Inhibition of serum deprivation-induced PC12 cell apoptosis by tanshinone II A.
AIM
To study the effect of tanshinone II A (Tan II A) on PC12 cell apoptosis induced by serum deprivation.


METHODS
PC12 cell survival was measured by MTT assay. The DNA content and percentage of apoptosis were monitored by flow cytometry and DNA fragmentation was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis.


RESULTS
Serum-free (12 h) medium induced apoptosis in PC12 cells. When the cells had been treated with Tan II A (0.1 and 1 micromol . L-1) for 12 h, the percentage of PC12 cell apoptosis was greatly decreased to 25.71 % and 4.89 % from 96.07 % in serum deprivation alone group, and DNA fragmentation was prevented. Tan II A (0.01 - 10 micromol . L-1) attenuated the cytotoxic effect of sodium cyanide (20 mmol . L-1), glutamate (0.5 mmol . L-1), and sodium nitroprusside (0.5 mmol . L-1).


CONCLUSION
Tan II A prevented PC12 cells from apoptosis induced by serum-free medium.