Abstract
Purpose: :
Astaxanthin is a kind of carotenoids with strong anti-oxidant effect. The purpose of this study is to investigate wether astaxanthin indicates neuroprotective effect against glutamate stress, oxidative stress, and hypoxic condition in primary culture of rat ganglion cells ( RGCs ).
Methods: :
RGCs were purified using a 2 step immunopanning procedure from postnatal 6-8 newborn Wister rats. After 72 hours in culture under normal condition. RGCs were exposed to three kinds of stress induced by 25<font face="Symbol">m</font>M glutamate during 72 hours, B27 medium without anti-oxidant for oxidantive stress during 4 hours, and 5% lower oxygen condition during 12 hours. Each assay was repeated 12 times with or without astaxanthin 1nM, 10nM, and 100nM. After each stress, a number of RGCs was counted by cell viability assay. RGC viability in each condition was evaluated in comparison with that under normal condition.
Results: :
Under glutamate stress, RGC viability reduced to 55%. With astaxanthin 1nM, 10 nM and 100 nM, RGC viability increased to 60%, 70%, and 82%, respectively. Under oxidative stress, RGC viability reduced to 40%. With astaxanthin 1nM, 10 nM and 100 nM, RGC viability increased to 43%, 50%, and 67%, respectively. Under hyoxia, RGC viability reduced to 66%. With astaxanthin 1nM, 10 nM and 100 nM, RGC viability significantly increased to 67%, 77%, and 93%, respectively. Astaxanthin 100nM indicated a statistical significant increase of RGC viability under three kinds of stress compared to the normal. (Dunnett test p<0.05)
Conclusions: :
Our results suggest that astaxanthin has a neuroprotective effect on RGC induced by glutamate stress, oxidative stress, and hypoxic condition with low concentration.
Keywords: drug toxicity/drug effects • neuroprotection • ganglion cells