Nerve growth factor protects R2 cells against neurotoxicity induced by methamphetamine

• Published in: Toxicology letters Vol. 150; no. 2; pp. 221 - 227
• Main Authors: Zhou, Jun-Lan, Liang, Jian-Hui, Zheng, Ji-Wang, Li, Chang-Ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 21.04.2004; Amsterdam Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Line; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cerebellum - cytology; Drug addictions; Flow Cytometry; Medical sciences; Methamphetamine; Methamphetamine - toxicity; Mice; Nerve growth factor; Nerve Growth Factor - pharmacology; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Neurotoxicity; Rats; Toxicology; Nerve growth factor; Neurotoxicity; Methamphetamine; Apoptosis; Amphetamine derivatives; Neurotrophin; CNS stimulant; Psychotropic; Toxicity; Metamfetamine; Nervous system; Sympathomimetic; In vitro; Protein; Prevention; Cell line; Cell death; Drug of abuse
• ISSN: 0378-4274; 1879-3169
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2004.01.007

It is well known that methamphetamine is a neurotoxic drug of abuse to cause cell death both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the protective effect of nerve growth factor on methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity was examined in R2 cells. Treatment of R2 cells with methamphetamine for 48 h induced apoptotic-like death as determined by cell viability assay, DNA fragmentation on agarose gel and flow cytometric analysis. Co-treatment of R2 cells with nerve growth factor (10–1000 U/ml) in the presence of methamphetamine increased cell viability, decreased the intensity of methamphetamine-induced DNA fragmentation and reduced the number of apoptotic cells with flow cytometry. These results indicate that nerve growth factor may be useful for the treatment of methamphetamine users.