P53 AND BAX ACTIVATION IN 6-HYDROXYDOPAMINE-INDUCED APOPTOSIS IN PC12CELLS

p53, Bar and Bcl-x(L) proteins have been implicated in apoptotic neuro nal cell death. We have investigated whether those proteins are involv ed in 6-OHDA-induced PC12 cell death. After a 24-h exposure to the neu rotoxin (100 mu M), morphological, evidence for apoptosis was observed in PC12 cells. Up-regulation of p53 and Bar proteins was demonstrated 4 and 6 h, respectively, after 6-OHDA treatment; in contrast, no chan ge in Bcl-x(L) levels was found. These findings suggest that p53 and B ar could be relevant markers of neuronal apoptosis as previously descr ibed in kainic acid- or ischemia-induced neuronal cell death and may p articipate to neuronal degeneration in Parkinson's disease. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science B.V.