Coenzyme Q10 Protects Hippocampal Neurons against Ischemia/ Reperfusion Injury via Modulation of BAX/Bcl-2 Expression

Introduction: Preliminary studies have confirmed reduction in cell death following treatment with antioxidants. According to this finding we study the relationship between consumption of CoQ10 and expression of Bax and Bcl2 in hippocampus following ischemia/reperfusion as proteins involved in cell programmed death or apoptosis. Methods: We studied the protective role of CoQ10 against ischemia-reperfusion. Experimental design includes four groups: intact, ischemic control, sham control and treatment group with CoQ10. The mice were pre-treated with CoQ10 for a week, then ischemia was induced by common carotid artery ligation and following the reduction in inflammation (a week) the mice was treated with CoQ10. Nissl staining was applied for counting the necrotic cells of hippocampus and the western blot was performed to measure the Bax and Bcl2 expression. Results: Cell death was significantly lower when mice were treated with CoQ10. Bax expression was significantly high in the ischemic group but low in the treatment group, and the bcl2 expression was lower in the ischemic group than the treatment and the vehicle groups. Discussion: Ischemia for 15 minutes induced cell death in hippocampus with more potent effect on CA1. CoQ10 intake significantly reduced cell death and prevented the expression of Bax while inducing an increase in expression of bcl2.