Neuritogenic and neuroprotective effects of polar steroids from the Far East starfishes Patiria pectinifera and Distolasterias nipon.

ABSTRACT

The neuritogenic and neuroprotective activities of six starfish polar steroids, asterosaponin Р1, (25S)-5α-cholestane-3ß,4ß,6α,7α,8,15α,16ß,26-octaol, and (25S)-5α-cholestane-3ß,6α,7α,8,15α,16ß,26-heptaol (1-3) from the starfish Patiria pectinifera and distolasterosides D1-D3 (4-6) from the starfish Distolasterias nipon were analyzed using the mouse neuroblastoma (NB) C-1300 cell line and an organotypic rat hippocampal slice culture (OHSC). All of these compounds enhanced neurite outgrowth in NB cells. Dose-dependent responses to compounds 1-3 were observed within the concentration range of 10-100 nM, and dose-dependent responses to glycosides 4-6 were observed at concentrations of 1-50 nM. All the tested substances exhibited notable synergistic effects with trace amounts of nerve growth factor (NGF, 1 ng/mL) or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, 0.1 ng/mL). Using NB cells and OHSCs, it was shown for the first time that starfish steroids 1-6 act as neuroprotectors against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) by increasing the number of surviving cells. Altogether, these results suggest that neurotrophin-like neuritogenic and neuroprotective activities are most likely common properties of starfish polyhydroxysteroids and the related glycosides, although the magnitude of the effect depended on the particular compound structure.