Effects of astaxanthin on expression of apoptosis and oxidative stress related genes in HO induced oxidative stress BE(2)-C human neuroblastoma cell line.

Antioxidants may affect the apoptosis induced by oxidative stress experimental models. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of astaxanthin on expression of apoptosis and oxidative stress-related genes in HO induced oxidative stress BE(2)-C human neuroblastoma cell line. This experimental study consisted of six groups including control, HO induced oxidative stress control, 100 mM vitamin C intervention, 25 μM astaxanthin intervention (Ax1), 50 μM astaxanthin intervention (Ax2) and 100 μM astaxanthin intervention (Ax3). Real-time PCR was used to study the expression of , , Caspase3 (), , peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (), superoxide dismutase (), glutathione peroxidase 1 (), catalase () and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (). According to the results, among the apoptosis-related genes, was down-regulated in groups vitamin C, Ax1 and Ax2 compared with HO group, while was down-regulated only in group vitamin C ( < 0.05). Among the oxidative stress-related genes, was up-regulated in groups Ax1, Ax2 and Ax3 compared with HO group, while all the experimental groups showed up-regulation for and ( < 0.05). In conclusion, astaxanthin as a powerful antioxidant could inhibit apoptosis amelioration of gene which might be through amelioration of some antioxidant-related genes.