Potential neuroprotective effect of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester on rat brain against kainic acid-induced excitotoxicity.

Ayfer Yalcin, Guliz Armagan, Ezgi Turunc, Sibel Konyalioglu, Lutfiye Kanit

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. ayfer.yalcin@ege.edu.tr

Free radical research 2010 May

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The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gamma-Glutamylcysteine Ethyl Ester (GCEE) on the levels of GSH, caspase-3 activity, DNA damage and the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and p53 mRNAs in rat hippocampus after status epilepticus (SE) induced by systemic kainic acid (KA). The male rats were divided into four groups as controls, KA (10 mg/kg), GCEE (10 mg/kg) and KA+GCEE. Glutathione (GSH) levels and caspase-3 activity were determined spectrophotometrically and colourimetrically, respectively. DNA damage and Bcl-2, Bax and p53 mRNA expressions were quantified by comet assay and reverse transcription followed by RT-PCR, respectively. KA treatment significantly depleted GSH levels, induced DNA damage, caspase-3 activity and the expressions of p53 and Bax mRNA. GCEE treatment protected GSH levels, decreased DNA damage and the levels of p53 and Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA against KA injection. These results indicate that GCEE treatment at the dose of 10 mg/kg is capable to protect the depleted levels of GSH and shows an anti-apoptotic activity due to the decreased levels of apoptotic biomarkers in the rat hippocampus after SE induced by KA.

Citation

Ayfer Yalcin, Guliz Armagan, Ezgi Turunc, Sibel Konyalioglu, Lutfiye Kanit. Potential neuroprotective effect of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester on rat brain against kainic acid-induced excitotoxicity. Free radical research. 2010 May;44(5):513-21