Influence of lipid peroxidation on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in PC12 cells

The expression of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) influ enced by lipid peroxidation has been investigated. The results showed that exposure of PC12 cells to a free radical insult (FeSO4) induced concentrati on-dependent increase in level of MDA (malondialdehyde), and a significant decline in MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide ] reduction. In cultured cells exposed to FeSO4, a significant dose-depende nt decrease in [H-3] epibatidine binding sites was detected and a significa nt reduction in B-max value was observed in the high affinity epibatidine b inding site. These results demonstrate that lipid peroxidation in cellular membranes can induce a reduction in numbers of neuronal nAChRs. (C) 2000 El sevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.