Calcium channel blockers can reduce iron-induced apoptosis in neuroal stem cells

Abstract

Excessive iron accumulation in the brain with oxidative damage has commonly been observed in haemorrhagic stroke as well as neurodegenerative disorders. It is partly mediated via extracellular signal–regulated kinases (ERK) signalling cascades that regulate a diverse neuronal functional processes including cell death. Since L-type calcium channels are key passages responsible for the iron entry into neuronal cells and therefore we postulated its blocker, nimodipine and flunarizine, could potentially protect against iron-induced neurotoxicity in neural stem cells (NSCs). In-vitro studies of iron overload on murine-derived multipotent neural stem cell line C17.2 cells and rat embryonic (E13.5) hippocampal neural stem cells (hNSCs) were performed. The cytotoxic effect of various forms of iron compound ...