Abstract：Objective To explore the protective effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on corticosterone-induced apoptosis in hippocampal neurons of neonatal rats. Methods Primary cultured hippocampal neurons of neonatal rats were divided into the control group, the corticosterone group and the corticosterone+BDNF group. The concentration of corticosterone was 100 μM, BDNF interventions were used with concentration of 0.1, 1, 10, 25, 50, and 100 ng/mL, and the modeling and intervention time were both 24 hours. Cell viability was determined by CCK8 method, the optimal concentration of BDNF was analyzed, the apoptosis of cells was detected by flow cytometry and Hoechst fluorescent staining, and the expression levels of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were detected by Western-blotting method. Results Compared with the control group, the apoptotic rate of neurons in the corticosterone group increased from (10.7±1.2)% to (33.9±3.5)% (t=18.707, P<0.01), the cell body was translucent,some of the nuclei were fragmented, the apoptosis characteristics were obvious, and the expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 was significantly up-regulated (t1=27.098, P1＜0.001; t2=24.311, P2＜0.01). After BDNF treatment, the cell viability increased significantly, and the difference was statistically significant at the concentration of1 ng/mL between the control group and the corticosterone group (t=3.562, P<0.05). The optimal concentration of BDNF was 48 ng/ml. After BDNF (48 ng/ml) intervention, the apoptosis rate decreased to (18.7±2.1)% compared with the corticosterone group, showing a statistically significant difference (t=11.478, P<0.01). The cell morphology returned to normal, and the expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 was down-regulated (t1=17.341,P1=0.002;t2=14.993,P=0.005). Conclusions BDNF can effectively antagonize corticosterone-induced hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and protect neuronal cells.
2019, Vol. 26 
