Antagonism of lovastatin on oxidative stress and apoptosis in primary rat hippocampal neurons induced by β-amyloid peptide / 中华病理学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To investigate the effect of lovastatin on oxidative stress and apoptosis in neurons induced by β-amyloid peptide (Aβ).@*Methods@#Primary culture of rat hippocampal neuron was treated with Aβ oligomers alone or combined with lovastatin. The levels of OH-, H2O2, O2·-, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activities were measured by biochemical methods and protein expression of caspase-3 and bcl-2 was detected by Western blot.@*Results@#As compared with the control group, treatment of 0.5 μmol/L Aβ oligomers for 48 h led to significant increase of OH-, H2O2, O2·- and malondialdehyde content, inhibition of SOD and GSH-PX activities, enhanced caspase-3 expression and decreased bcl-2 expression. Interestingly, these neurotoxic modifications on the levels of OH-, H2O2, O2·- and malondialdehyde content, SOD and GSH-PX activities, and the protein expression of cleaved caspase-3 and bcl-2 were significantly attenuated when the cells were pretreated with 0.1 μmol/L lovastatin for 24 h before exposure of Aβ oligomers.@*Conclusion@#Lovastatin may play an important role in antagonizing the neurotoxicity of Aβ through a mechanism likely related to the inhibition of oxidative stress.