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Pyrroloquinoline quinone protects nucleus pulposus cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis by inhibiting the mitochondria-mediated pathway

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Abstract

Purpose

Intervertebral disc cell apoptosis has been suggested to play a key role in promoting disc degeneration, and many studies have shown that the mechanism may be related to oxidative stress. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a redox cofactor for bacterial dehydrogenases, possesses the potential to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibit cell apoptosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of PQQ on cultured rat nucleus pulposus (NP) cells under conditions of oxidative injury induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and to investigate the underlying mechanisms in vitro.

Methods

Cell viability was determined by CCK8 assay. Changes in the apoptosis rate, intracellular ROS levels and the mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by flow cytometry. Extracellular matrix (ECM)-related proteins (collagen-2 and aggrecan) and apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2, Bax, cytochrome c, and caspase-3) were investigated by western blotting.

Results

The results show that NP cells pretreated with PQQ before H2O2 exposure exhibited increased cell viability, decreased ROS formation, maintained mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduced apoptosis. In the presence of PQQ, ECM production was maintained by the cells despite being in an apoptotic environment. In addition, pretreatment with PQQ increased the expression of Bcl-2, inhibited the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, and decreased the expressions of Bax and cleaved caspase-3.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that PQQ can protect rat NP cells against oxidative stress via a mitochondria-mediated pathway. PQQ might be useful as a potential pharmaceutical agent in the prevention of intervertebral disc degeneration.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Zhu Jiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253, Gongye Big Road, Guangzhou, 510280, China

    Lianjun Yang, Zijie Rong, Yanlin Cao, Lijun Lin, Yong Chen, Wei Cao & Lixin Zhu

  2. Department of Orthopaedics, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou, 510220, China

    Lianjun Yang

  3. Department of Surgery, Tian He Red-Cross Hospital, Guangzhou, 510660, China

    Mingjun Zeng

  4. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhu Jiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253, Gongye Big Road, Guangzhou, 510280, China

    Xumeng Gong

  5. Department of Histology and Embryology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China

    Weiren Dong

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  1. Lianjun Yang
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  2. Zijie Rong
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  4. Yanlin Cao
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  8. Wei Cao
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  9. Lixin Zhu
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  10. Weiren Dong
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Correspondence to Lixin Zhu or Weiren Dong.

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Yang, L., Rong, Z., Zeng, M. et al. Pyrroloquinoline quinone protects nucleus pulposus cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis by inhibiting the mitochondria-mediated pathway. Eur Spine J 24, 1702–1710 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3630-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-014-3630-2

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