RESUMO
Oxidative stress is one of the earlier events causing neuronal dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Gomisin N (GN), a lignin isolated from Schisandra chinensis, has anti-oxidative stress effects. There are currently no studies on the neuroprotective potential of GN in AD. In this study, two AD models were treated with GN for 8 weeks. The cognitive functions, amyloid deposition, and neuronal death were assessed. Additionally, the expressions of critical proteins in the GSK3ß/Nrf2 signaling pathway were determined in vivo and in vitro. We showed that GN significantly upregulated the expressions of Nrf2, p-GSK3ßSer9/GSK3ß, NQO1 and HO-1 proteins in SHSY-5Y/APPswe cells after H2O2 injury, whereas the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 reversed the increase in the expressions of Nrf2, p-GSK3ßSer9/GSK3ß, NQO1 and HO-1 proteins induced by GN administration. In a further study, GN could significantly improve the learning and memory dysfunctions of the rat and mouse AD models, reduce the area of Aß plaques in the hippocampus and cortex, and increase the number and function of neurons. Here, we first demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of GN on AD in vivo and in vitro. A possible mechanism by which GN prevents AD is proposed: GN significantly increased the expressions of Nrf2, p-GSK3Ser9/GSK3ß and NQO1 proteins in the brain of AD animal models and promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation, then activated Nrf2 downstream genes to combat oxidative stress in AD pathogenesis. GN might be a promising therapeutic agent for AD.