Chloride channels involve in hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells.

Chloride channel activity is one of the critical factors responsible for cell apoptotic volume decrease (AVD). However, the roles of chloride channels in apoptosis have not been fully understood. In the current study, we assessed the role of chloride channels in hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced apoptosis of pheochromocytoma cells (PC12). Extracellular application of H(2)O(2) activated a chloride current and induced cell volume decrease in a few minutes. Incubation of cells with H(2)O(2) elevated significantly the membrane permeability to the DNA dye Hoechst 33258 in 1h and induced apoptosis of most PC12 cells tested in 24h. The chloride channel blocker NPPB (5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate) prevented appearance of H(2)O(2)-induced high membrane permeability and cell shrinkage, suppressed H(2)O(2)-activated chloride currents and protected PC12 cells from apoptosis induced by H(2)O(2). The results suggest that chloride channels may contribute to H(2)O(2)-induced apoptosis by ways of elevation of membrane permeability and AVD in PC12 cells.