Abstract:
Objective To investigate the effects of agitating and inhibiting mGluR1 on protein kinase C (PKC) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) expressions in rat adrenal-derived pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) induced by aluminum maltolate.
Methods PC12 cells at logarithmic growth phase were divided into a control group (normal PC12), an agonist group (100μmol/L mGluR1 agonist), an inhibitor group (100 μmol/L mGluR1 inhibitor), an aluminum maltolate exposure group (200 μmol/L aluminum maltolate), an aluminum maltolate + agonist group (200 μmol/L aluminum maltolate + 100 μmol/L mGluR1 agonist), and an aluminum maltolate + inhibitor group (200 μmol/L aluminum maltolate + 100 μmol/L mGluR1 inhibitor), and all groups were treated for 24 h. The mRNA expression levels of PKC and subunits of NMDAR in PC12 were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, the protein expression levels of PKC and subunits of NMDAR by Western blot, and the PKC enzyme activity of PC12 by ELISA.
Results Compared with the control group, the mRNA expression levels of PKC, NMDAR1, NMDAR2A, and NMDAR2B of the aluminum maltolate exposure group were decreased by 39%, 21%, 38%, and 26%, respectively (P < 0.05), and the protein expression levels decreased by 39%, 31%, 41%, and 46%, respectively (P < 0.05). The NMDAR1 mRNA and protein expression levels of the aluminum maltolate + inhibitor group were increased by 32% and 36%, respectively, compared with the aluminum maltolate exposure group (P < 0.05). The NMDAR2B mRNA expression levels of the aluminum maltolate + inhibitor group was decreased by 46%, and the NMDAR2B protein expression levels of the aluminum maltolate + agonist group was increased by 95%, compared with the aluminum maltolate exposure group (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the PKC enzyme activity of the aluminum maltolate exposure group decreased by 56%, while the PKC activity of the aluminum maltolate+agonist group was upregulated by 116% compared with the maltolate exposure group (P < 0.05).
Conclusion The PKC and subunits of NMDAR mRNA and protein expressions in PC12 cells are inhibited by aluminum maltolate. Aluminum maltolate may regulate the NMDAR expression and the PCK enzyme activity via mGluR1. NMDAR1 and NMDAR2B play roles in the proposed regulation.