Work

Soybean isoflavones protect dopaminergic neurons from atrazine damage by inhibiting VPS13A to increase autophagy

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Atrazine (ATR) is a broad-spectrum herbicide with dopaminergic (DAergic) neurotoxicity that can cause Parkinson's disease (PD)-like syndrome. However, research on preventing ATR neurotoxicity is unclear. Soybean isoflavones (SI) are natural plant compounds with neuroprotective effects. In this study, we found that pre-administration of SI prevented ATR-induced motor dysfunction and substantia nigra pathological damage. RNA-seq datasets revealed that the neuroprotective effect of SI was related to autophagy. Further experiments showed that ATR inhibited autophagy, and SI pre-administration before ATR exposure increased autophagy. In addition, single-cell data analysis combined with experimental verification showed that the gene VPS13A was a key target by which SI protected DAergic neurons from ATR damage, and inhibiting VPS13A-induced autophagy was a key mechanism enabling SI prevention of neuron damage. Together, these findings provide new insights for the development of preventive measures and intervention targets protecting against functional neuronal damage caused by ATR and other herbicides.

Source: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117225

Authors: Peng Li, Weiyi Song, Nuo Xu, Zijie Wang, Haoying Pang, Dandan Wang

Institution: Xuzhou Medical College

Language: English

Topic: Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments

Subfield: Neurology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,990