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. 2024 Apr 17;24(1):162.
doi: 10.1186/s12906-024-04458-6.

An anthocyanin-rich extract from Zea mays L. var. ceratina alleviates neuronal cell death caused by hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells

Nootchanat Mairuae  1 , Nut Palachai  2 , Parinya Noisa  3
Affiliations

An anthocyanin-rich extract from Zea mays L. var. ceratina alleviates neuronal cell death caused by hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells

Nootchanat Mairuae et al. BMC Complement Med Ther. .

Abstract

The incidence of dementia is rising, with neuronal cell death from oxidative stress and apoptosis recognized as a significant contributor to its development. However, effective strategies to combat this condition are lacking, necessitating further investigation. This study aimed to assess the potential of an anthocyanin-rich extract from Zea mays L. var. ceratina (AZC) in alleviating neuronal cell death.Neurotoxicity was induced in SH-SY5Y cells using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at a concentration of 200 µM. Cells were pretreated with varying doses (31.25 and 62.5 µg/mL) of AZC. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, and molecular mechanisms including reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels for oxidative stress, and the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and apoptotic factors (B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), caspase 3) were explored.Results showed that AZC significantly improved cell viability, reduced ROS production and MDA levels, and downregulated caspase 3 expression. It enhanced CAT, SOD, and GSH-Px activities, activated ERK1/2 and CREB, and upregulated Bcl-2 expression. These findings support the neuroprotective effects of AZC, suggesting it activates ERK1/2, leading to CREB activation and subsequent upregulation of Bcl-2 expression while suppressing caspase 3. AZC may mitigate neuronal cell death by reducing ROS levels through enhanced scavenging enzyme activities.In conclusion, this study underscores the potential of AZC as a neuroprotective agent against neuronal cell death. However, further investigations including toxicity assessments, in vivo studies, and clinical trials are necessary to validate its benefits in neuroprotection.

Keywords: Zea mays L. var. ceratina; Anthocyanin-rich extract; Apoptosis; Dementia; Neuronal cell death; Neuroprotective effects; Oxidative stress; Purple waxy corn cob.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The chromatographic fingerprinting of primary anthocyanin derivatives of AZC. AZC: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Effect of the AZC on the viability of SH-SY5Y cells. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. *, **, ***p < 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively; compared with naïve control. AZC: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Effect of AZC on hydrogen peroxide induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. (a) Light microscopy of SH-SY5Y cell morphology at 40x magnification. (b) % cell viability of SH-SY5Y cells. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. aaap < 0.001; compared to naïve control, *, **p < 0.05 and 0.01, respectively; compared to SH-SY5Y cells treated with hydrogen peroxide, and which had received the vehicle. hydrogen peroxide: hydrogen peroxide at dose of 200 µM; AZC low dose and AZC high dose: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina at doses of 31.25 and 62.5 µg/mL, respectively
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Effect of AZC on reactive oxygen species generation in SH-SY5Y cell toxicity induced by hydrogen peroxide. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. aaap < 0.001; compared to naïve control, ***p < 0.001; compared to SH-SY5Y cells treated with hydrogen peroxide, and which had received the vehicle. hydrogen peroxide: hydrogen peroxide at dose of 200 µM; AZC low dose and AZC high dose: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina at doses of 31.25 and 62.5 µg/mL, respectively
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Effect of AZC on the expression of ERK1/2 in the hydrogen peroxide induced SH-SY5Y cell toxicity was detected by Western blotting. (a) Representative Western blot showing the levels of total p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2. (b) Relative density of total p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. aap < 0.01; compared to naïve control, *, **p < 0.05 and 0.01, respectively; compared to SH-SY5Y cells treated with hydrogen peroxide, and which had received the vehicle. ERK1/2: extracellular signal-related kinases 1 and 2; H2O2: hydrogen peroxide at dose of 200 µM; AZC low dose and AZC high dose: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina at doses of 62.5 and 125 µg/mL, respectively
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Effect of AZC on the expression of CERB in the hydrogen peroxide induced SH-SY5Y cell toxicity was detected by Western blotting. (a) Representative Western blot showing the levels of total CREB. (b) Relative density of total CREB. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. aap< 0.01; compared to naïve control, *p < 0.05; compared to SH-SY5Y cells treated with hydrogen peroxide, and which had received the vehicle. CREB: cAMP response element-binding protein; H2O2: hydrogen peroxide at dose of 200 µM; AZC low dose and AZC high dose: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina at doses of 62.5 and 125 µg/mL, respectively
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Effect of AZC on the expression of Bcl-2  in the hydrogen peroxide induced SH-SY5Y cell toxicity was detected by Western blotting. (a) Representative Western blot showing the levels of total Bcl-2 . (b) Relative density of total Bcl-2 . Data are presented as mean ± SEM. aaap < 0.001; compared to naïve control, *, **p < 0.05 and 0.01, respectively; compared to SH-SY5Y cells treated with hydrogen peroxide, and which had received the vehicle. Bcl-2 : B-cell lymphoma 2; H2O2: hydrogen peroxide at dose of 200 µM; AZC low dose and AZC high dose: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina at doses of 62.5 and 125 µg/mL, respectively
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Effect of AZC on the expression of caspase 3 in the hydrogen peroxide induced SH-SY5Y cell toxicity was detected by Western blotting. (a) Representative Western blot showing the levels of total caspase 3. (b) Relative density of total caspase 3. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. aaap < 0.001; compared to naïve control, **p< 0.01; compared to SH-SY5Y cells treated with hydrogen peroxide, and which had received the vehicle. H2O2: hydrogen peroxide at dose of 200 µM; AZC low dose and AZC high dose: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina at doses of 62.5 and 125 µg/mL, respectively
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
The schematic diagram demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of AZC in the hydrogen peroxide induced SH-SY5Y cytotoxicity. AZC: the anthocyanin-rich extract derived from Zea mays L. var. ceratina; ERK1/2: extracellular signal-related kinases 1 and 2; Bcl-2: B cell lymphoma 2; CREB: cAMP response element-binding protein; MDA: malondialdehyde; SOD: superoxide dismutase; CAT: catalase; GSH-Px: glutathione peroxidase; ROS: reactive oxygen species
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