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NADPH oxidase produces reactive oxygen species and maintains survival of rat astrocytes
Author(s) -
Liu Qing,
Kang JiuHong,
Zheng RongLiang
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
cell biochemistry and function
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1099-0844
pISSN - 0263-6484
DOI - 10.1002/cbf.1171
Subject(s) - reactive oxygen species , nadph oxidase , oxygen , chemistry , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , organic chemistry
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by activated astrocytes have been considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, while NADPH oxidase is an essential enzyme involved in ROS‐mediated signal transduction. The goal of the present study was to determine whether NADPH oxidase plays a role in ROS generation and cell survival in rat astrocytes. We found that the release of ROS in rat astrocytes was significantly increased by stimulation with calcium ionophore or opsonized zymosan, which are known to trigger a respiration burst in phagocytes by the NADPH oxidase pathway. Further study indicated that diphenylene iodonium (DPI), an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, significantly suppressed the increase of ROS release caused by the calcium ionophore or opsonized zymosan. Cell survival assay and fluorescence double dyeing with acridine orange and ethidium bromide showed that DPI dose‐ and time‐dependently decreased the viability of normal astrocytes, whereas exogenous supplementation of H 2 O 2 can reverse the survival of DPI‐treated astrocytes. For the first time, our results suggest that NADPH oxidase is an important enzyme for the generation of ROS in astrocytes, and the ROS generated by NADPH oxidase play an essential role in astrocyte survival. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.