Resveratrol protects against spinal cord injury by activating autophagy and inhibiting apoptosis mediated by the SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway. (21st April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Haosen; Chen, Shurui; Gao, Kai; Zhou, Zipeng; Wang, Chen; Shen, Zhaoliang; Guo, Yue; Li, Zhuo; Wan, Zhanghui; Liu, Chang; Mei, Xifan
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience. Volume 348(2017)
• Page Start: 241
• Page End: 251
• Publication Date: 2017-04-21
• Subjects: AMPK adenosine 5′ monophosphate-activated protein kinase -- Bax Bcl-2 associated X protein -- BBB Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan -- DMEM Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium -- DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide -- HE hematoxylin and eosin -- LPS lipopolysaccharides -- PBS phosphate-buffered saline -- PFA paraformaldehyde -- RT room temperature -- RT-PCR reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction -- SD Sprague–Dawley -- SIRT1 Sirtuin 1 -- TBST Tris-buffered Saline with Tween 20; spinal cord injury -- resveratrol -- SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway -- autophagy; Neurochemistry -- Periodicals; Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurochimie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurochemistry; Neurophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.02.027
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4522

Abstract

Highlights: Resveratrol treatment ameliorates rehabilitation of motor function after spinal cord injury. Resveratrol increases the survival of motor neurons and reduces the size of injury after spinal cord injury. Resveratrol up-regulates SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway and promotes autophagy after spinal cord injury. Resveratrol inhibits apoptosis in spinal cord injury rats. Inhibition of SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway decreases expression level of autophagy and increases apoptosis. Abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition with few effective treatments. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound, has exhibited neuroprotective effects in many neurodegenerative diseases. However, the explicit effect and mechanism of resveratrol on SCI is still unclear. Adenosine 5′ monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), the downstream protein, play key roles in metabolizing of energy, resisting of resistance, and cellular protein homeostasis. In this study, we determined the effects of resveratrol on SCI and their potential relationship with SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway, autophagy and apoptosis. To determine the effect of resveratrol on SCI recovery, a spinal cord contusion model was employed. Rats received treatment with resveratrol or DMSO immediately following contusion. We determined that Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores were significantly higher for injured rats treated with resveratrol. Nissl and HE staining revealed that resveratrol treatment significantly reduced the loss of motor neurons and lesion size in the spinal cord of injured rats when compared to vehicle-treated animals. Spinal cord tissue was assessed by Western blot, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical analyses 7 days after injury for changes in expression of SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway, autophagy and apoptosis proteins. Expression of SIRT1, p-AMPK, Beclin-1, LC3-B, and Bcl-2 was elevated in resveratrol-treated animals, whereas expression of p62, Cleaved Caspase-3, Caspase-9, and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) was inhibited. Immunofluorescence analysis of primary neurons treated with resveratrol alone or in combination with Compound C (AMPK inhibitor) or EX527 (SIRT1 inhibitor) revealed that treatment with the inhibitors blocks the increased LC3-B expression in cells and increases the portion of TUNEL-positive cells. Taken together, these results suggest that resveratrol exerts neuroprotective effects on SCI by regulating autophagy and apoptosis mediated by the SIRT1-AMPK signaling pathway.