2,5-Hexanedione induces apoptosis via a mitochondria-mediated pathway in PC12 cells

2,5-Hexanedione (HD) is the main active metabolite of n-hexane and mediates the neurotoxicity of the parent compound. Studies suggested that apoptosis involved in HD neurotoxicity. However, the mechanism of HD-induced neuronal apoptosis remains unknown. To explore its underlying mechanism, we treated PC12 cells with 5, 10 and 20 mM HD for 24 h, respectively. We found that HD induced apoptotic death in PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, HD down-regulated Bcl-2 expression, up-regulated Bax expression and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, promoted the disruption of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, induced the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and increased the activity of caspase-3 in PC12 cells, which were all the key regulators of intrinsic apoptotic pathway. These results indicate that HD induces apoptosis via a mitochondria-mediated pathway in PC12 cells.