Effect of creatine on antiapoptotic processes

Author: Alexandre Tsiklauri
Keywords: Creatine, apoptosis, psycho-emotional stress, brain, Stress, MPTP, Bax, Bad, Bcl-2.
Annotation:

Disturbances in natural Circadian rhythm are well-known stress factors affecting a range of metabolic pathways in the living body including the brain. Influence of various stressors frequently alters brain calcium concentrations, thus inducing so called Ca2+-cytotoxicity. Hence, discovery of natural compounds that could help to prevent and cure of adverse changes is very important. One of the recently discussed substances is creatine, that is actively taking part in high-energy phosphate transferring and storage, and it is believed to have anti-stressor properties. It is known that the quantitative changes of Ca2+ negatively affect cell functioning, particularly, the increase of the Ca2+ gives rise to oxidation processes. According to the complexity of the problem, it is important to obtain the biologically active compounds that would serve as protectors to some extent, such as a nitrogen compound creatine, which is responsible for the transportation and preservation of highly energetic phosphates in a cell. This research aimed to learn identify the influence of creatine on the anti-apoptotic processes and mitochondrial mega channel (MPTP) functioning in the white rat hippocampus. The results indicate that the control (G1) and stressed (G2) animals differ in open-filed behavioral parameters, particularly experimental animals show reduced exploratory activity and elevated fear and anxiety-like reactions. Oxidative stress induced by long-term disturbances in natural circadian rhythm is accompanied and likely provoked by an increase in Ca2+ levels. Therefore, creatine impact on energy mediating pathways has a positive effect on stabilization of antioxidant, as well as different metabolic systems, thus protecting the hippocampal cells from further stress impact. Moreover, it is shown that as a result of stress caused by continuous circadian rhythm disruption, the number of viable brain hippocampus cells declines in a rat. Simultaneously with the intraperitoneal administration of creatine, the number of similar cells increases. In addition, apoptotic processes caused by the activation of the mitochondrial mega channel can be considered to be responsible for the decrease in the number of viable cells.

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Aleksandre Tsiklauri [en]