OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of aluminum trichloride on the abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein in SH-SY5Y cells.

METHODSSH-SY5Y cells were assigned to control group and aluminum trichloride exposure groups (200, 400, and 800 µmol/L Al(3+)). The cell morphology was observed after 48 hours of exposure; the cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay; total protein was extracted from the cells, and the expression of phospho-tau (p-tau) 181, 231, 262, and 396 and tau 5 was measured by Western blot.

RESULTSAs the Al(3+) concentration rose, the number of living SH-SY5Y cells decreased, and the synapses of the cells retracted. The viability of cells exposed to 800 µmol/L Al(3+) was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The 200, 400, and 800 µmol/L Al(3+) exposure groups showed significantly higher expression of p-tau 181, 231, and 396 and tau5 than the control group (P < 0.05), and the 800 µmol/L Al(3+) exposure group showed significantly higher expression of p-tau 262 than the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONUnder the present experimental conditions, aluminum trichloride has toxic effect on SH-SY5Y cells and can lead to abnormal expression of p-tau 181, 231, and 396 and tau 5 at low Al(3+) concentration.