Assessment of malondialdehyde levels and antioxidant enzyme activity in an astaxanthin-treated human neuroblastoma cell line

Abstract

Introduction: Oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. It seems that the intake of exogenous antioxidants may be effective in preventing, treating, and reducing the complications of these diseases. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, protecting the nervous system. The present study aimed to assess the effect of astaxanthin on the amount of malondialdehyde and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase) after oxidative stress with hydrogen peroxide in the human neuroblastoma cell line BE (2)-C. Material & Methods: Human neuroblastoma cells were treated in this study with different concentrations of astaxanthin (25, 50, and 100 μM) or 50 μM ascorbic acid (positive control) for 24 h. To induce oxidative stress, they were exposed to hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 400 μM for 2 h. There was also a control group without treatment and without inducing oxidative stress. The amount of malondialdehyde as an index of oxidative stress and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were measured using calorimetric methods. Results: The obtained results demonstrated that the malondialdehyde concentration was significantly reduced in the groups treated with different concentrations of astaxanthin and ascorbic acid compared to the hydrogen peroxide group (P<0.05). The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase also increased significantly in these groups compared to the group with oxygenated water (P<0.05). Discussion & Conclusion: Astaxanthin appears to counteract the oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide by lowering malondialdehyde levels and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes in BE (2) C cells, thereby protecting the cells from the impact of oxidative stress

Keywords

• antioxidant enzymes
• astaxanthin
• neuroblastoma cell line
• oxidative stress