Protective effect of curcumin on dopamine-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells

Objective:To explore the protective effect of curcumin(Cur) on apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by dopamine(DA) oxidative stress.Methods:Using DA to induce PC12 cell damage,the model of oxidative stress-induced neuron damage was established.Proliferation of PC12 cells was observed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazolyl ]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT) assay.Morphology of the nucleus was observed by Hoechst staining.Apoptosis of PC12 cells was detected by propidium iodide(PI) staining flow cytometry(FCM).The mitochondrial membrane potential(△Ψm) was determined by Rh123 staining flow cytometry.Results:① DA damaged PC12 cells in a concentration-dependent manner after application of DA(50-800 μmol/L) for 24 h,and MTT assay showed that Cur(10-40 μmol/L) had no toxic effect on PC12 cells.② Cur reduced the toxic effect induced by DA on PC12 cells in a concentration-dependent manner.③ Cur reducing the DA-induced toxic effect on PC12 cells was confirmed by cellular morphologic experiments.④ PI staining FCM showed that Cur inhibited cellular apoptosis induced by DA and this effect was also confirmed by Hoechst staining.⑤ The level of △Ψm was significantly decreased in PC12 cells after 100 and 200 μmol/L DA treatment for 24 h,which was significantly ameliorated by Cur(20 and 40 μmol/L) treatment.Conclusion:Cur has a protective effect on PC12 cell damage induced by DA oxidative stress and this effect may be ascribed to the amelioration of the decreasing level of △Ψm.