Ferulic Acid Suppresses Amyloid β Production in the Human Lens Epithelial Cell Stimulated with Hydrogen Peroxide

It is well known that oxidative stresses induce the production of amyloid beta(A beta) in the brain, lens, and retina, leading to age-related diseases. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ferulic acid on the A beta levels in H2O2 - stimulated human lens epithelial (HLE) SRA01/04 cells. Three types of A beta peptides (A beta(1- 40), A beta(1- 42), andA beta(1- 43)) were measured by ELISA, and the levels of mRNA for the expressed proteins related to A beta production (APP, BACE1, and PS proteins) and degradation (ADAM10, NEP, and ECE1 proteins) were determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. H2O2 stimulation augmented gene expression of the proteins related to A beta production, resulting in the production of three types of A beta peptides. Treatment with 0.1 mu M ferulic acid attenuated the augmentations of gene expression and production of the proteins related to the secretion of three types of A beta peptides in the H2O2 - stimulated HLE cells. These results provided evidence of antioxidative functions of ferulic acid for lens epithelial cells.