptake, metabolism and location of antioxidant compounds within cells.

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Abbreviations

ABTS:

2,2-Azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid

C11-BODIPY:

4, 4-Difluoro-5-(4-phenyl-1,3-butadienyl)-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-undecanoic acid

CDI:

Cell death index

CNS:

Central nervous system

DMSO:

Dimethylsulfoxide

DPPH:

1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl

FRAP:

Ferric reducing antioxidant power

LPIC:

Lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity

ORAC:

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

WST-1:

4-[3-(4-Iodophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]-1, 3-benzene disulfonate

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology Wellness Food Programme Contract C06X0405. We thank Drs Janine Cooney and Arjan Scheepens for critically reviewing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand Ltd, 120 Mt Albert Road, Private Bag 92 169, Auckland, New Zealand

    Jingli Zhang, Aselle Adaim & Margot A. Skinner

  2. Food Science Programme, Department of Chemistry, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Laurence D. Melton

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  1. Jingli Zhang
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  2. Laurence D. Melton
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  4. Margot A. Skinner
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Correspondence to Jingli Zhang.

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Zhang, J., Melton, L.D., Adaim, A. et al. Cytoprotective effects of polyphenolics on H2O2-induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells in relation to their antioxidant activities. Eur Food Res Technol 228, 123–131 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-008-0915-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-008-0915-x

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