산화적 스트레스로부터 참다래 과실 추출물의 신경세포 보호효과에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위하여 신경세포주인 PC12 세포를 이용하여 참다래 과실추출물의 전처리가 산화적 손상으로부터 유발되는 신경세포사멸을 억제할 수 있는지 조사하였다. t-BHP에 의해 유도된 신경세포손상으로부터 세포사멸을 억제하여 세포생존도를 증가시켰으며 세포사멸로부터 형성되는 핵의 농축현상과 단편화가 현저히 감소함을 확인 할 수 있었다. 그리고 Bcl-2 단백의 발현 증가, Bax 단백의 발현 감소, caspase-3의 활성, PARP 분해 단백(85KDa)감소, ERK, p38 활성을 감소시켰다. 따라서 참다래 과실의 추출물은 신경세포증식효과를 통해 신경세포손상으로부터 유발되는 다양한 퇴행성 뇌질환의 예방에 도움이 될 것으로 나타났다.
Oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen intermediates has been implicated in a variety of human diseases including neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and mode of action of environmental toxicants. Tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) is an organic lipid hydroperoxide analogue, which is commonly used as a pro-oxidant for evaluating mechanisms involving oxidative stress in cells and tissues. In this study, the underlying mechanisms involved in the protective effects of Hwabuk 94 kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa cv. 'Hwabuk 94'), which is cultivated in Jeju, on the t-BHP-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cell. The pretreatment of rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 with Hwabuk 94 extract (1-100 μg/ml) resulted in a significant recovery from t-BHP-induced cell death and increased Bcl-2 and procaspase-3 expression, whereas the expression of Bax and cleaved PARP were decreased in a dose-dependent manner compared to the control. Furthermore, Hwabuk 94 inhibited the t-BHP-induced p38 MAP kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, but not c-Jun N-terminal kinase activations. Finally, these findings suggest that Hwabuk 94 kiwifruit might attenuate t-BHP-induced PC12 cell cytotoxicity, at least in part, through the inhibition of signaling pathways mediated by the ERK1/2 and p38 MAP kinase.