title: Formaldehyde suppresses neuronal apoptosis via inhibition of outward K(+) currents in rat hippocampus.
abstract: Formaldehyde (FA) is widely present in the environment, and is also a mammalian metabolite. However, its biological role has not been well understood. Here, we show that FA plays an anti-apoptotic role in cultured hippocampal neurons: FA suppressed staurosporine-induced neuronal apoptosis and inhibited the activity of apoptosis-associated caspase-3/7 proteases in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, FA suppressed outward K(+) currents and attenuated the enhanced IK currents that are associated with neuronal apoptosis. As an increase in outward K(+) currents is critical for cell apoptosis, our results suggest that FA exerts its anti-apoptotic effects on neuronal cells, probably through its inhibitory effect on the outward K(+) currents.
authors: a State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.|b Medical College of Xiamen University, 168 Daxue Road, Xiamen 361005, China.|c Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100039, China.
authors: Pei
authors: P
authors: Liu
authors: a State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.|c Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100039, China.
authors: Jianli
authors: J
authors: Guo
authors: a State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.|b Medical College of Xiamen University, 168 Daxue Road, Xiamen 361005, China.
authors: Zhi
authors: Z
authors: Qi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005404:Fixatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D019311:Staurosporine
chemical_list: D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D019311:Staurosporine; D011188:Potassium