Ferulic acid protects against apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by kainic acid

AIM: To investigate the effect of ferulic acid(FA) on the apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by kainic acid(KA) in vitro.METHODS: In order to establish an Alzheimer disease neuronal cell model,the rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 was treated with KA at a concentration of 50 μmol / L.These model neurons were divided into KA model group and 3 groups treated with FA at doses of 25,50 and 100 μmol / L,respectively.At the same time,normal group was established without KA pretreatment.The viability of the PC12 cells was detected by MTT assay.The expression of Bcl-2,Bax and cytochrome C(Cyt C) was determined by immunocytochemical method.Apoptotic rate of the PC12 cells was measured by flow cytometry with annexin V / PI double staining.The protein levels of Bcl-2,Bax and Cyt C were analyzed by Western blotting.RESULTS: The cell survival rate,the expression of Bcl-2 and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax in KA model group were significantly decreased(P 0.01),while the expression of Bax and Cyt C was obviously increased compared with normal control group(P 0.01).The apoptotic rate in KA model group was obviously increased compared with normal control group(P 0.01) After the intervention of FA,the cell survival rates were increased and the apoptotic rates were decreased.Furthermore,the positive rate and expression of Bcl-2,and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax in each dose of FA treatment group were significantly increased,while the expression of Bax and Cyt C in each dose group was significantly reduced as compared with KA model group(P 0.05 or P 0.01).CONCLUSION: KA obviously induces apoptosis of PC12 cells.FA had obvious protective effect on PC12 cells against the toxicity of KA.FA blocks endogenous apoptic pathway through inhibiting the expression of Bax and Cyt C and increasing the expression of Bcl-2 and the ratio of Bcl-2 / Bax,thus improving the survival rate of PC12 cells.