Pyruvate protects neurons against A-beta peptides characteristic for Alzheimer's

Pyruvate is one of major energy carriers in the brain, it is shown to be protective against damaging consequences of neurotoxins, such as hydrogen peroxide, glutamate, zinc, and copper/cysteine (1). Pyruvate plus another energy substrate, malate, in addition to standard glucose concentrations, protects embryonic neurons in the brain region such as hippocampus and cortex against glutamate excitotoxicity (2). These pyruvate and malate effects promoting neuronal survival were preferential over over glucose suggested that glucose-derived pyruvate from glucose may be limited in neurons studied in vitro, especially under conditions of elevated energy demands. neurons.

Supplementation of glucose-containing culture media with energy substrates, pyruvate plus malate (P/M), protected rat primary neurons from degeneration and death caused by A-beta peptides characteristic for Alzheimer's disease (3).

References

1. Eimerl and Schramm 1995; Desagher et al., 1997; Ruiz et al., 1998; Sheline et al., 2000; Wang and Cynader, 2001
2. Ruiz et al., 1998
3. Alvarez et al., 2003

Source: Pyruvate Protection Against -Amyloid-Induced Neuronal Death: Role of Mitochondrial Redox State. Gema Alvarez, Milagros Ramos, Francisca Ruiz, Jorgina Satrustegui, and Elena Bogonez. Journal of Neuroscience Research 73:260-269 (2003)