OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of deltamethrin (DM) on production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and its mechanism.

METHODSPC12 cells were treated with various dose of DM (0, 10 or 100 micromol/L) for 1, 6 or 12 h respectively. Furthermore, PC12 cells were treated with various dose of DM (0, 10 or 100 micromol/L) for 24 or 48 h, respectively. PC12 cells were pre-incubated with 10 mmol/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) for 2 h, or with 500 micromol/L DL-Buthionine-[S, R]-Sulfoximine (BSO) for 16 h, or with 40 micromol/L tertiary butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) for 16 h, prior to exposure to DM and then with 10 micromol/L DM for 6 h. After treatment, ROS production in PC12 cells were measured by a molecular probe, 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA).

RESULTSDM induced a dose-time dependent increase in ROS production (indicated by DCF fluorescence intensity). 10 micromol/L DM treatment for 6 h enhanced DCF fluorescence intensity that reached approximately 2.24 times of values of control group. Furthermore, a pretreatment with NAC, BSO or tBHQ significantly reduced the DM-enhanced DCF fluorescence intensity that reached approximately 22%, 62% or 38% of values of DM treatment, respectively (P < 0.05), indicating that all these pretreatments attenuate ROS production.

CONCLUSIONThe in vitro studies demonstrate that DM could enhance ROS production, and may be the influential factor for the decreased mercapto level and antioxidative function.