NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF NEW “UNIBO” SWEET CHERRY CULTIVARS

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), are characterized by a multifactorial etiology and one of the most impacting factors is represented by oxidative stress, a biochemical process that is given by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endogenous antioxidant defenses. Cherries, and in particular sweet cherries, are a nutritionally dense food rich in anthocyanins, quercetin, hydroxycinnamates, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and melatonin. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of different Sweet Unibo cherries (Prunus avium L.), obtained through a natural breeding program at the University of Bologna, in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells differentiated with Retinoic Acid (RA). Five different cherry extracts were characterized by HPLC-DAD/FL analysis. Cells were treated with the different cherry extracts for 24 h before H2O2 exposure. All the extracts, except one, were able to significantly increase cell viability, measured by MTT assay, in respect to cells exposed to H2O2. Moreover, the same four extracts reduced ROS production as measured by the dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay meanwhile only three of five extracts significantly increased GSH levels in respect to H2O2 exposed cells as measured by monochloro bimane assay. The same extracts that significantly reduced ROS production were also able to up-regulate phase II antioxidant enzymes glutathione reductase and NQO1 as measured by RT-PCR. Our findings support the idea that cherries can have a beneficial health effect in counteracting oxidative stress in neurons and these effects seem to be related to the specific phenolic pattern of the different cherry extracts.