Protective effects of lipid extract from brains of silver carp against oxidative damage in HEK-293 cells

Abstract

Previous studies verified the protective effects of fish lipids against diseases caused by oxidative damage. Fish brains are rich in lipids. However, the actions and mechanisms of fish brain lipids on potent antioxidant activities remain unclear. In this study, total lipids (TLs) extracted from silver-carp brain were separated into neutral lipids (NLs) and polar lipids (PLs), and the protective roles of lipid fractions (LFs) against H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage were examined in a human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) cell line. LFs effectively resisted H₂O₂-induced oxidative injury in HEK-293 cells by reducing cellular reactive oxygen species levels, protecting cellular antioxidant enzyme systems, inhibiting cell apoptosis and necrosis, and diminishing loss of mitochondrial-membrane potential. Among the TLs, PLs surpassed NLs in conferring antioxidant activities. The present study may help to explain the protective role of fish lipids against diseases caused by oxidative damage and promote fish-brain-derived lipids as potential preventive and therapeutic agents for human health.