Neuroprotective effects of α-tocotrienol on kainic acid-induced neurotoxicity in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures

Int J Mol Sci. 2013 Sep 5;14(9):18256-68. doi: 10.3390/ijms140918256.

Abstract

Vitamin E, such as alpha-tocopherol (ATPH) and alpha-tocotrienol (ATTN), is a chain-breaking antioxidant that prevents the chain propagation step during lipid peroxidation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ATTN on KA-induced neuronal death using organotypic hippocampal slice culture (OHSC) and compared the neuroprotective effects of ATTN and ATPH. After 15 h KA (5 µM) treatment, delayed neuronal death was detected in the CA3 region and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and lipid peroxidation were also increased. Both co-treatment and post-treatment of ATPH (100 µM) or ATTN (100 µM) significantly increased the cell survival and reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the CA3 region. Increased dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence and levels of thiobarbiturate reactive substances (TBARS) were decreased by ATPH and ATTN treatment. These data suggest that ATPH and ATTN treatment have protective effects on KA-induced cell death in OHSC. ATTN treatment tended to be more effective than ATPH treatment, even though there was no significant difference between ATPH and ATTN in co-treatment or post-treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Death / drug effects*
  • Hippocampus / cytology*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Kainic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / metabolism
  • Tocotrienols
  • Vitamin E / analogs & derivatives
  • Vitamin E / metabolism

Substances

  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
  • Tocotrienols
  • Vitamin E
  • tocotrienol, alpha
  • Kainic Acid