title: Aluminum-maltolate induces apoptosis and necrosis in neuro-2a cells: potential role for p53 signaling.
abstract: Aluminum maltolate (Al-malt) causes neurodegeneration following in vivo exposure, and apoptosis plays a prominent role. The objective of this study was to define the form of cell death induced by Al-malt and to establish an in vitro model system amenable to mechanistic investigations of Al-malt-induced cell death. Neuro-2a cells, a murine neuroblastoma cell line, were treated with Al-malt for 24 h, following which mode of cell death and alterations in apoptosis-related gene expression were studied. Al-malt concentration-dependently increased cell death. The mode of cell death was a combination of apoptosis and necrosis. Treatment with Al-malt resulted in caspase 3 activation and the externalization of phosphatidyl serine, both indicative of apoptosis. In addition, nuclear condensation and fragmentation were evident. Interestingly, pretreatment with cycloheximide (CHX), a potent protein synthesis inhibitor markedly reduced Al-malt-induced apoptosis, indicating that altered gene expression was critical for this form of cell death. Pretreatment with CHX had no effect on necrosis induced by Al-malt. Analysis of gene expression showed that p53 mRNA was increased following treatment with Al-malt. This increase was accompanied by a marked inhibition of Bcl2 expression and an increase in BAX expression, a pattern of gene expression suggestive of a pro-apoptotic shift. Results show for the first time that p53 is induced by Al in neuron-like cells and suggest that the p53-dependent intrinsic pathway may be responsible for Al-induced apoptosis. Future studies investigating the role of p53 in Al neurotoxicity both in vivo and in vitro are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Victor J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Sang-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Raghubir P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015870:Gene Expression; D016158:Genes, p53; D051379:Mice; D009336:Necrosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011753:Pyrones / Q000633:toxicity*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011753:Pyrones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C067527:aluminum maltolate; D000535:Aluminum