OXIDIZED LIPOPROTEINS ACTIVATE NF-KAPPA-B BINDING-ACTIVITY AND APOPTOSIS IN PC12 CELLS

OXIDATIVE stress in the central nervous system may cause oxidation of lipoproteins. The oxidized lipoproteins may in turn damage cellular an d subcellular membranes and other biomolecules, leading to tissue inju ry and cell death. Recently, we have demonstrated that oxidized LDL an d VLDL induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. The present stud y examined the possible signal transduction cascade leading to cell de ath by oxLDL and oxVLDL in PC12 cells. Using the electrophoretic mobil ity shift assay, we found that both oxLDL and oxVLDL activated the bin ding of NF-kappa B to the consensus sequence in the promoter region of the target genes, followed by apopototic cell death. Resveratrol prot ects the cells from both the activation of NF-kappa-B/DNA binding acti vity and apoptotic cell death. Results indicated that oxidized lipopro teins may serve as an oxidative mediator and may activate apoptosis th rough a nuclear signalling pathway contributing to the pathology in Al zheimer's disease.