Elucidation of Neuroprotective Properties of Astrocytoma (Astrocytes-like) Cells in Neural Cell Culture Models In Vitro: Applications in Tissue Engineering and Nanotoxicology

摘要

Evidence is accumulating that cell culture models in vitro facilitate high throughput and mechanistic studies in tissue engineering. Astrocytes are known to protect neurons against pathophysiological assaults in vivo and in vitro without fully elucidated underlying mechanism. Previously, we investigate several of the putative neuroprotective properties of astrocytes in cell culture model. Those studies led us to hypothesize that different stress factors can elicit and/or enhance the neuroprotective effects of astrocytes through the activation of astrocytic signaling and alteration of astroglial function. The results of this study suggest that U87 (astrocytes-like) astrocytoma cells exert some protective effects on SK-N-SH (neurons-like) neuroblastoma cells against pathophysiolo-gical assaults (e.g., oxidative stress) under several sets of culture conditions not previously studied. Thus, our results may have pathophysiological implications and applications in neuroprotection, tissue engineering, and nanotoxicological research.