[Taurine inhibited the apoptosis of glial cells induced by hypoxia].

OBJECTIVE

To study the anti-apoptosis effect of taurine on hypoxic glial cells.

METHODS

The glial cells were primarily cultured and divided into three groups, the control group, hypoxia group, and hypoxia + taurine group. The hypoxia model was established by putting cells in a tank filled with oxygen-free mixed gas (95% N2, 5% CO2) with oxygen concentration less than 1%. When the hypoxia time (6 hours) was finished, taurine (3 mmol/L) was added to incubate for hypoxia + taurine group. Finally, the glial cells of all groups were collected for FCM and RT-PCR tests after 24 and 48 hours, respectively.

RESULTS

The earlier apoptosis rate was (2. 48 ± 0. 92) %, the middle-late apoptosis rate was (2. 97 ± 0. 75) % for 48h hypoxia group, they were significantly higher than the control group (1. 02 ± 0. 44) % (P < 0. 05). The earlier apoptosis rate (1. 39 ± 1. 03) % and middle-late apoptosis rate (1. 62 ± 0. 1) % for 48 h taurine group were significantly lower than the hypoxia group (P <0. 05). The relative expression level of Bax mRNA for hypoxia group increased by five times higher than the control group, and two times than the hypoxia + taurine group (P <0. 05), and that of Bcl-2 mRNA for 48 h hypoxia + taurine group was two times higher than the hypoxia group (P <0. 01). The relative expression levels of HIF-lα mRNA for 24 h and 48 h hypoxia + taurine groups were significantly higher than the hypoxia group (P <0. 01).

CONCLUSIONS

Taurine could obviously inhibited the apoptosis of glial cells induced by hypoxia.