Exploring the Neuroprotective Roles of Oxytocin and Estrogen on Human Glial and Neuronal Cells

This study aimed to explore the neuroprotective effects of oxytocin and estrogen on human glial (A172) and neuronal (SHSY5Y) cells by focusing on cellular viability and the expression of the stress-related gene HSPB1.Neurodegenerative conditions often involve cellular stress, where the modulation of stress-response genes like HSPB1 could offer insights into potential therapeutic strategies.Given that oxytocin and estrogen have been suggested to play protective roles in brain function, this research sought to determine their effects on cell survival and gene regulation in cultured brain cells.We investigated various concentrations of oxytocin and estrogen to assess their impact on the activation of HSPB1 and overall cell viability.Initial experiments demonstrated that higher hormone concentrations (5 nM, 10 nM) induced cell death in both A172 glial and SHSY5Y neuronal cells, indicating the importance of optimizing hormone concentrations.Specifically, we identified that both hormones' lower concentrations (0.1 nM) showed promise in protecting the cells from stress-induced death.Moreover, the co-administration of Retinoic Acid (20 L), which is known to influence differentiation, was found to exacerbate cell death, indicating a possible detrimental interaction with these hormones.Further analysis through live/dead assays suggested that oxytocin and estrogen could enhance cell survival at lower concentrations, particularly in the A172 glial and SHSY5Y neuronal cells.Gene expression analysis revealed a significant downregulation of HSPB1 in response to 0.1 nM estrogen, suggesting that this concentration may activate a protective mechanism by reducing stress-related gene expression.These findings indicate that oxytocin and estrogen, at optimized concentrations, may offer neuroprotective benefits and enhance cellular viability.This study provides a foundation for further investigations into the therapeutic potential of these hormones in neuroprotection and stress regulation.