Curcumin produces neuroprotective effects via activating brain-derived neurotrophic factor/TrkB-dependent MAPK and PI-3K cascades in rodent cortical neurons

Rui Wang, Yu Hua Li, Ying Xu, Ying Bo Li, Hong Li Wu, Hao Guo, Jian Zhao Zhang, Jing Jie Zhang, Xue Yang Pan, Xue Jun Li

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

94 Scopus citations

Abstract

Curcumin is a major constituent of curcuma longa, a traditional medicine used to manage mental disorders effectively in China. The neuroprotective effects of curcumin have been demonstrated in our previous studies. In the present research, we confirmed this effect by showing that curcumin application promoted the viability of cultured rodent cortical neurons. Moreover, when neurons were pretreated with tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) antibody, known to inhibit the activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the protective effect of curcumin was blocked. Additionally, treatment of curcumin increased BDNF and phosphor-TrkB and both of these enhancements can be suppressed by ERK and PI-3K inhibitors. The administration of curcumin led to increased levels of phosphor-ERK and AKT, which were each blocked by MAPK and PI-3K inhibitors. Furthermore, the curcumin-induced increase in phosphorylated cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB), which has been implicated as a possible mediator of antidepressant actions, was prevented by MAPK and PI-3K inhibitors. Therefore, we hypothesize the neuroprotection of curcumin might be mediated via BDNF/TrkB-MAPK/PI-3K-CREB signaling pathway.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)147-153
Number of pages7
JournalProgress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
Volume34
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 Jan 2010

Keywords

  • BDNF
  • Curcumin
  • MAPK
  • PI-3K
  • TrkB

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