ABSTRACT
AIM:To investigate the protective effect of lycopene on primary mouse cerebrocortical neurons ex -posed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide ( t-BHP) and its mechanisms of in vitro.METHODS:Primary cerebrocortical neurons of newborn C57 mice were extracted and divided into normal group , t-BHP group, lycopene +t-BHP group and lycopene group.The neuronal damage was induced by t-BHP exposure for 24 h, and the cell viability was examined by MTT assay . ROS content was measured by flow cytometry , and the protein levels of Bax , Bcl-2, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 and cyto-chrome C were examined by Western blot .RESULTS:The primary mouse cortical neurons expressed MAP-2 protein.Ly-copene at concentration of 4μmol/L reversed the decrease in cell viability .Flow cytometry revealed that lycopene treatment attenuated ROS content under the condition of t-BHP exposure.In addition, the protein level of Bcl-2 was increased, and the expression of Bax , cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome-C was suppressed in lycopene +t-BHP group.CONCLUSION:The protective effect of lycopene on cortical neurons with t-BHP-induced injury may be involved in the mechanism of neuro-nal antioxidative response by down-regulating caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway .