7,8-Dihydroxyflavone protects neurons against oxygen-glucose deprivation induced apoptosis and activates the TrkB/Akt pathway

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) Vol. 10; p. e12886
• Main Authors: Zhou, Qinxiang, Tang, Hao, Bai, Dingqun, Kong, Yuhan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States PeerJ. Ltd 15.02.2022; PeerJ Inc
• Subjects: 7,8-dihydroxyflavone; Akt; Analysis; Apoptosis; Cell Biology; Dextrose; DNA polymerases; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Glucose; Ischemia; Molecular Biology; Muscle proteins; Nervous system diseases; Neurology; Neurons; Neuroscience; Oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion; Protein kinases; Scientific equipment and supplies industry; Stroke (Disease); Tropomyosin related kinase receptor B; United States; China; 7,8-dihydroxyflavone; Akt; Tropomyosin related kinase receptor B; Oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 2167-8359; 2167-8359
• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12886

7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), a selective agonist of tropomyosin related kinase receptor B (TrkB), is known to exert protective effects in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the role of 7,8-DHF in TrkB signaling after ischemic stroke has remained elusive. In the vitro model of ischemic stroke, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of 7,8-DHF through activation of TrkB signaling. Neurons subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion were treated with the protein kinase inhibitor K252a and a knockdown of TrkB. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, Flow Cytometric Analysis (FACS), TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay were conducted for measuring cell viability and numbers of apoptotic cells. And apoptosis-associated proteins were analyzed by Western blotting. Compared with the Control group, OGD/R group revealed lower cell viability by CCK-8 assay FACS and TUNEL assay showed increased rates of neuronal apoptosis. However, 7,8-DHF treatment increased cell viability and reduced neuronal apoptosis. Western blotting indicated upregulated Bax and cleaved caspase-3 and but downregulated Bcl-2 following OGD/R. Whereas 7,8-DHF treatment downregulated Bax and cleaved caspase-3 but upregulated Bcl-2. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in the phosphorylation of TrkB and Akt following 7,8-DHF administration. However, the administration of K252a and knockdown of TrkB could alleviate those effects. Our study demonstrates that activation of TrkB signaling by 7,8-DHF protects neurons against OGD/R injury via the TrkB/Akt pathway, which provides the evidence for the role of TrkB signaling in OGD-induced neuronal damage and may become a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.