Ganoderma Lucidum polysaccharides protect against MPP+ and rotenone-induced apoptosis in primary dopaminergic cell cultures through inhibiting oxidative stress

Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the progressive neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD) which is responsible for disabling motor abnormalities in more than 6.5 million people worldwide. Polysaccharides are the main active constituents from Ganoderma lucidum which is characterized with anti-oxidant, antitumor and immunostimulant properties. In the present study, primary dopaminergic cell cultures prepared from embryonic mouse mesencephala were used to investigate the neuroprotective effects and the potential mechanisms of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP) on the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons induced by the neurotoxins methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP+) and rotenone. Results revealed that GLP can protect dopamine neurons against MPP+ and rotenone at the concentrations of 100, 50 and 25 μg/ml in primary mesencephalic cultures in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, either with or without neurotoxin treatment, GLP treatment elevated the survival of THir neurons, and increased the length of neurites of dopaminergic neurons. The Trolox equivalent anti-oxidant capacity (TEAC) of GLP was determined to be 199.53 μmol Trolox/g extract, and the decrease of mitochondrial complex I activity induced by MPP+ and rotenone was elevated by GLP treatment (100, 50, 25 and 12.5 μg/ml) in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, GLP dramatically decreased the relative number of apoptotic cells and increased the declining mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) induced by MPP+ and rotenone in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, GLP treatment reduced the ROS formation induced by MPP+ and rotenone at the concentrations of 100, 50 and 25 μg/ml in a dose-dependent manner. Our study indicates that GLP possesses neuroprotective properties against MPP+ and rotenone neurotoxicity through suppressing oxidative stress in primary mesencephalic dopaminergic cell culture owning to its antioxidant activities