alpha 7 Nicotinic receptor-mediated protection against ethanol-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity in PC12 cells

Pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell cultures exhibited a concentration-dependent l oss of cells and increase in intracellular oxidative stress when exposed to ethanol for 24 h. Selective activation of alpha 7 nicotinic receptors with the agonist DMXB (3 mu M) attenuated both of these actions of ethanol in a manner that was in turn blocked with the nicotinic antagonist methyllyconi tine (I mu M). These results suggest that the cytoprotection conferred by a lpha 7 nicotinic receptor agonists may be mediated at least in part by redu cing the formation or accumulation of reactive oxygen species. (C) 2000 Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.