Effect of necrostatin-1 on apoptosis induced by aluminum and its mechanism / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of necrostatin (Nec-1) on apoptosis induced by aluminum (Al), and approach the mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Neural cell death model was made by 4 mmol/L Al treated neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y). Cell viabilities were detected at different concentrations of Al and/or Nec-1. Hoechst 33342/PI double staining was used to observe apoptosis and (or) necrosis that were quantified by flow cytometry using Annexin V/PI double staining. Apoptotic pathway was tested by activities of Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9. In addition, the expression of NF-kappa B and Cyt-c was measured by immunocytochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Cell viabilities were significantly decreased with the increasing concentrations of Al (P < 0.05), which could be significantly upregulated by 60 micromol/L Nec-1 (P < 0.05) and were correlated with the concentrations of Nec-1 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Apoptosis and necrosis were observed under fluorescent microscope and quantified by flow cytometry, which suggested an increasing trend of apoptotic and necrotic rates (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Whereas, Nec-1 could not only decrease the necrotic rate but also apoptotic rate as well (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Data of Nec-1 on caspases activities showed that Nec-1 could not affect Caspase-9 activity (P > 0.05) and Cty-c protein expression as well (P > 0.05). However, Nec-1 could reduce Caspase-8 activity significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and increase NF-kappa B protein expression (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and finally decrease Caspase-3 activity (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Nec-1 could reduce cell apoptosis induced by Al, through Caspase-8 pathway, and up-regulate the expression of NF-kappa B protein.</p>

Influence of benzoapyrene on learning and memory and content of amino acid neurotransmitters in hippocampus of rats / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on capability of learning and memory and the content of amino acid neurotransmitters in hippocampus of rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two healthy, male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups according to their weights after intubated into ventricles: the solvent control group, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mmol/L groups. 10 microl of B[a]P olive oil solutions, of different concentrations 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mmol/L, were injected into rats' lateral ventricles, respectively. Rats in the solvent control group were injected into the same volume of olive oil as that in B[a]P group. Rats' capability of learning and memory was tested by Morris water maze. The content of amino acid neurotransmitters in rats' hippocampus were determined by high performance liquid chromatogram with a fluorescence detector.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the controls, the performances of learning and memory of rats decreased significantly in B[a]P treated groups (P<0.01). Levels of glutamate (Glu) were lower significantly in treated groups than that in controls (P<0.01). No significant differences were found in contents of aspartic acid (Asp), glycine (Gly) and aminobutyric acid (GABA) among the four groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>B[a]P can damage rats' spatial learning and memory, and which could be related to decreased contents of excitatory amino acids in hippocampus.</p>