Toxoplasma rhoptries, an unusual set of apical organelles that are associated with Toxoplasma infection may cause subversion of the host cell functions. Parasite rhoptry protein 16 (ROP16) is a regulator of host cell transcription during cell invasion in which it migrates into the host cell cytoplasm and subsequently localizes to the nucleus. In the present study, we found that overexpression o...

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease. The present study attempted to investigate the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced ER stress in SH-SY5Y cells. We found in the present study that exogenous application of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS; an H(2)S donor, 100 μM) significantly ...

The aim of the current study was to examine the protective effects and mechanisms of Ndfipl on neurocytes in an experimental in vitro Parkinson's disease model induced by MPP+. The cell model was developed with dominant negative expression and suppressed expression of Ndfipl by means of transient transfection of Ndfipl-dominant negative and -inhibitory vectors. In total, four different Ndfipl c...

Beta-amyloid (Aβ ) neurotoxicity is important in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Aβ neurotoxicity causes oxidative stress, inflammation and mitochondrial damage resulting in neuronal degeneration and death. Oxidative stress, inflammation and mitochondrial failure are also pathophysiological mechanisms of type 2 diabetes (T(2)DM) which is characterized by insulin resistance. Interestingly...

Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that occurs naturally in a wide variety of living organisms. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect and the mechanism of astaxanthin on reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis in dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells. The treatment with DHA hydroperoxide (DHA-OOH) or 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), either of which is ROS-inducing neurotoxin, led to a ...

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is considered a complex neurodegenerative condition which warrants the development of multitargeted drugs to tackle key pathogenetic mechanisms disease. In this study, two novel series melatonin- and donepezil-based hybrid molecules with hydrazone (3a–r) or sulfonyl (5a–l) fragments were designed, synthesized, evaluated as multifunctional ligands against AD-related mech...

BACKGROUND Hydrogen peroxide, as other reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during redox processes, induces lipid membrane peroxidation and protein degeneration causing cell apoptosis. ROS are recently considered as messengers in cell signalling processes, which, through reversible protein disulphide bridges formation, activate regulatory factors of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Disulphid...

Nucleo CMP Forte is a nucleotide-based drug consisting of cytidinemonophosphate, uridinemonophosphate, uridinediphosphate and uridinetriphosphate. It has been prescribed for peripheral nervous system disorders, such as lumbosciatalgia, diabetic or alcoholic polyneuropathy, or trigeminal neuralgia. Its effects on brain pathologies has received little attention. We examined its neuroprotective ef...

Recently, we have found that a number of microRNAs (miRNAs) and proteins are involved in the response to acupuncture therapy in hypertensive rats. Our bioinformatics study suggests an association between these miRNAs and proteins, which include miR-339 and sirtuin 2 (Sirt2). In this paper, we aimed to investigate whether Sirt2 was a direct target of miR-339 in neurons. In human SH-SY5Y cells, t...

Methylmercury (MeHg) is an environmental pollutant that shows severe toxicity to humans and animals. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating MeHg toxicity are not completely understood. We have previously reported that the MARCKS protein is involved in the MeHg toxicity to SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma and EA.hy926 vascular endothelial cell lines. In addition, calpain, a Ca2+-dependent protease, is...