Oxidative stress has been proven to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of neuronal injury. As a novel adipocytokine, omentin is produced by visceral adipose with insulin sensitizing effects and has been revealed to possess anti-inflammatory effects. However, the possible effect of omentin on oxidative stress remains unknown. The present study aimed to detect the potential protective effect of omentin against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cytotoxicity of PC12 cells. The results showed that no cytotoxic effect was shown in PC12 cells co-cultured with omentin alone at a concentration of 50-1000 ng/mL. The CCK8 and TUNEL assays suggested that omentin could remarkably attenuate apoptosis induced by 100 μM H2O2. The PCR and western blotting showed that the expression levels of Bax was significantly inhibited by omentin via the upregulation of miR-128-3p at its 3'-UTR. Taken together, these results indicated that omentin protects PC12 cells against H2O2-induced apoptosis, and further studies need to be conducted before utilization in the clinic for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Keywords: Omentin; PC12; hydrogen peroxide; oxidative stress.