6-hydroxydopamine toxicity towards human SH-SY5Y dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells: independent of mitochondrial energy metabolism

6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is widely used to generate animal models of Parkinson's disease. However, little is known about the intracellular events leading to cell death of dopaminergic neurones. Here we correlate indices oil energy production and cell viability in human dopaminergic neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells after exposure to 6-OHDA. The toxin induces a time and dose-dependent decrease in cell survival with an IC50 value of 25 mu M after 24h. In contrast to the mitochondrial complex I inhibitor 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), 6-OHDA-induced reduction of cell viability is not associated with a decrease of intracellular ATP content, intracellular ATP/ADP ratio or NAD(+) content. In addition, preventing or forcing glycolysis do not alter 6-OHDA toxicity. The antioxidant D-alpha-tocopherol can attenuate cell death induced by 6-OHDA. These results suggest that cell death induced by 6-OHDA is not due to an inhibition of mitochondrial energy supply, but probably involves production of free radicals.