Abstract: o investigate the protective effects of genistein on apoptosis of rat cerebellar granule neurons induced by acrylamide. METHODS: Rat cerebellar granule neurons were prepared from the cerebellar cortex cells of 5-7day-old SD rats pups. The neurons were identified by Nissl staining method.The 8-day cultured cells passage were divided randomly into control group, acrylamide model group, genistein pretreatment groupⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ(cerebellar granule neurons were pretreated with 10,25,50 μmol/L genistein for 12 hours,the culture medium discarded and fresh DMEM/F12 solution added with the above mentioned concentration of genistein with 10 mmol/L acrylamide to cultured neurons for 24 hours). The neuronal viability was measured by MTT. Morphology of neurons and their nuclei were examined by phase-contrast and Hochest33342 staining,respectively. The ratio of apoptotic cells was detected by TUNEL. RESULTS: The cell survival rates of genistein pretreatment group Ⅱ and Ⅲ were not significantly higher than acrylamide model group. Genistein pretreatment groupⅠsignificantly prolonged the cell survival rate. The effects of diminished neuronal body, chromatin concentration and the ratio of apoptotic cells induced by acrylamide were markedly weakened. CONCLUSION: Genistein did not show a dose-dependent effect on protection. The appropriate concentration of 10 μmol/L was found to protect against apoptosis induced by acrylamide in primary culture of cerebellar granule neurons.

Key words: genistein, acrylamide, cerebellar granule neurons, apoptosis