Puerarin Ameliorates Ferroptosis in Neuronal Injury Through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

Abstract

Ferroptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neuronal damage, generally mediated by iron and lipid peroxidation. In the present study, we measured the protective effects of puerarin against corticosterone-induced neuronal injury via PI3K/AKT-mediated activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). After exposing corticosterone-treated PC12 cells to indicated compounds, we measured the key regulators of ferroptosis (ferritin, SLC7A11, and Ptgs2), ferroptosis events (levels of iron, ROS, MDA, and GSH), and the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 axis. Corticosterone induced ferroptosis in PC12 cells, evidenced by reduced levels of ferritin, SLC7A11, and GSH and increased levels of iron, ROS, and MDA. These effects were reversed by inhibiting ferroptosis with ferrostatin-1. Puerarin-mediated activation of Nrf2 repressed ferroptosis in corticosterone-treated PC12 cells by upregulating ferritin and SLC7A11 expression. Moreover, the protective effects of puerarin on ferroptosis in corticosterone-treated cells relied on the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway though the upregulation of nuclear Nrf2. These findings indicate that ferroptosis plays an essential role in corticosterone-induced neuronal damage, and puerarin protects against ferroptosis in corticosterone-treated cells via PI3K/AKT-mediated activation of Nrf2.