Published in:
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1048 (2005) 1, Seite 400-405
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1196/annals.1342.049
ISSN:
1749-6632;
0077-8923
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
Abstract: Treatment with 6‐hydroxydopamine significantly reduced the viability of cultured rat primary astrocytes, rat astrocytoma cell line C6, and human astrocytoma cell line U251. 6‐Hydroxydopamine‐treated astrocytes exhibited altered nuclear morphology, DNA fragmentation, and reduced intracellular esterase activity, which indicated apoptotic cell death. Astrocytes were protected by neutralization of 6‐hydroxydopamine autooxidation products H2O2, O2•−, and •OH, but not by cell‐derived or chemically generated anti‐apoptotic free radical nitric oxide. Finally, 6‐hydroxydopamine activated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase in astrocytes and selective inhibitor of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase activation partially prevented astrocyte death. Taken together, these data indicate that 6‐hydroxydopamine‐triggered oxidative stress induces extracellular signal‐regulated kinase‐dependent apoptotic death of astrocytes.