Aims: To investigate the cytoprotective effects of two sesquiterpene aminoquinones isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea fragilis, Dysidaminone H (DA8) and 3'-methylamino-avarone (DA14), we examined their effects against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative injury in human keratinocyte cell line and elucidated the underlying mechanisms.
Main methods: Cell viability was detected using a CCK-8 assay kit. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured by fluorescence of 2, 7-Dichlorodi-hydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). Messenger RNA and protein expression were measured by real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting analysis. Immunocytochemistry was performed to determine the intracellular location of nuclear factorerythroid 2 p45 related factor 2 (Nrf2). The antioxidant response element (ARE)-luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA interference were used to establish the role of ARE and Nrf2.
Key findings: DA8 and DA14 (DAs) resisted H2O2induced decline of cell viability by inhibiting the accumulation of ROS. Meanwhile, DAs increased HO-1 expression and ARE activity and induced Nrf2 expression, as well as the accumulation of Nrf2 in the cell nucleus. However, silencing of Nrf2 abolished DAs-induced HO-1 expression and ARE luciferase activation. In addition, DAs induced the phosphorylation of both cyclic AMP-activated protein kinase-α (AMPKα) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), while specific inhibitors of AMPKα and ERK abrogated HO1 upregulation and Nrf2 activation.
Significance: DAs provided cytoprotective effects against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity by activation of the Nrf2/ARE/HO-1 pathway via phosphorylation of AMPKα and ERK. The findings suggested that DA8 and DA14 might be the candidate therapeutic agents for skin diseases caused by oxidative injury.
Keywords: AMPKα/ERK; HO-1; Nrf2; Oxidative injury; Sesquiterpene aminoquinone.
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