Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #341739
Title: Blueberry and EpidiferphaneTM (EDP) enhance calcium buffering in rat hippocampal cells and reduce stress signalling in microglial cells

Author
item Fisher, Derek
item ZHENG, TONG - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item BIELINSKI, DONNA - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item STEINDLER, DENNIS - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

Submitted to: Society for Neuroscience Abstracts and Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/22/2017
Publication Date: 11/11/2017
Citation: Fisher, D.R., Zheng, T., Bielinski, D.F., Steindler, D., Shukitt Hale, B. 2017. Blueberry and EpidiferphaneTM (EDP) enhance calcium buffering in rat hippocampal cells and reduce stress signalling in microglial cells. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts and Proceedings. Program #667.15.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Age-related decrements are thought to result from increased susceptibility to and accumulating effects of oxidative stress and inflammation. Some foods and food compounds contain bioactive phytochemicals that exhibit potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, and these foods have been shown to mitigate cognitive decline in aged animals and humans, perhaps by increasing neurogenesis. At least part of the loss of cognitive function in aging may be dependent upon a dysregulation in Ca2+ homeostasis, and this loss affects numerous signaling pathways. This study examined whether the polyphenolics from blueberries or EpidiferphaneTM (EDP), a combination of phytochemicals incorporating green tea catechin (epigallocatechin gallate, EGCG), curcumin from turmeric, and broccoli sprouts which contain the isothiocyanate sulforaphane, could enhance calcium buffering in neurons and/or reduce stress signalling in microglial cells. Therefore, rat hippocampal neurons or HAPI microglial cells were pre-treated for a week with various concentrations of either freeze-dried blueberry (BB) extract, EDP, or its individual components before inducing deficits in Ca2+ buffering with dopamine (DA, 0.1uM for 2 hours) or inflammation using lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 ng/ml overnight), respectively. Results showed that BB and EDP were able to protect against deficits in Ca2+ buffering (both % of cells that recovered and time to recovery, p < 0.05) induced by DA, showing that pre-treatment with these compounds can reduce both stress- and inflammatory- induced neuronal dysfunction. Additionally, BB and EDP reduced (p < 0.05) stress-mediated signalling in HAPI rat microglial cells by attenuating LPS-induced nitrite release, iNOS expression, TNF-alpha release, and COX-2 expression. The individual components of EDP were not as effective as the whole compound, showing that the individual polyphenols in the different components may be acting synergistically or exerting their effects through different and/or independent mechanisms. Therefore, dietary intervention with compounds such as those found in blueberry, green tea, turmeric, or broccoli sprouts can play a role in reducing the age-related central nervous system inflammation, microglial activation, and stimulation of immune pathways that reduce neurogenesis and impair cognitive function.