The α-Klotho is an anti-aging protein that when overexpressed extends the life span in humans and mice. It has an anti-inflammatory and protective action on renal cells by inhibiting NF-κB activation and production of inflammatory cytokines in response to TNF-α. Furthermore, studies have shown the neuroprotective effect of α- α-Klotho against neuroinflammation on different conditions, such as aging, animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, and ischemic brain injury. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of α- α-Klotho protein on primary glial cell culture against the proinflammatory challenge with LPS and how this could interfere in neuronal health. Cortical mixed glial cells and purified astrocytes were pretreated with α- α-Klotho and stimulated with LPS followed by TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ levels and NF-κB activity analysis. Conditioned medium from cortical mixed glia culture treated with LPS (glia conditioned medium (GCM) was used to induce neuronal death of primary cortical neuronal culture and evaluate if GCM-KL (GCM-KL: medium from glia culture pretreated with α- α-Klotho followed by LPS stimulation) can reverse this effect. LPS treatment in glial cells induced an increase in proinflammatory mediators such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ, and activation of astrocyte NF-κB. GCM treated-cortical neuronal culture induced a concentration-dependent neuronal death. Pretreatment with α-Klotho decreased TNF-α and IL-6 production, revert NF-κB activation and blocked neuronal death induced by GCM. These data suggest an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effect of α-Klotho protein in the CNS. This work demonstrated the therapeutic potential of α-Klotho in pathological processes which envolve a neuroinflammatory component.
