Mechanism of apoptosis in rat H9c2 cells induced by cadmium chloride

Objective To study the apoptosis of H9c2 myocardial cell lines induced by different concentrations of cadmium chloride(CdCl2).Methods The H9c2 cells were exposed to 5,10,30,50 and 80 μmol·L-1 CdCl2 for 6,12 and 24 h,the survival rate was measured by MTT assay and the apoptotic rate was detected by Annexin Ⅴ-FITC/propidium iodide(PI)-flow cytometry(FCM) and acridine oringe/ethidium bromide(AO/EB) staining.Results The survival rates in the groups treated with CdCl2 decreased significantly compared with those in negative controls(P0.05 or P0.01).The apoptotic rates in the groups treated with CdCl2 increased significantly compared with those of negative controls(P0.001),but there were no significant differences between various doses groups(P0.05).The typical morphological changes of early apoptosis in H9c2 cells could be observed under fluorescent microscope by AO/EB staining.Conclusion The H9c2 cells are sensitive to toxicity of CdCl2,low dose and short time treatment with CdCl2 can induce apoptosis of H9c2 cells,but the H9c2 cells have certain toleration to the effect of cadmium.