[Neuron apoptosis induced by 3,4-methylenedioxy methamphetamine and expression of apoptosis-related factors in rat brain].
OBJECTIVE
To study the neuron apoptosis induced by i.p 3,4-methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) and the expression of apoptosis-related factors in rat brain.


METHODS
Twenty rats were divided into 4 groups. In group A, the rats were injected intraperitoneally with single dosage of saline, while the rats of group B, C, D were injected i.p with MDMA in different regimen, which were 20 mg/kg, single injection in group B, 20 mg/ kg twice a day (8 am and 8 pm), for 2 day in group C, as well as 20 mg/kg, twice a day (8 am and 8 pm) for 4 days. Neuron apoptosis were measured by TUNEL, and the expression of Caspase-3 and CytC were detected by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Compared with saline group, apoptosis neurons were detected at the related brain regions (such as frontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum) of the rats in MDMA treated groups; Expression of Caspase-3 and CytC was observed at different level. Compared with group B, the number of apoptosis neurons of group C and D increased, and also the apoptosis-related factors in the brain tissue increased (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
MDMA could induce neurons apoptosis and the expression of apoptosis-related factors such as Caspase-3 and CytC in rat brain.
Wang
Xue
X
Insitute of Postgraduate, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. zwangxue73@yahoo.com.cn
Zhu
San-Ping
SP
Kuang
Wei-Hong
WH
Li
Jing
J
Sun
Xiao
X
Huang
Ming-Sheng
MS
Sun
Xue-Li
XL
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D006213:Hallucinogens; D045304:Cytochromes c; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine