Nrf2-mediated protective effect of alpha-lipoic acid on synaptic oxidative damage and inhibition of PKC/ERK/CREB pathway in bisphenol A-exposed HT-22 cells

The harmful effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on learning and memory may involve hippocampal oxidative damage; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Antioxidants that antagonize BPA-induced neuronal oxidative damage lack research. This study aimed to develop an in vitro model using the HT-22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cell line to investigate the neurotoxic mechanism of BPA and the protective effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) inhibition. The results showed that ALA reduced BPA-induced reactive oxygen species and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) levels; however, inhibiting Nrf2 weakened the protective effects of ALA. BPA reduced mitochondrial complex I/III activity and ATP levels, but ALA ameliorated this damage. ALA improved the BPA-induced downregulation of the kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (keap1)/Nrf2 system, synaptic-related proteins, and the protein kinase C (PKC)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) pathway; however, the protective effects of ALA were weakened when Nrf2 was inhibited. Our results suggest that BPA causes oxidative damage to HT-22 cells by damaging mitochondrial function, nNOS, and the keap1/Nrf2 system, thereby impairing synaptic-related proteins and the PKC/ERK/CREB pathway. ALA counters BPA-induced damage via Nrf2, which may be a significant target for the protective action of ALA.