Astaxanthin Prevents Oxidative Damage and Cell Apoptosis Under Oxidative Stress Involving the Restoration of Mitochondrial Function.

Oxidative stress (OS) is one of the factors that result in cell damage and the development of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Astaxanthin (ASTA), a natural compound known for its potent antioxidant properties, shows the biological activities in anti-apoptosis and antitumor. However, its specific mechanism on mitochondrial function remains unclear.

Zeaxanthin Attenuates the Vicious Circle Between Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Tau Phosphorylation: Involvement of GSK-3β Activation.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) characterized by neurofibrillary tangles caused by hyperphosphorylated tau is the most common cause of dementia. Zeaxanthin (Zea), derived from fruits and vegetables, may reduce the risk of AD. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) might cause memory impairment in AD.

Independent and Correlated Role of Apolipoprotein E ɛ4 Genotype and Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 in Alzheimer's Disease.

The ɛ4 allele of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene in individuals infected by Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has been demonstrated to be a risk factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD). APOE-ɛ4 reduces the levels of neuronal cholesterol, interferes with the transportation of cholesterol, impairs repair of synapses, decreases the clearance of neurotoxic peptide amyloid-β (Aβ), and promotes the deposition of amyloid plaque, and eventually may cause development of AD. HSV-1 enters host cells and can infect the olfactory system, trigeminal ganglia, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus, and may cause AD-like pathological changes.

Modulation of AβPP and GSK3β by Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Involvement in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a dementia disease with neuronal loss and synaptic impairment. This impairment is caused, at least partly, by the generation of two main AD hallmarks, namely the hyperphosphorylated tau protein comprising neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques containing amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. The amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) are two main proteins associated with AD and are closely correlated with these hallmarks.

Effects of activin A on the activities of the mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Activin A is a kind of pre-inflammatory factor that belongs to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily. To investigate the effect and mechanism of activin A on the activities of mouse macrophages, the secretion of NO in the supernatant of cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages was examined by NO assay kit, and the expression of iNOS, ActRIIA and ARIP2 mRNA in mouse peritoneal macrophages was analyzed by RT-PCR. The results showed that activin A stimulated the secretion of NO and the expression of iNOS mRNA in non-activated mouse macrophages in a time- and dose-dependent manner.