Activation of Tyrosine hydroxylase RNA Expression by Water Extract of Vernonia cinerea in Nicotine-pretreated PC12 Cells
Sermsuvitayawong K, PhD1, Wattanachaiyingcharoen R, PhD2, Kamkaen N, PhD3
Affiliation : 1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand 2 Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand 3 Division of Pharmacognosy, Collage of Pharmacy, Rangsit University, Pathumthani, Thailand
Background : Vernonia cinerea (VC) has been widely applied for smoking cessation. In tobacco users, the activation of dopaminergic
neurons via nicotinic cholinergic receptors results in activated brain reward pathways by nicotine. However, molecular mechanism
of this Vernonia species in tobacco-addiction is unclear.
Objective : The present study aimed to reveal a mechanism whether tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a rate limiting enzyme in
dopaminergic pathway, involved in the bioactivity of Vernonia cinerea on a cellular model of nicotine addict.
Materials and Methods : Rat pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12), dopaminergic cell line, was pre-treated and post-treated under medium
containing nicotine and medium containing water extract of Vernonia cinerea, respectively. Treated cells were analyzed for the
levels of transcripts of TH to determine the functional alteration of genes encoding for this enzyme.
Results : TH transcripts was up-regulated under treatment of various concentration of Vernonia extract. Upon cell cytotoxicity, its
activation was not resulted from the promotion of cell death.
Conclusion : The present study was firstly described the TH activation of bioactive substance in the water extract of Vernonia
cinerea.
Keywords : Vernonia cinerea, Tyrosine hydroxylase, Nicotine, Smoking cessation, PC12 cells
