Octadecaneuropeptide prevents toxicity induced by 6-hydroxydopamine in cultured rat astrocyte: involvement of the endogenous antioxidant systems and the intrinsic apoptotic pathway

Oxidative stress, associated with various neurodegenerative diseases, induces imbalance in ROS generation, impairs cellular antioxidant defences and finally triggers both neurons and astroglial cell death by apoptosis. Astrocytes specifically synthesize and release endozepines, a family of regulatory peptides, including the octadecaneuropeptide (ODN). We have previously reported that ODN is a potent neuroprotective agent that prevents 6-OHDA-induced apoptotic neuronal death. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the potential glioprotective effect of ODN on 6-OHDA-induced oxidative stress and cell death in cultured rat astrocytes. Incubation of astrocytes with graded concentrations of ODN (10-14 to 10-8 M) inhibited 6-OHDA-evoked cell death in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In addition, ODN prevented the decrease of mitochondrial activity and caspase-3 activation induced by 6-OHDA. Toxin-treated cells exhibited high level of ROS associated with a generation of H2O2 and O2 °- and a reduction of both SOD and catalase activities. Co-treatment of astrocytes with low concentrations of ODN dose dependently blocked 6-OHDA-evoked ROS production and inhibition of antioxidant enzymes activities. Taken together, these data demonstrate that ODN is a potent glioprotective agent that prevents 6-OHDA-induced oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death. ODN is thus a potential candidate to delay neuronal damages in various pathological conditions involving oxidative neurodegeneration.