High molecular weight water-soluble chitosan protects against apoptosis induced by serum starvation in human astrocytes.

The effect of high molecular weight water-soluble chitosan (WSC) on serum starvation-induced apoptosis in human astrocytes (CCF-STTG1 Cells) was investigated. WSC, having an average molecular weight of 300 kDa and a degree of deacetylation over 90%, can be produced using a simple multi-step membrane separation process. Serum starvation led to growth arrest, rounding up of cells and appearance of p53 bands. Prolonged (48 h) incubation in serum starved medium led to cell detachment and death. WSC significantly protected the serum starvation-induced cellular rounding up and protected the serum starvation-induced cell death as tested by flow cytometry. WSC also protected serum starvation-induced p53 activation as determined by Western blot. These results suggest that WSC may prevent serum starvation-induced apoptosis of CCF-STTG1 cells via p53 inactivation.