title: Neurite degeneration in differentiated human neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: We have studied neurite degeneration in differentiated human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. The axonopathy-inducing potency in vitro of caffeine, diazepam, methylmercury chloride (MeHg), triethyltin chloride (TET) and acrylamide (ACR) was elucidated. After 72 hours of exposure the neurite degeneration was determined (by morphological quantification) as well as the total protein content (general cytotoxicity). The concentrations that caused 20% reduction of number of neurites (ND(20)) for ACR (250+/-36 mum) and TET (0.097+/-0.03 mum) was significantly lower, 63% and 35%, respectively (P</=0.005), as compared to corresponding inhibition of general cytotoxicity (IC(20)). The effects of TET on the neurites may be related to the disturbance in Ca(2+)-signalling, and thus a secondary event. The ND(20)s for caffeine and diazepam, which are compounds without a known neurite degenerative potency in vivo, were higher as compared with the IC(20). For MeHg which is an extremely cyto- and neurotoxic compound the ND(20) was not statistically different from the IC(20), indicating that degeneration of the neurites is not a primary effect. This study indicates that the SH-SY5Y-neurite degeneration model is useful for the identification of axonopathy-inducing substances.
authors.affiliation: Stockholm University Department of Neurochemistry and Neurotoxicology, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; Gambro AB, Medical Research Department, S-220 10 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nordin-Andersson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forsby
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heldring
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dejongh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kjellstrand
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walum