Protective Effects of 6,7,4′-Trihydroxyflavanone on Hypoxia-Induced Neurotoxicity by Enhancement of HO-1 through Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

Since hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity is one of the major causes of neurodegenerative disorders, including the Alzheimer’s disease, continuous efforts to find a novel antioxidant from natural products are required for public health. 6,7,4′-trihydroxyflavanone (THF), isolated from Dalbergia odorifera, has been shown to inhibit osteoclast formation and have an antibacterial activity. However, no evidence has reported whether THF has a protective role against hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity. In this study, we found that THF is not cytotoxic, but pre-treatment with THF has a cytoprotective effect on CoCl(2)-induced hypoxia by restoring the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins in SH-SY5y cells. In addition, pre-treatment with THF suppressed CoCl(2)-induced hypoxia-related genes including HIF1α, p53, VEGF, and GLUT1 at the mRNA and protein levels. Pre-treatment with THF also attenuated the oxidative stress occurred by CoCl(2)-induced hypoxia by preserving antioxidant proteins, including SOD and CAT. We revealed that treatment with THF promotes HO-1 expression through Nrf2 nuclear translocation. An inhibitor assay using tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPP) confirmed that the enhancement of HO-1 by pre-treatment with THF protects SH-SY5y cells from CoCl(2)-induced neurotoxicity under hypoxic conditions. Our results demonstrate the advantageous effects of THF against hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity through the HO-1/Nrf2 signaling pathway and provide a therapeutic insight for neurodegenerative disorders.