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Sarhan NR, El Nashar EM, Hamza E, El-Beah SM, Alghamdi MA, Al-Khater KM, Aldahhan RA, Abul-Ela ES. Nuclear factor erythrogen-2 associated factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling is an essential molecular pathway for the anti-aging effect of whey protein in the prefrontal cortex of aging rat model (Histological and Biochemical Study). Tissue Cell 2023; 84:102192. [PMID: 37579617 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2023.102192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a highly complicated natural process. Brain aging is associated with remarkable neurodegenerative changes and oxidative damage. Whey protein (WP) has been mentioned to have an antioxidant property. Nuclear factor erythrogen-2 associated factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway is an antioxidant defense system. Nrf2 activity declines with age so, its activation could be a promising therapeutic strategy for aging. This study aimed to explore the anti-aging role of WP against D-galactose (D-gal) induced age-related degenerative changes and oxidative damage in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and investigate its underlying mechanisms. Forty adult male rats were divided into 4 groups; control, WP group received WP (28.77 mg/kg/day) by gastric tube on the 4th experimental week; D-gal (model group) received D-gal (300 mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally for 8 weeks and D-gal +WP group received WP on the 4th week of D-gal treatment. Specimens from PFC were obtained for biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical and western blot analysis. WP treatment in D-gal +WP group reduced lipid peroxidation, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, decreased advanced glycation end products level and improved the histological and ultrastructural alterations. Moreover, the number of neurons expressed the senescence marker; p21 and percentage area of the astrocytic marker; glial fibrillary acidic protein were significantly reduced. WP also enhanced Nrf2 pathway and its downstream targets; heme oxygenase-1 and NADPH quinone oxidoreductase 1. In conclusion WP alleviates the D-gal-induced PFC aging through activating Nrf2 pathway, reducing cell senescence and gliosis. So, it may be a potential therapeutic target to retard the aging process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahla Reda Sarhan
- Medical Histology and Cell Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt; Medical Histology and Cell Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Horus University - Egypt.
| | - Eman Mohamed El Nashar
- Department of Anatomy, college of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eman Hamza
- Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt; Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Horus University - Egypt
| | - Shimaa M El-Beah
- Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt; Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Badr University in Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mansour Abdullah Alghamdi
- Department of Anatomy, college of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia; Genomics and Personalized Medicine Unit, college of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khulood Mohammed Al-Khater
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box, 2114, Dammam 31451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rashid A Aldahhan
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box, 2114, Dammam 31451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eman Shaaban Abul-Ela
- Medical Histology and Cell Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt
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