Erucic acid protected against dopamine neuron degeneration by attenuating oxidative stress and neuroinflammation via PI3K/AKT signaling in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Characterized by disabling dyskinesias, Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease, which leads to neuronal death in the substantia nigra and striatum areas of the brain. Erucic acid, an ingestible omega-9 fatty acid, can be isolated from R.sativus L. Multiple effects including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory have been identified in different neurodegenerative disorders. We attended to explore the role of erucic acid in MPTP-induced mouse.

METHODS: Mouse was treated with MPTP (30 mg/kg/d for 5 days) to induce PD model in vivo. A series of experiments including behavioral tests, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, ELISA analysis, and biochemical test were carried out to figure out the role of erucic acid (3 mg/kg/d for 14 days) in vivo.

RESULTS: First, erucic acid improved behavioral disorders of MPTP mice. Moreover, erucic acid inhibited dopaminergic neurodegeneration in substantia nigra and striatum. Furthermore, erucic acid inhibited inflammatory response and oxidative stress injury in mouse treated with MPTP. Mechanistically, erucic acid promoted the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling.

CONCLUSIONS: Erucic acid protected against dopamine neuron degeneration by attenuating oxidative stress and neuroinflammation via PI3K/AKT signaling in PD.