Attenuation of amyloid‐β‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction by active components of anthocyanins in HT22 neuronal cells

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common form of neurodegenerative disease in the elderly. Amyloid‐β (Aβ)‐associated neurotoxicity is an important component of the neurodegenerative change in AD. Recent studies have revealed a beneficial effect of anthocyanins in improving learning and memory in AD animal models. Using cultured HT22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cells as an in vitro model, we examined in this study the protective effect of ten pure components of anthocyanins against Aβ (42)‐induced cytotoxicity and also investigated the mechanism of their protective effects. We found that treatment of HT22 cells with the pure components of anthocyanins dose‐dependently rescued Aβ (42)‐induced cytotoxicity, with slightly different potencies. Using petunidin as a representative compound, we found that it enhanced mitochondrial homeostasis and function in Aβ (42)‐treated HT22 cells. Mechanistically, petunidin facilitated β‐catenin nuclear translocation and enhanced the interaction between β‐catenin and TCF7, which subsequently upregulated mitochondrial homeostasis‐related protein Mfn2, thereby promoting restoration of mitochondrial homeostasis and function in Aβ (42)‐treated HT22 cells. Together, these results reveal that the pure components of anthocyanins have a strong protective effect in HT22 cells against Aβ (42)‐induced cytotoxicity by ameliorating mitochondrial homeostasis and function in a β‐catenin/TCF‐dependent manner.