The role of insulin against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damages in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells

Exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can easily penetrate into biological membranes and enhance the formation of other reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, we have investigated the neuroprotective effects of insulin on H2O2-induced toxicity of retinoic acid (RA)-differentiated SH-SY5Y cells. To measure the changes in the cell viability of SH-SY5Y cells at different concentrations of H2O2 for 24 h, a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT)-based assay was used and a 100 mu M H2O2 was selected to establish a model of H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Further assays showed that 24 h of 100 mu M H2O2-induced significant changes in the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), nitric oxide (NO), ROS, and calcium ion (Ca2+) in neuronal cells, but insulin can effectively diminish the H2O2-induced oxidative damages to these cells. Moreover, cells treated with insulin increased H2O2-induced suppression of glutathione levels and exerted an apparent suppressive effect on oxidative products. The results of insulin treatment with SH-SY5Y cells increased the Bcl-2 levels and decreased the Akt levels. The treatment of insulin had played a protective effect on H2O2-induced oxidative stress related to the Akt/Bcl-2 pathways.