Baicalein protects cortical neurons from beta-amyloid (25-35) induced toxicity

Accumulation of amyloid beta peptide (A B) has been suggested to contribute to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since chronic inflammati on occurs in AD pathogenesis and lipoxygenases are important mediators of i nflammatory processes, we evaluated the effect of lipoxygenase inhibitors o n apoptosis induced by A beta on rat cortical cells. The 12-lipoxygenase in hibitor baicalein attenuated both neuronal apoptosis and c-jun protein over -expression induced by A beta (25-35), whereas no protection was found with the broad spectrum lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid or the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor caffeic acid. These results suggest that 12-lipox ygenase participates in a c-jun-dependent apoptosis pathway triggered by A beta (25-35), and that specific 12-lipoxygenase inhibitors might be of inte rest in AD. NeuroReport 12:2199-2202 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins .