Fig. 7.

Molecular pathways are involved in the anti-apoptotic effect of dietary small molecules. Apoptosis is conducted through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways in the pathogenesis of AD. Inflammatory cytokines, such as TNFα and IL-1β, can trigger the neuronal apoptosis through membrane receptor or extrinsic pathway (i.e., TNFα/caspase-8/caspase-3). The intrinsic pathway of neuronal apoptosis is activated by intracellular insults including tau aggregates, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, free radicals, etc. Mitochondrial cytochrome c (Cyt c) is released to initiate apoptosis signaling through the Cyto c/caspase-9/caspase-3 cascade. Dietary small molecules (7,8-DHE, luteolin, lycopene, FA, EGCG, and vanillin) can take an anti-apoptotic action by mediating different signaling targets. ROS: reactive oxygen species; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-alpha; IL-1β: interleukin-1β; Bax: Bcl-2-associated X protein; Bcl2: B-cell lymphoma 2; ER: endoplasmic reticulum.