Neuroprotective Effect of α-Lipoic Acid against Aβ25–35-Induced Damage in BV2 Cells

Abstract

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is significantly increasing due to the aging world population, and the currently available drug treatments cannot cure or even slow its progression. α-lipoic acid (LA) is a biological factor widely found in spinach and meat and can dissolve in both lipid and aqueous phases. In medicine, LA has been shown to reduce the symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy, acute kidney injury, cancers, and some metabolism-related diseases. This study to proves that α-lipoic acid (LA) can stabilize the cognitive function of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). BV2 cells were divided into control, LA, Aβ25–35, and LA + Aβ25–35 groups. Cell growth; IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, SOD, GPx, CAT, ROS, NO, and iNOS secretion; Wnt-related proteins; cell apoptosis; and cell activation were examined. Here, we found that LA could effectively repress apoptosis and changes in the morphology of microglia BV2 cells activated by Aβ25–35, accompanied by the inhibition of the inflammatory response induced by Aβ25–35. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is also involved in preventing Aβ25–35-induced cytotoxicity in microglia by LA. We found an inhibitory effect of LA on microglia toxicity induced by Aβ25–35, suggesting that a combination of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances may offer a promising approach to the treatment of AD.