Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia that occurs in the elderly. Amyloid hypothesis is one of the most studied pathological mechanisms, and β-amyloid (Aβ) is the drug target for most clinical trials. Mitochondrial dysfunction induced by the Aβ-precursor protein (APP)/Aβ has been suggested to play a key role in the development of AD. Here, we explored the effects of myricetin, a polyphenol compound abundant in fruits and vegetables, on mitochondrial damages in N2a-SW cells. After the treatment of myricetin, mitochondrial depolarization was improved by increasing the mitochondrial membrane potential. Mitochondrial biogenesis as well as mitochondrial genome integrity was enhanced via increased levels of PGC-1α, Nrf1, TFAM, and the copy number of mtDNA. Mitochondrial functions were restored as represented by the increased levels of proteins involved in the electron transport chain and the adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) content and the decreased concentration of ROS. Mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy were ameliorated through the regulation of proteins involved in fusion (OPA1 and Mfn2), fission (Drp1 and Fis1), and mitophagy (PINK1 and Parkin). Thus, it is summarized that myricetin could recover the mitochondrial impairments in N2a-SW cells, exhibiting the potential to promote neuroprotection for APP/Aβ-related diseases, including AD.