Effect of estrone on hippocampal neuronal apoptosis induced by NMDA in rat primary culture / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To observe the action of estrone on the hippocampal neuronal apoptosis induced by NMDA in vitro and to analyse the mechanism underlying the neuroprotection of estrone. Methods The methods of both morphological analysis and cell viabilities were used, and Western blot was also used to analyce the role of antitoxiciy of estrone. Results The cultures were conformed with fluorescent dye of Hoechst 33258 and NeuN. About 31.6% neurons were induced into apoptosis by NMDA(300 ?mol?L~ -1 +glycine 5 ?mol?L~ -1 ,compared with control group, P0.05). MTT test also showed that estrone can protect cultures from apoptosis induced by NMDA, it can raise the cell viabilities exposed to NMDA. Western blot showed that activities of caspase-3 can be inhibited by estrone, the segments of caspase-3 can diminished after application of estrone together with NMDA. Conclusion Estrone had neuronal protection, this role maybe relate to the inhibition of caspase-3, a common pathway in apoptosis. The results can provide some clues to the explovation of the clinical use of estrone and to the development of a neuronal protective drug.