Activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway Contributes to the Protective Effects of Sargassum serratifolium Extract against Oxidative Stress-Induced DNA Damage and Apoptosis in SW1353 Human Chondrocytes

• Main Authors: Cheol Park, Su Hyun Hong, Soon Shik Shin, Dae-Sung Lee, Min Ho Han, Hee-Jae Cha, Suhkmann Kim, Heui-Soo Kim, Gi-Young Kim, Eui Kyun Park, You-Jin Jeon, Yung Hyun Choi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-06-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: Sargassum serratifolium C. Agardh; chondrocytes; oxidative stress; apoptosis; Nrf2/HO-1
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/6/1173

Oxidative stress in chondrocytes plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis as an important cause of articular cartilage degradation. Sargassum serratifolium C. Agardh, a marine brown algae, is known to have potent antioxidant activity. Nevertheless, no study has been conducted yet on the protective efficacy against oxidative stress in chondrocytes. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to investigate the mechanism of the antioxidative effect of ethanol extract of S. serratifolium (EESS) on DNA damage and apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in SW1353 human chondrocytes. For this purpose, SW1353 cells exposed to H2O2 in the presence or absence of EESS were applied to cell viability assay, comet assay, immunoblotting and flow cytometry analyses. Our results showed that EESS effectively attenuated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage associated with the inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. EESS also weakened the mitochondria membrane permeabilization by H2O2, and recovered H2O2-induced decreased expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and pro-caspase-3, and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. In addition, EESS increased not only expression, but also phosphorylation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and promoted the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a critical target enzyme of Nrf2, but decreased the expression of kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1; however, the inhibition of HO-1 activity by zinc protoporphyrin abolished the antioxidant potential induced by EESS against H2O2-mediated oxidative stress. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that the antioxidant efficacy of EESS in chondrocytes is at least involved in the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway-dependent mechanism.