Editor-in-Chief
Hatice Kübra Elçioğlu
Vice Editors
Levent Kabasakal
Esra Tatar
Online ISSN
2630-6344
Publisher
Marmara University
Frequency
Bimonthly (Six issues / year)
Abbreviation
J.Res.Pharm.
Former Name
Marmara Pharmaceutical Journal
Journal of Research in Pharmacy
2022 , Vol 26 , Issue 2
Downregulation of aromatase by siRNA decreases acetylcholinesterase mRNA and specific activity in SH-SY5Y cells
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
DOI :
10.29228/jrp.134
Anti-hormone therapy mediated cognitive decline among cancer patients has been referred to as
chemobrain. Current literature indicates that declined estrogen in the brain may be contributing to the genesis of this
phenomenon. Aromatase is a key enzyme that converts C19 steroids to estrogen in the brain, although its involvement
in cognitive function has remained obscure. This study evaluated the downregulation of aromatase by siRNA treatment
and the effect of aromatase downregulation on mRNA expression and specific activity of acetylcholinesterase in SHSY5Y
cells. short interfering RNA duplexes were employed to achieve aromatase gene downregulation in SH-SY5Y
cells. The reduction of aromatase mRNA was analyzed by real-time PCR. Estradiol levels were determined to confirm
the downregulation by a commercial ELISA kit. Acetylcholinesterase mRNA level of siRNA-treated SH-SY5Y cells was
analyzed employing Real-time PCR. Specific acetylcholinesterase activity was determined using the Ellman method.
Viability and caspase 3/7 activity was examined using ApoTox-GloTM Triplex Assay. zVad-Fmk was employed as a
pan-caspase inhibitor in experimental groups.Real-time PCR analysis showed a significant decrease in aromatase
mRNA. The downregulation data was also confirmed using an ELISA estradiol kit. Acetylcholinesterase mRNA level
was determined significantly reduced in siRNA-treated SH-SY5Y cells. It was observed that the specific activity of
acetylcholinesterase was also reduced. Aromatase downregulation didn’t alter viability or caspase 3/7 activity of SHSY5Y
cells. However, aromatase downregulation increased susceptibility to caspase-dependent apoptosis.Considering
our findings, there may be interactions between aromatase and acetylcholinesterase that have not yet been elucidated
and may contribute to the mechanism of chemobrain.
Keywords :
Aromatase inhibitor; Acetylcholinesterase; chemobrain; siRNA; estrogen