OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of Wnt signaling pathway on paraquat (PQ)induced PC12 cells damage.

METHODSUsing PC12 cells, in this study CCK8 assay was used to detect the effect of cell viability. The cell apoptosis and cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression of Wnt pathway key genes including Fzd1, Dvl2 and β-catenin and downstream genes including Bax, Bcl2, Survivin, Cyclin D1 and C-myc.

RESULTCompared with the control, PC12 cells viability in 50.00 and 100.00 µmol/L PQ treatment groups were obviously decreased, the cell cycle S phase arrest, and cell apoptosis increased (P<0.05). The 25.00, 50.00 and 100.00 µmol/L PQ treatment groups mRNA expression of Wnt pathway key genes including Fzd1, Dvl2 and β-catenin and downstream genes including apoptosis suppressor genes (Bcl-2 and survivin)and cyclin gene (Cyclin D1) were downregulated (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of pro-apoptosis gene (Bax) and cyclin gene (C-myc) were upregulated (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONIt suggested that PQ can activate Wnt pathway to regulate downsteam genes expression, resulting in PC12 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Survival ; Dishevelled Proteins ; Down-Regulation ; Flow Cytometry ; Frizzled Receptors ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; PC12 Cells ; Paraquat ; toxicity ; Phosphoproteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Receptors, Neurotransmitter ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway