OBJECTIVETo evaluate the translocation of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)) after injuries by transfection with green fluorescence protein (GFP)/5-LOX in PC12 cells.

METHODSPC12 cells were stably transfected with pEGFP-C2/5-LOX (GFP/5-LOX) or pEGFP-C2 vectors (control). After treatment with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), H(2)O(2) or NMDA, GFP/5-LOX localization in the cells was observed under a fluorescence microscope. Wild-type 5-LOX was determined by immunostaining after the treatment.

RESULTIn the GFP/5-LOX-transfected cells, GFP/5-LOX was primarily localized in the nucleus; while in the GFP-transfected cells, GFP was localized in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. After OGD and H(2)O(2) treatments, GFP/5-LOX was translocated to the nuclear membrane in 50.6 % and 57.7% cells respectively. However, after NMDA treatment or in GFP-transfected cells, no translocation was observed. Wild-type 5-LOX was distributed in the nuclei and cytoplasm, and all the 3 treatments induced 5-LOX translocation to the nuclear membrane.

CONCLUSIONIn the PC12 cells stably transfected with GFP/5-LOX, GFP/5-LOX is primarily distributed in the nuclei; the OGD-, H(2)O(2)- and NMDA-induced 5-LOX translocation exhibits different properties.