Protective effects of caffeic acid and caffeic acid phenethyl ester against acrolein-induced neurotoxicity in HT22 mouse hippocampal cells

Acrolein-induced oxidative stress is hypothesized to involve in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Caffeic acid (CA) and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) have antioxidative and neuroprotective properties. The present study investigated the protective effects of CA/CAPE on acrolein-induced oxidative neuronal toxicity. HT22 mouse hippocampal cells were pretreated with CA/CAPE and then exposed to acrolein. Cell viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and glutathione (GSH) level were measured. MAPKs and Akt/GSK3 beta signaling proteins as well as alpha/beta-secretase of amyloid protein precursor were assayed by Western blotting. Pretreatment with CA/CAPE significantly attenuated acrolein-induced neurotoxicity, ROS accumulation, and GSH depletion. Further study suggested that CA/CAPE showed protective effects against acrolein by modulating MAPKs and Akt/GSK3 beta signaling pathways. Moreover, CA/CAPE restored the changes of beta-secretase (BACE-1) and/or activation of alpha-secretase (ADAM-10) induced by acrolein. These findings suggest that CA/CAPE may provide a promising approach for the treatment of acrolein-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.