Oxysterols are assumed to be the driving force behind numerous neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, we aimed to study the ability of 7β-hydroxycholesterol (7β-OHC) to trigger oxidative stress and cell death in human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) then the capacity of Nigella sativa and Milk thistle seed oils (NSO and MTSO, respectively) to oppose 7β-OHC-induced side effects. The impact of 7β-OHC, associated or not with NSO or MTSO, was studied on different criteria: cell viability; redox status, and apoptosis. Oxidative stress was assessed through the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, lipid, and protein oxidation products. Our results indicate that 7β-OHC (40 µg/mL) exhibit pr-oxidative and pro-apoptotic activities shown by a decrease of the antioxidant enzymatic activities and an increase of ROS production, lipid, and protein oxidation end products as well as nitrotyrosine formation and caspase 3 activation. However, under the pre-treatment with NSO, and especially with MTSO (100 µg/mL), a marked attenuation of oxidative damages was observed. Our study suggests harmful effects of 7β-OHC consisting of pro-oxidative, anti-proliferative, and pro-apoptotic activities that may contribute to neurodegeneration. NSO and especially MTSO showed potential cytoprotection against the cytotoxicity of 7β-OHC.
