title: [Primary investigation of methamphetamine-induced toxicity in PC12 cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mechanism of methamphetamine (METH)-induced toxicity in PC12 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  PC12 cells were treated with METH for 24 h at the doses of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 mmol/L. The morphological changes of the cells were observed under inverted microscope after the treatment. MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to assess the cell viability and apoptotic rates, respectively, and the level of nitric oxide (NO) was measured by enzyme reduction method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PC12 cells exposed to METH were morphologically featured by cell shrinkage, dendrite disruption and disappearance of cell reticular formation. METH exposure caused a dose-dependent reduction in the cell viability (P<0.01), resulting in also increased cell apoptotic rate and significant elevation of NO in the cell culture supernatant (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  METH exposure induces cytotoxicity and injury of differentiated PC12 cells, leading to decreased cell viability and increased cell apoptosis and NO level. Cell apoptosis and excessive NO production are involved in METH-induced cytotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical Univesity, Guangzhou 510515, China. lilizeng520@sina.com
authors.forename: Li-zeng
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hui-jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiang-wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008694:Methamphetamine