Molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of curcumin on dopamine-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells

Objective To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of curcumin on PC12 cells apoptosis induced by dopamine(DA) oxidative stress.Methods PC12 cells model of DA-induced oxidative stress damage was established.PC12 cells were randomly divided into blank control group,curcumin group(20 μmol/L),DA group(200 μmol/L) and DA(20 μmol/L) + curcumin group(200 μmol/L).After the cells were cultured for 24 h,cell proliferation was detected by MTT.The protein expressions of Bcl-2,Cyt-c and Caspase-3 were detected by Western blotting.Results ① In the presence of curcumin,the PC12 cells inhibition rate,induced by DA was decreased.② Curcumin inhibited down-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 induced by DA and up-regulated the protein expression of intracellular Bcl-2.③ Curcumin inhibited up-regulation of apoptotic protein Cyt-c induced by DA.④ Curcumin inhibited up-regulation of intracellular cleavage Caspase-3 protein expression induced by DA and curcumin itself had no effect on Caspase-3 expression.Conclusion The protective effect of curcumin on DA-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells may be related to its inhibiting down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Cyt-c and of Caspase-3.