Curcumin Attenuates Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Cytotoxicity in Human Neuroblastoma SK-N-SH Cells

Objective: Cellular damage induced by oxidative stress has been involved in the development of neurodegeneration. Curcumin, a dietary polyphenol found in the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has been shown, both in vitro and in vivo, to be an effective reactive oxygen scavenging molecule. We investigated an anti-oxidative effect of curcumin against H2O2-induced toxicity in human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH. Methods: The SK-N-SH cells were pre-treated with curcumin 2 hours prior to H2O2 treatment. We measured cell viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, expression of apoptotic-related proteins and caspase-3 activity 24 hours post H2O2-induced cytoxicity. Results: Treatment with curcumin at concentrations ranging from 5 to 50 μg/mL was not cytotoxic. Pre-treatment with curcumin at the concentrations of 5 to 50 μg/mL prior to H2O2 exposure caused a significant decrease in intracellular ROS levels and a significant increase in cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Expression of activated form of caspase-3 and BAX, a pro-apoptotic protein, measured by Western blotting were reduced when the SK-NSH cell line was pre-incubated with curcumin. The curcumin pre-treated cells also exhibited less caspase-3 activity. Conclusion: Curcumin has protective effects against H2O2-induced toxicity in a dose-dependent manner through its anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative properties in an in vitro H2O2-treated SK-N-SH model.