Effect of trilinolein on the activity and gene expression of superoxide dismutase in cultured rat brain astrocytes

Cerbrovascular disease is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortalit y in recent. Oxygen free radicals produced during cerebral infarction incre ases the damage to neurons. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is the endogenous an tioxidant enzyme that can effectively scavenge superoxide radicals. Trilino lein is a lipophilic antioxidant purified from the herb of Panax pseudogins eng. In the cultured rat brain astrocytes (RBA), the activity of SOD (both Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD subtypes) was markedly increased by incubation with tr ilinolein at low concentration (0.1 mu M) for 2 days. This stimulatory effe ct of trilinolein was not related to the incubating concentration. However, long-term (7 days) incubation with trilinolein at same concentration decre ased the activity. Similar changes were also observed in the gene expressio n of SOD in RBA; short-term (2 days) incubation of RBA by 0.1 mu M trilinol ein increased the mRNA level that was lowered in RBA received a long-term i ncubation with 0.1 mu M trilinolein. This result shows that trilinolein is an effective antioxidant to increase the activity of SOD in RBA which would be beneficial to neurons subjected to oxygen free radical damage. However, long-term medication of antioxidant shall be concerned. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.