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Modeling oxidative stress on neuronal dendrites and dendritic spines
Andreas P Katsenos1, Efstathia Kotoula2, Stavroula Sereti2
1Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina 45110 Ioannina, Greece; Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology Research Group, University of Ioannina 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
Neuroscience
|November 28, 2025
Summary
Mild oxidative stress from hydrogen peroxide significantly alters neuronal morphology, specifically dendritic structures, before causing cell death. This finding establishes a new model for studying early neurodegenerative changes and potential antioxidant therapies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Oxidative stress is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, causing neuronal dysfunction and death.
- Developing effective antioxidant therapies for neurons has yielded controversial results.
- A reliable in vitro model is needed to study early-stage neurodegeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a reproducible in vitro oxidative stress model in primary hippocampal neurons.
- To investigate the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on neuronal morphology, focusing on dendritic alterations.
- To assess if morphological changes precede cell death markers in early neurodegeneration.
Main Methods:
- Primary hippocampal neurons were cultured and exposed to varying concentrations of H2O2.
- Cell viability, apoptosis, necrosis, and reactive oxygen species were measured using assays and flow cytometry.
- Neuronal dendritic morphology (length, branching, spine density) was quantified using ImageJ after immunostaining.
Main Results:
- 100 μM H2O2 exposure for 24 hours induced significant alterations in dendritic morphology (p < 0.05).
- These morphological changes occurred without a significant impact on overall cell viability.
- Dendritic and spine alterations appear to be sensitive indicators of mild oxidative stress.
Conclusions:
- Hydrogen peroxide at specific concentrations can induce morphological changes in neurons, mimicking early neurodegenerative events.
- Dendritic and spine alterations serve as early, sensitive markers of neuronal oxidative stress, preceding apoptosis.
- This model is valuable for studying the initial stages of neurodegenerative disorders and evaluating antioxidant agents.
