Regulation of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channels suppresses the toxic effects of amyloid-beta peptide (25–35)

In this study, we treated PC12 cells with 0–20 μM amyloid-β peptide (25–35) for 24 hours to induce cytotoxicity, and found that 5–20 μM amyloid-β peptide (25–35) decreased PC12 cell viability, but adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel activator diazoxide suppressed the decrease in PC12 cell viability induced by amyloid-β peptide (25–35). Diazoxide protected PC12 cells against amyloid-β peptide (25–35)-induced increases in mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. These protective effects were reversed by the selective mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel blocker 5-hydroxydecanoate. An inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, Nω-nitro-L-arginine, also protected PC12 cells from amyloid-β peptide (25–35)-induced increases in both mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. However, the H(2)O(2)-degrading enzyme catalase could not reverse the amyloid-β peptide (25–35)-induced increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species. A 24-hour exposure to amyloid-β peptide (25–35) did not result in apoptosis or necrosis, suggesting that the increases in both mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species levels preceded cell death. The data suggest that amyloid-β peptide (25–35) cytotoxicity is associated with adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channels and nitric oxide. Regulation of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channels suppresses PC12 cell cytotoxicity induced by amyloid-β peptide (25–35).