title: Apoptosis caused by imidazolium-based ionic liquids in PC12 cells.
abstract: The cytotoxicity of alkylmethylimidazolium-based ionic liquids on rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, lactate dehydrogenase release (LDH), and acridine orange staining in the present study. Mitochondrial depolarization, DNA fragmentation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and caspase-3 activity were also determined. The results showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity of ionic liquids on PC12 cells, and the ionic liquids with longer lateral chains had stronger cytotoxicity. Additionally, we found that exposure to the ionic liquid 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C(8)mim]Br) provoked cellular LDH release, increased mitochondrial depolarization, induced cellular transmogrification, nuclear shrinkage and DNA fragmentation, and promoted caspase-3 activity and ROS levels in PC12 cells. These results suggest that [C(8)mim]Br may induce PC12 cell apoptosis triggered by excessive ROS and mediated by mitochondrial depolarization and permeability transition. Our result may be helpful for illuminating the cytotoxicity mechanism of alkylmethylimidazolium-based ionic liquids and safely using them in the future.
authors: College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China. lixiaoyu65@263.net
authors: Xiao-Yu
authors: XY
authors: Li
authors: Chang-Qin
authors: CQ
authors: Jing
authors: Wen-Long
authors: WL
authors: Lei
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Jian-Ji
authors: JJ
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001881:Borates / Q000633:toxicity; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000633:toxicity*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C528768:1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium; D001881:Borates; D007093:Imidazoles; D052578:Ionic Liquids; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D053148:Caspase 3