Deciphering the anti-apoptotic potential of α-bisabolol loaded solid lipid nanoparticles against Aβ induced neurotoxicity in Neuro-2a cells

Nanoparticles based drug delivery system offers an alternative strategy to overcome several therapeutic limitations of various human ailments, particularly in age-linked Alzheimer's disease. Results of our previous cellfree studies indicated that alpha-bisabolol loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (ABS) significantly inhibited the aggregation of A beta(25-35). The present study intended to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of ABS against A beta(25-35) induced toxicity in Neuro-2a cell lines. The results of in vitro cell line study revealed that pretreatment of Neuro-2a cell lines with ABS (5 & 10 mu g/ml) significantly suppressed the production of free radicals such as reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and also augmented the ROS mediated macromolecular damages and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential induced by toxic A beta peptide when compared to the standard drug donepezil (50 mu g/ml). Moreover, reduced beta-secretase, caspase-3, and cholinesterase activities were observed in the cells pretreated with ABS, which clearly evidenced the neuroprotective effect of ABS. Reduced expression of Box and induced expression of Bcl-2 proteins observed through western blot analysis and live/dead cell viability analysis of Neuro-2a cells through confocal microscope further validated that ABS protects the cells from A beta induced apoptosis. Taken together, the outcome of the present study signifies the neuroprotective effect of ABS against the A beta induced toxicity in in vitro model of Neuro-2a cells.