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Neuroprotective Effect of Crocin on Acrylamide-induced Cytotoxicity in PC12 cells

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Abstract

Acrylamide (ACR) is a potent neurotoxic in human and animal models. In this study, the effect of crocin, main constituent of Crocus sativus L. (Saffron) on ACR-induced cytotoxicity was evaluated using PC12 cells as a suitable in vitro model. The exposure of PC12 cells to ACR reduced cell viability, increased DNA fragmented cells and phosphatidylserine exposure, and elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Results showed that ACR increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and ROS played an important role in ACR cytotoxicity. The pretreatment of cells with 10–50 μM crocin before ACR treatment significantly attenuated ACR cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Crocin inhibited the downregulation of Bcl-2 and the upregulation of Bax and decreased apoptosis in treated cells. Also, crocin inhibited ROS generation in cells exposed to ACR. In conclusion, our results indicated that pretreatment with crocin protected cells from ACR-induced apoptosis partly by inhibition of intracellular ROS production.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Vice Chancellor of Research, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences for financial support. The results described in this article are part of a Ph.D. thesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Soghra Mehri

  2. Pharmaceutical Research Center, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Department of Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Khalil Abnous

  3. Pharmacological Research Centre of Medicinal Plants; School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Seyed Hadi Mousavi

  4. Pharmaceutical Research Centre, Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Vahideh Motamed Shariaty

  5. Pharmaceutical Research Centre, Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Hossein Hosseinzadeh

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  1. Soghra Mehri
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  2. Khalil Abnous
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  3. Seyed Hadi Mousavi
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  4. Vahideh Motamed Shariaty
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Correspondence to Hossein Hosseinzadeh.

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Mehri, S., Abnous, K., Mousavi, S.H. et al. Neuroprotective Effect of Crocin on Acrylamide-induced Cytotoxicity in PC12 cells. Cell Mol Neurobiol 32, 227–235 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-011-9752-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-011-9752-8

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