Resveratrol via sirtuin-1 downregulates RE1-silencing transcription factor (REST) expression preventing PCB-95-induced neuronal cell death

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) (RSV), a polyphenol widely present in plants, exerts a neuroprotective function in several neurological conditions; it is an activator of class III histone deacetylase sirtuin1 (SIRT1), a crucial regulator in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. By contrast, the RE1-silencing transcription factor (REST) is involved in the neurotoxic effects following exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixture A1254. The present study investigated the effects of RSV-induced activation of SIRT1 on REST expression in SH-SY5Y cells. Further, we investigated the possible relationship between the non-dioxin-like (NDL) PCB-95 and REST through SIRT1 to regulate neuronal death in rat cortical neurons. Our results revealed that RSV significantly decreased REST gene and protein levels in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, overexpression of SIRT1 reduced REST expression, whereas EX-527, an inhibitor of SIRT1, increased REST expression and blocked RSV-induced REST downregulation. These results suggest that RSV downregulates REST through SIRT1. In addition, RSV enhanced activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factor c-Jun expression and its binding to the REST promoter gene. Indeed, c-Jun knockdown reverted RSV-induced REST downregulation. Intriguingly, in SH-SY5Y cells and rat cortical neurons the NDL PCB-95 induced necrotic cell death in a concentration-dependent manner by increasing REST mRNA and protein expression. In addition, SIRT1 knockdown blocked RSV-induced neuroprotection in rat cortical neurons treated with PCB-95. Collectively, these results indicate that RSV via SIRT1 activates c-Jun, thereby reducing REST expression in SH-SY5Y cells under physiological conditions and blocks PCB-95-induced neuronal cell death by activating the same SIRT1/c-Jun/REST pathway

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Carnosine on Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Amyloid Pathology, and Cognitive Deficits in 3xTg-AD Mice

BACKGROUND: The pathogenic road map leading to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still not completely understood; however, a large body of studies in the last few years supports the idea that beside the classic hallmarks of the disease, namely the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles, other factors significantly contribute to the initiation and the progression of the disease. Among them, mitochondria failure, an unbalanced neuronal redox state, and the dyshomeostasis of endogenous metals like copper, iron, and zinc have all been reported to play an important role in exacerbating AD pathology. Given these factors, the endogenous peptide carnosine may be potentially beneficial in the treatment of AD because of its free-radical scavenger and metal chelating properties. METHODOLOGY: In this study, we explored the effect of L-carnosine supplementation in the 3xTg-AD mouse, an animal model of AD that shows both Aβ- and tau-dependent pathology. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We found that carnosine supplementation in 3xTg-AD mice promotes a strong reduction in the hippocampal intraneuronal accumulation of Aβ and completely rescues AD and aging-related mitochondrial dysfunctions. No effects were found on tau pathology and we only observed a trend toward the amelioration of cognitive deficits. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Our data indicate that carnosine can be part of a combined therapeutic approach for the treatment of AD

Methylmercury upregulates RE-1 silencing transcription factor (REST) in SH-SY5Y cells and mouse cerebellum

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a highly neurotoxic compound that, in adequate doses, can cause damage to the brain, including developmental defects and in severe cases cell death. The RE-1-silencing transcription factor (REST) has been found to be involved in the neurotoxic effects of environmental pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we investigated the effects of MeHg treatment on REST expression and its role in MeHg-induced neurotoxicity in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. We found that MeHg exposure caused a dose- and time- dependent apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by the appearance of apoptotic hallmarks including caspase-3 processing and annexin V uptake. Moreover, MeHg increased REST gene and gene product expression. MeHg-induced apoptotic cell death was completely abolished by REST knockdown. Interestingly, MeHg (1. μM/24. h) increased the expression of REST Corepressor (Co-REST) and its binding with REST whereas the other REST cofactor mammalian SIN3 homolog A transcription regulator (mSin3A) was not modified. In addition, we demonstrated that the acetylation of histone protein H4 was reduced after MeHg treatment and was critical for MeHg-induced apoptosis. Accordingly, the pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin-A (TSA) prevented MeHg-induced histone protein H4 deacetylation, thereby reverting MeHg-induced neurotoxic effect. Male mice subcutaneously injected with 10 mg/kg of MeHg for 10 days showed an increase in REST expression in the granule cell layer of the cerebellum together with a decrease in histone H4 acetylation. Collectively, we demonstrated that methylmercury exposure can cause neurotoxicity by activating REST gene expression and H4 deacetylation

MS-275 inhibits aroclor 1254-induced SH-SY5Y neuronal cell toxicity by preventing the formation of the HDAC3/REST complex on the synapsin-1 promoter

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and dementia. Neuronal death elicited by the PCB mixture Aroclor 1254 (A1254) has been attributed to an increase in RE-1-silencing transcription factor (REST), which, in turn, correlates with a decrease in the synapsin-1 promoter gene. Although histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are known to be neuroprotective in several neurologic disorders, the core mechanisms governing this effect are not yet understood. Here, to examine how HDAC class I [N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridin-3-yl-methoxycarbonyl)aminomethyl]-benzamide (MS-275)] and HDAC class II [3-[5-(3-(3-fluorophenyl)-3-oxopropen-1-yl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl]-N-hydroxy-2-propenamide (MC-1568)] inhibitors prevent A1254-induced neuronal cell death, we exposed SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells to A1254. Exposure to A1254 (30.6 μM) for 24 and 48 hours resulted in a time-dependent cell death. Indeed, after 48 hours, MS-275, but not MC-1568, reverted A1254-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, A1254 significantly increased HDAC3, but not HDAC1 or HDAC2. Interestingly, REST physically interacted with HDAC3 after A1254 exposure. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that MS-275 reverted the increased levels of HDAC3 binding and decreased acetylation of histone H3 within the synapsin-1 promoter region, thus reverting synapsin-1 mRNA reduction. Moreover, REST knockdown by small interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented HDAC3 from binding to the synapsin-1 promoter. Likewise, HDAC3 siRNA significantly reduced A1254-induced cell toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells and cortical neurons. Hence, this study demonstrates that inhibition of HDAC class I attenuates A1254-induced neuronal cell death by preventing HDAC3 binding and histone deacetylation within the synapsin-1 promoter regio