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Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of cinnamaldehyde on protecting high glucose-induced damage in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons of rats

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Abstract

Objective

To examine the mechanism underlying the beneficial role of cinnamaldehyde on oxidative damage and apoptosis in high glucose (HG)-induced dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in vitro.

Methods

HG-treated DRG neurons were developed as an in vitro model of diabetic neuropathy. The neurons were randomly divided into five groups: the control group, the HG group and the HG groups treated with 25, 50 and 100 nmol/L cinnamaldehyde, respectively. Cell viability was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and apoptosis rate was evaluated by the in situ TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured with flow cytometry. Expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), inhibitor of κB (IκB), phosphorylated IκB (p-IκB), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and caspase-3 were determined by western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) were also measured by western blotting.

Results

Cinnamaldehyde reduced HG-induced loss of viability, apoptosis and intracellular generation of ROS in the DRG neurons via inhibiting NF-κB activity. The western blot assay results showed that the HG-induced elevated expressions of NF-κB, IκB and p-IκB were remarkably reduced by cinnamaldehyde treatment in a dose-dependent manner (P <0.01). The HG-induced over-expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA was remarkably attenuated after cinnamaldehyde treatment in a dose-dependent manner (P <0.01). However, the expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 were not upregulated. Treatment with cinnamaldehyde not only attenuated caspase-3 activation and the caspase cleavage cascade in DRG neurons, but also lowered the elevated IL-6, TNF-α, cyclo-oxygenase and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels, indicating a reduction in inflammatory damage.

Conclusions

Cinnamaldehyde protected DRG neurons from the deleterious effects of HG through inactivation of NF-κB pathway but not through activation of Nrf2/HO-1. And thus cinnamaldehyde may have potential application as a treatment for DPN.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Translational Medicine Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, China

    Dan Yang  (杨 丹), Xiao-chun Liang  (梁晓春), Yue Shi  (石 玥), Qing Sun  (孙 青), Di Liu  (刘 頔) & Wei Liu  (刘 伟)

  2. Department of Cell Resource Center, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100005, China

    Hong Zhang  (张 宏)

Authors
  1. Dan Yang  (杨 丹)
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  2. Xiao-chun Liang  (梁晓春)
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  3. Yue Shi  (石 玥)
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  4. Qing Sun  (孙 青)
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  5. Di Liu  (刘 頔)
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  6. Wei Liu  (刘 伟)
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  7. Hong Zhang  (张 宏)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiao-chun Liang  (梁晓春).

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81473639) and the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing (No. 7122147)

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Yang, D., Liang, Xc., Shi, Y. et al. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of cinnamaldehyde on protecting high glucose-induced damage in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons of rats. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 22, 19–27 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-015-2103-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-015-2103-8

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