title: Toosendanin induces outgrowth of neuronal processes and apoptosis in PC12 cells.
abstract: In the present study, the effects of toosendanin on cell differentiation and apoptosis were investigated in PC12 cells. The results showed that after 24-48 h of culture in a medium containing toosendanin (approximately 1-10x10(-7) M), cell differentiation and outgrowth of neuronal processes were promoted. Combined treatment with toosendanin and a calcium channel blocker, nifedipine or omega-conotoxin GVIA, resulted in a significant inhibition of the toosendanin-induced effects. Pretreatment of PC12 cells with BAPTA-AM also inhibited the toosendanin-induced effects; however, these effects were not inhibited by pertussis toxin and H-7 in the medium. Toosendanin also induced cell apoptosis. Based on the DNA content determined by flow cytometric analysis, the number of apoptotic cells significantly increased when the incubation time in the toosendanin-containing medium was lasted up to 72 h. Toosendanin at a higher concentration (> or =1 x 10(-6) M) caused cell death while it had no effect on cell division at concentrations lower than 1 x 10(-7) M.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, PR China.
authors.forename: Mian-Zhi
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Zhong-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu-Liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D014315:Triterpenes
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C036454:toosendanin; D014315:Triterpenes