1. Academic Validation
  2. Effects of Curcumin on Axon Growth and Myelin Sheath Formation in an In Vitro Model

Effects of Curcumin on Axon Growth and Myelin Sheath Formation in an In Vitro Model

  • Neurochem Res. 2023 May 6. doi: 10.1007/s11064-023-03946-4.
Luchen Yang # 1 Zhengju Ren # 1 2 Pan Song # 1 Zhenghuan Liu 1 Zhufeng Peng 1 Jing Zhou 1 Qiang Dong 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China.
  • 2 Department of Urology, the Second affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, PR China.
  • 3 Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China. dqiang666@163.com.
  • # Contributed equally.
Abstract

Although the beneficial effects of curcumin, extracted from rhizomes of the ginger family genus Curcuma, on the repair and regeneration of nerves have been evaluated in vitro, there are few studies concerning its effects on axon myelination. Here, we used pheochromocytoma cells as an in vitro model of peripheral nerves. Pheochromocytoma cells were cultured alone or cocultured with Schwann cells and treated with increasing concentrations of curcumin. Cell growth was observed, and the expression levels of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin protein zero (MPZ), Krox-20, and octamer binding factor 6 (Oct-6) were quantified. We found a significant increase in expression of all six proteins following curcumin treatment, with a corresponding increase in the levels of MBP, MPZ, Krox-20, and Oct-6 mRNA. Upregulation was greater with increasing curcumin concentration, showing a concentration-dependent effect. The results suggested that curcumin can promote the growth of axons by upregulating the expression of GAP-43 and MAP-2, stimulate synthesis and secretion of myelin-related proteins, and facilitate formation of the myelin sheath in axons by upregulating the expression of Krox-20 and Oct-6. Therefore, curcumin could be widely applied in future strategies for the treatment of nerve injuries.

Keywords

Axons; Curcumin; Myelination; Nerve injuries; Schwann cells.

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