ABSTRACT
Aim: To study the protective effect of L-carnosine on deguelin-induced neurotoxicity. Methods: SH-SY5Y cells were treated with 1, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 mmol · L" L-carnosine for 24 h; cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. SH-SY5Y cells were respectively treated with 30 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine, 20 μmol · L-1 deguelin, 20 μmol · L-1 deguelin with 30 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine for 24 h; AO/EB method was employed for observing the morphology and apoptotic morphology of treated cells. SH-SY5Y cells were respectively treated with 8 μmol · L-1 deguelin, 8 μmol · L-1 deguelin with 3 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine, 8 μmol · L-1 deguelin with 30 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine, 30 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine, 20 μmol · L-1 deguelin, 20 μmol · L-1 deguelin with 3 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine, 20 μmol · L-1 deguelin with 30 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine, 50 μmol · L-1 deguelin, 50 μmol · L-1 deguelin with 3 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine, 50 μmol · L-1 deguelin with 30 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine for 24 h. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay; apoptotic rate of treated cells was determined by flow cytometry; the reactive oxygen species (ROS) of treated cells was detected by DCFH-DA staining flow cytometry. Results: After 30 mmol · L-1 L-carnosine was co-treated with 20 μmol · L-1 and 50 μmol · L-1 of deguelin, the cell inhibitory rate decreased by 9. 07% and 6. 1%, the number of early apoptotic cells decreased, and the early apoptotic rate decreased by 9. 35%. The total apoptotic rate decreased by 10. 7%, and the ROS level was lower than that of the deguelin alone treatment group. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0. 05). Conclusions: L-carnosine can effectively reduce the neurotoxicity of deguelin-induced SH-SY5Y cells, which may be related to the reduction of oxidative stress levels, thereby inhibiting apoptosis and protecting cells.