PQQ ameliorates D-galactose induced cognitive impairments by reducing glutamate neurotoxicity via the GSK-3β/Akt signaling pathway in mouse

Sci Rep. 2018 Jun 11;8(1):8894. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-26962-9.

Abstract

Oxidative stress is known to be associated with various age-related diseases. D-galactose (D-gal) has been considered a senescent model which induces oxidative stress response resulting in memory dysfunction. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a redox cofactor which is found in various foods. In our previous study, we found that PQQ may be converted into a derivative by binding with amino acid, which is beneficial to several pathological processes. In this study, we found a beneficial glutamate mixture which may diminish neurotoxicity by oxidative stress in D-gal induced mouse. Our results showed that PQQ may influence the generation of proinflammatory mediators, including cytokines and prostaglandins during aging process. D-gal-induced mouse showed increased MDA and ROS levels, and decreased T-AOC activities in the hippocampus, these changes were reversed by PQQ supplementation. Furthermore, PQQ statistically enhanced Superoxide Dismutase SOD2 mRNA expression. PQQ could ameliorate the memory deficits and neurotoxicity induced by D-gal via binding with excess glutamate, which provide a link between glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity, inflammation and oxidative stress. In addition, PQQ reduced the up-regulated expression of p-Akt by D-gal and maintained the activity of GSK-3β, resulting in a down-regulation of p-Tau level in hippocampus. PQQ modulated memory ability partly via Akt/GSK-3β pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / chemically induced
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / drug therapy*
  • Cytosol / chemistry
  • Galactose / toxicity*
  • Glutamic Acid / toxicity*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / metabolism*
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • Immunologic Factors / administration & dosage
  • Mice
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt / metabolism*
  • PQQ Cofactor / administration & dosage*
  • Quinones / analysis
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / analysis
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Superoxide Dismutase / analysis

Substances

  • Immunologic Factors
  • Quinones
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Glutamic Acid
  • PQQ Cofactor
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • superoxide dismutase 2
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt
  • Galactose