Attenuation of Oxidative Stress-Induced Cell Apoptosis in Schwann RSC96 Cells by Aqueous Extract.

Cell transplantation therapy of Schwann cells (SCs) is a promising therapeutic strategy after spinal cord injury. However, challenges such as oxidative stress hinder satisfactory cell viability and intervention for enhancing SCs survival is critical throughout the transplantation procedures. widely used as a folk medicine in many countries, has therapeutic and anti-oxidative properties and may protect SCs survival. We examined the protective effects of aqueous extract (OGE) against cell damage caused by HO-induced oxidative stress in RSC96 Schwann cells. Our results showed that the RSC96 cells, damaged by HO oxidative stress, decreased their viability up to 32% after treatment with different concentrations of up to 300 μM HO, but OGE pretreatment (150 or 200 μg/mL) increased cell viability by approximately 62% or 66%, respectively. Cell cycle analysis indicated a high (43%) sub-G1 cell population in the HO-treated RSC96 cells compared with untreated cells (1%); whereas OGE pretreatment (150 and 200 μg/mL) of RSC96 cells significantly reduced the sub-G1 cells (7% and 8%, respectively). Furthermore, Western blot analysis revealed that OGE pretreatment inhibited HO-induced apoptotic protein caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage, as well as it reversed Bax up-regulation and Bcl-2 down-regulation. The amelioration of OGE of cell stress and stress-induced apoptosis was proved by the HSP70 and HSP72 decrease. Our data suggest that OGE may minimize the cytotoxic effects of HO-induced SCs apoptosis by modulating the apoptotic pathway and could potentially supplement cell transplantation therapy.