OBJECTIVETo study the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and Ca(2+) in acute intoxicated encephalopathy induced by 1, 2-dichloroethane (1, 2-DCE) in vitro.

METHODSNeurocytes of new born rats were cultured in vitro, which were administered with different doses of 1, 2-DCE, and NMDAR and Ca(2+) antagonists including Ketamine and Nimodiping respectively. The cell morphologic structures were observed under light microscope, and its proliferation was detected by Cell Counting Kit-VIII.

RESULTS1, 2-DCE could damage the normal morphological structure of neurocytes: the cell body swelled and broke down, the karyon slurred or disappeared, the axone became shorten and thick, connection of neurocytes was reduced, the cell membrane was half-baked, injury of neurocytes became severer with the increase of the dose of 1, 2-DCE. There was no statistical difference in the proliferation of neurocytes between every 1, 2-DCE groups (P > 0.05), but there was significantly statistical difference between 1, 2-DCE groups, the control group, and the retarder groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION1, 2-DCE can damage the normal morphological structure of neurocytes, and the damage will become severer with the increase of the dose of 1, 2-DCE. However, the cell morphologic structures and proliferation of antagonist groups are much better than those in the 1, 2-DCE groups.