Involvement of ERK1/2 pathway in neuroprotective effects of pyrroloquinoline quinine against rotenone-induced SH-SY5Y cell injury

• PQQ inhibited ROS production induced by ETC complex I and III inhibitors.
• Pretreatment with PQQ protected SH-SY5Y cells against rotenone injury.
• PQQ reduced ROS production and maintained mitochondrial function after rotenone injury.
• ERK1/2 signaling pathway was involved in neuroprotective effects of PQQ.

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a redox cofactor in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, has been shown to protect neurons against glutamate-induced damage both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, specific inhibitors to each of the mitochondrial complexes were used to find out which reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating sites could be affected by PQQ. Then we established an in vitro model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) by exposing cultured SH-SY5Y dopaminergic cells to rotenone, a complex I inhibitor. The neuroprotective effects of PQQ were observed by pretreatment of SH-SY5Y cells with PQQ before rotenone injury, and the possible involvement of certain signaling pathways were investigated. PQQ pretreatment prevented SH-SY5Y cells from rotenone-induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. PQQ neuroprotection was associated with inhibition of intracellular ROS production, modulation of the expression of apoptosis-related Bcl-2 and Bax, and regulation of the level of superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and malondialdehyde. Meanwhile, PQQ up-regulated the gene expression of Ndufs 1, 2, and 4 (complex I subunits), and increased mitochondrial viability and mitochondrial DNA content. Furthermore, PQQ pretreatment activated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in rotenone-injured SH-SY5Y cells, while ERK1/2 inhibition suppressed PQQ neuroprotection. All the results suggested that PQQ could protect SH-SY5Y cells against rotenone injury by reducing ROS production and maintaining mitochondrial functions through activation of ERK1/2 pathway.