RÉSUMÉ
Objective To investigate the effects of ethanol and aldehyde on the levels of neurosteroid in the cortical neurons of primary-cultured rots and explore their relations with the regulation of AMPA receptor. Methods CNQX (the AMPA receptor antagonist) was used to block the AMPA receptor, and then, 50 mmol/L ethanol or 25 mmol/L aldehyde was employed to treat the neurons;supernate was collected. HPLC-MS/APCI was employed to analyze and determine the concentrations of unconjugated neurosteroids (pregnenolone [PREG], dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], allopregnanolone [AP]) and conjugated neurosteroids (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEAS], pregnenolone sulphate [PREGS]) in media from primary cultural cerebral cortex neurons. The effects of CNQX on the regulation abilities of ethanol and aldehyde on levels of neurosteroids in primary-cultured cerebral cortex neurons were detected. Results The levels of PREG, AP and PREGS in the ethanol treatment group were significantly increased as compared with those in the PBS treatment group (P＜0.05); the levels of PREG,DHEA,PREGS and DHEAS in the aldehyde treatment group were significantly increased as compared with those in the PBS treatment group (P＜0.05). CNQX reversed the effect of ethanol on increasing the levels of PREG and PREGS, and reversed that of aldehyde on increasing the levels of PREG and DHEAS, but induced the effect on increasing the level of AP; these effects were significantly different between each 2 groups (P＜0.05). Conclusion Both ethanol and aldehyde show different effects on levels ofneurosteroids in primary-cultured cerebral cortex neurons. CNQX reverses the effect of ethanol on increasing the levels of PREG and PREGS, and that of aldehyde on increasing the levels of PREG and DHEAS.