Protective effect of nerve growth factor on glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons

Objective To observe the protective effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on apoptosis of primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons which were induced by glucocorticoids.  Methods The neurons isolated from the hippocampus of 18 neonatal Wister rats were cultured in vitro. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) analysis was used to detect the lowest concentration of dexamethasone-induced hippocampal neuronal apoptosis, so as to explore the protective effect of different concentrations of NGF on 0.10 × 10 6 mol/L dexamethasone-induced hippocampal neuronal apoptosis.  Results Compared with negative control group, the activity of rat hippocampal neurons was reduced significantly in dexamethasone Ⅰ (10 × 10 6 mol/L), Ⅱ (1 × 10 6 mol/L) and Ⅲ (0.10 × 10 6 mol/L) groups ( P = 0.000, 0.000, 0.000). After different concentrations of NGF were given, the activity of hippocampal neurons in NGF 0.18 ng/ml group was significantly lower than negative control group ( P = 0.000) and positive control group ( P = 0.010), while the activity of hippocampal neurons in NGF 18 ng/ml group was significantly higher than positive control group ( P = 0.000) and NGF 0.18 ng/ml group ( P = 0.000). Conclusions Glucocorticoids can induce the apoptosis of in vitro cultured rat hippocampal neurons, and 0.10 × 10 6 mol/L dexamethasone is the lowest sensitive dose. NGF plays a role of blocking dexamethasone-induced apoptosis. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2017.03.009