Puerarin attenuates binge ethanol-induced cortical neurotoxicity in association with AKT/mTOR signaling and autophagy-related responses

In a 4-day binge EtOH rat model, Pue attenuated EtOH-associated increases in oxidative stress, neuronal degeneration, and apoptotic markers in cortical tissue. This was accompanied by attenuation of the EtOH-associated reductions in the p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR ratios, as well as an attenuation of EtOH-associated changes in LC3, ATG5, and Beclin-1 expression. In primary cortical neurons, Pue partially attenuated the EtOH-associated loss of neuronal viability and preserved neurite morphology.

Bafilomycin A1 (BafA1)-based analysis of LC3-II and p62/SQSTM1 showed an overall BafA1-sensitive increase in LC3-II without a significant treatment-dependent difference in the BafA1 response. Collectively, these findings suggest that Pue attenuates binge EtOH-induced cortical neurotoxicity in association with changes in AKT/mTOR phosphorylation and autophagy-related responses.</p>