We have used microarray-based methods of global gene expression together with quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis to identify dysregulation of genes and aberrant cellular processes in human fibroblasts and in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells made HPRT-deficient by transduction with a retrovirus stably expressing an shRNA targeted against HPRT. Analysis of the microarray expression data by Gen...

Benzopyrene (BaP) is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), and is chemically modified in the animal body to form a number of metabolites that may elicit a various toxicity. However, the effect of BaP on neuroblastoma differentiation has remained unclear. We have studied the effect of BaP on neurite outgrowth using human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells induced to differentiate by all-trans-retinoic...

Morphine is an effective analgesic that acts by binding to the µ-opioid receptor (MOR) coded in the human by the OPRM1 gene. In the present study, we investigated the regulation of µ-opioid receptor (MOR-1) mRNA levels in all-trans-retinoic acid-differentiated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells under in vitro conditions with 10 µM morphine treatment for 24 h. In addition, we measured the MOR-1 l...

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the intracellular mechanisms that cause neuronal cell death following exposure to excitatory neurotransmitter‑induced neurotoxicity, neurotoxins and oxidative stress. Human SH‑SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were exposed to various stimuli, including glutamate, 6‑hydroxydopamine (6‑OHDA), and glucose oxidase, and cell viability was determined by MTT assay....

The molecular mechanisms mediating mercury‑induced neurotoxicity are not yet completely understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the severity of MeHg‑ and HgCl2‑mediated cytotoxicity to SH‑SY5Y human dopaminergic neurons can be attenuated by regulating glutamate‑mediated signal‑transmission through caffeine and interferon‑γ (IFN‑γ). The SH‑SY5Y cells were exposed to 1,...

During the lipid peroxidation reaction, lipid hydroperoxides are formed as primary products. Several lines of evidence suggest that lipid hydroperoxides can trigger cell death in many cell types, including neurons. In a screening of lipid hydroperoxides which can induce toxicity in neuronal cells, we found docosahexaenoic acid hydroperoxides (DHA-OOH) induced much severe levels of reactive oxyg...

The neuroprotective effects of 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose (DISS) from Radix Polygala against glutamate-induced SH-SY5Y neuronal cells injury were evaluated in the present study. SH-SY5Y neuronal cells were pretreated with glutamate (8 mM) for 30 min followed by cotreatment with DISS for 12 h. Cell viability was determined by (3,4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylte-trazolium bromide (MTT) assay...

Parkinson's disease is an environmentally influenced, neurodegenerative disease of unknown origin that is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the brain. Arsenic is an environmental contaminant found naturally in ground water, industrial waste, and fertilizers. The initial goal of the present study was to determine if a mixture o...

Sirtuins are highly conserved lysine deacetylases involved in ageing, energy production, and lifespan extension. The mammalian SIRT2 has been implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD) where studies suggest SIRT2 promotes neurodegeneration. We therefore evaluated the effects of SIRT2 manipulation in toxin treated SH-SY5Y cells and determined the expression and activity of SIRT2 in postmortem brain ...

The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) gene has been studied extensively as a prototype neuronal gene containing multiple cis-active elements that confer responsiveness to cell lineage, neurotrophic, and activity-dependent intrinsic and extrinsic cues. However, reporter genes containing the presumptive complete regulatory region 5' to the start of transcription do not confer tissue-specific ge...