Fig. 6.

Neuroprotective effects of MitoQ and SS-31. N2a cells were grown in a serum-free medium for 7 days and treated with MitoQ (0.3 µM) and SS-31 (0.1nM). After 48 h of treatment, neurite outgrowth was examined after immunostaining with an anti-dynamin-related protein 1 or Drp1 (enriched in neurons, particularly at synapses). As shown, increased neurite outgrowth has been observed in neurons treated with MitoQ and SS-31, in contrast to untreated N2a cells. This observation indicates that mitochondrially targeted antioxidants at very low concentrations are cytoprotective, and may have a role in neurite outgrowth and synaptic connectivity