Inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition and release of cytochrome c by anti-apoptotic nucleoside analogues

We have investigated whether nucleoside drugs that induce or protect neurones against apoptosis might directly activate or inhibit mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT) since opening of the mPT pore can promote release of cytochrome c and apoptosis, while its closure can prevent these changes. We found that the pro-apoptotic pyrimidine analogues cytosine beta-D-arabinofuranoside and cytosine beta-D-arabinofuranoside 5'-triphosphate, which activated apoptosis in post-mitotic neurones without incorporation into nuclear DNA, induced rapid calcium-dependent mitochondrial swelling of isolated liver mitochondria in a dose-dependent manner. Induction of up to 50 and 80%, respectively, of maximal swelling induced by high calcium was obtained at 1mM concentrations, which also promoted a 17-fold increase in the release of cytochrome c. Both activities were inhibited by cyclosporine A to unstimulated levels; dCTP had no effect. In contrast, the anti-apoptotic adenine analogues, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and olomoucine (but not iso-olomoucine), inhibited swelling induced by calcium or phenylarsine oxide in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations that protect neurones from apoptosis. Both compounds also inhibited the release of cytochrome c (by 82%, 20 mM 3-MA and 95%, 0.9 mM olomoucine), similar to the inhibition obtained with cyclosporine A, and 5mM ADP or ATP. Similar inhibitory effects with olomoucine and 3-MA were found in isolated heart mitochondria. These studies identify the mPT as an important target for hitherto untested pro- and anti-apoptotic nucleoside-based drugs and suggest that screening for mPT modulation is an important component in the validation of a drug's mechanism of action.     

Enantioselectivity of ribonucleotide reductase: a first study using stereoisomers of pyrimidine 2'-azido-2'-deoxynucleosides

In this paper, the enantioselectivity of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR, EC 1.17.4.1), a pivotal enzyme involved in DNA biosynthesis, was studied using the beta-d and beta-l stereoisomers of 2'-azido-2'-deoxynucleosides of uracil and cytosine. The corresponding 5'-diphosphate derivatives in the d-configuration have been extensively studied as mechanism-based inhibitors of the enzyme. The original l-enantiomers were synthesized and evaluated in vitro. In cell culture experiments, only the cytosine derivative with a d-configuration was found cytostatic and able to deplete dNTP pools in response to RNR inhibition. In the case of the uracil enantiomeric pair, this result correlates with an inefficient intracellular monophosphorylation as demonstrated in testing their substrate properties against human uridine-cytidine kinase 1. Regarding cytosine analogues, human deoxycytidine kinase was found to be able to phosphorylate both enantiomers with comparable efficiency but only the d-stereoisomer was active in human cell culture. The interaction of the beta-d and beta-l stereoisomers of 2'-azido-2'-deoxyuridine 5'-diphosphate with purified Escherichia coli RNR was also examined. Inactivation of the enzyme was only observed in the presence of the d-stereoisomer, demonstrating that RNR exhibits enantiospecificity with respect to the natural configuration of the sugar moiety, as far as 2'-azido-2'-deoxynucleotides are concerned.     

Effects of synthetic sphingosine-1-phosphate analogs on arachidonic acid metabolism and cell death

Sphingolipid metabolites such as sphingosine regulate cell functions including cell death and arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism. D-erythro-C18-Sphingosine-1-phosphate (D-e-S1P), a sphingolipid metabolite, acts as an intracellular messenger in addition to being an endogenous ligand of some cell surface receptors. The development of S1P analogs may be useful for studying and/or regulating S1P-mediated cellular responses. In the present study, we found that several synthetic S1P analogs at pharmacological concentrations stimulated AA metabolism and cell death in PC12 cells. D-erythro-N,O,O-Trimethyl-C18-S1P (D-e-TM-S1P), L-threo-O,O-dimethyl-C18-S1P (L-t-DM-S1P) and L-threo-O,O-dimethyl-3O-benzyl-C18-S1P (L-t-DMBn-S1P) at 100 microM stimulated [(3)H]AA release from the prelabeled PC12 cells. L-t-DMBn-S1P at 20 microM increased prostanoid formation in PC12 cells. L-t-DMBn-S1P-induced AA release was inhibited by D-e-sphingosine, but not by the tested PLA(2) inhibitors. L-t-DMBn-S1P did not stimulate the activity of cytosolic phospholipase A(2alpha) (cPLA(2alpha)) in vitro and the translocation of cPLA(2alpha) in the cells, and caused AA release from the cells lacking cPLA(2alpha). These findings suggest that L-t-DMBn-S1P stimulated AA release in a cPLA(2alpha)-independent manner. In contrast, D-e-S1P and D-erythro-N-monomethyl-C18-S1P caused cell death without AA release in PC12 cells, and the effects of D-e-TM-S1P, L-t-DM-S1P and L-t-DMBn-S1P on cell death were limited. Synthetic S1P analogs may be useful tools for studying AA metabolism and cell death in cells.     

Phosphorylation of 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine monophosphate by Drosophila melanogaster guanylate kinase

Nucleoside monophosphate kinases have an important role in the synthesis of nucleotides that are required for cellular metabolism. These enzymes are also important for the phosphorylation of nucleoside- and nucleotide analogs used in cancer and anti-viral therapy. We report the cDNA cloning and characterization of a 23 kDa guanylate kinase from Drosophila melanogaster (Dm-GUK). The predicted amino acid sequence was 58% identical to the human guanylate kinase and the enzyme was shown to phosphorylate GMP and dGMP with ATP as phosphate donor. The monophosphates of the deoxyguanosine analogs 2',2'-difluorodeoxyguanosine (dFdG) and 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine (araG) were also shown to be phosphorylated by the enzyme. We used the enzyme to reconstitute the complete in vitro three-step phosphorylation pathway for the conversion of dGuo and araG to the corresponding triphosphates.     

Inhibition of arachidonic acid release and cytosolic phospholipase A2 alpha activity by D-erythro-sphingosine

Sphingolipid metabolites such as sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramide can mediate many cellular events including apoptosis, stress responses and growth arrest. Although ceramide stimulates arachidonic acid metabolism in several cells, the effects of sphingosine and its endogenous analogs have not been established. We investigated the effects of D-erythro-sphingosine and its metabolites on arachidonic acid release in the two cells and on the activity of cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha. C2-Ceramide (N-acetyl-D-erythro-sphingosine, 100 microM) alone stimulated [3H]arachidonic acid release and enhanced the ionomycin-induced release from the prelabeled PC12 cells and L929 cells. In contrast, exogenous addition of D-erythro-sphingosine inhibited the responses in a concentration-dependent manner in the two cell lines. D-erythro-sphingosine, D-erythro-N,N-dimethylsphingosine (D-erythro-DMS) and D-erythro-dihydrosphingosine (D-erythro-DHS) significantly inhibited mastoparan-, but not Na3VO4-, stimulated arachidonic acid release in PC12 cells. D-erythro-S1P and DL-threo-DHS showed no effect on the responses. Production of prostaglandin F2alpha was also enhanced by C2-ceramide (20 microM) and suppressed by D-erythro-sphingosine (10 microM) in PC12 cells. An in vitro study revealed that D-erythro-sphingosine, D-erythro-DMS and D-erythro-DHS directly inhibited cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha activity. These findings suggest that ceramide and D-erythro-analogs of sphingosine have opposite effects on phospholipase A2 activity and thus regulate arachidonic acid release from cells.     

An RNA-directed nucleoside anti-metabolite, 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-d-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd), elicits antitumor effect via TP53-induced Glycolysis and Apoptosis Regulator (TIGAR) downregulation

1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-d-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd) is a ribose-modified nucleoside analog of cytidine with potent anticancer activity in several cancers. The main antitumor mechanism of this promising RNA-directed nucleoside anti-metabolite is efficient blockade of RNA synthesis in cancer cells. Here, we examined the therapeutic potential of this RNA-directed anti-metabolite in in vitro models of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). In a panel of 6 NPC cell lines, ECyd effectively inhibited cellular proliferation at nM concentrations (IC₅₀:∼13-44 nM). Moreover, cisplatin-resistant NPC cells were highly sensitive to ECyd (at nM concentration). The ECyd-mediated growth inhibition was associated with G₂/M cell cycle arrest, PARP cleavage (a hallmark of apoptosis) and Bcl-2 downregulation, indicating induction of apoptosis by ECyd in NPC cells. Unexpectedly, ECyd-induced significant downregulation of TIGAR, a newly described dual regulator of apoptosis and glycolysis. More importantly, this novel action of ECyd on TIGAR was accompanied by marked depletion of NADPH, the major reducing power critically required for cell proliferation and survival. We hypothesized that ECyd-induced TIGAR downregulation was crucially involved in the antitumor activity of ECyd. Indeed, overexpression of TIGAR was able to rescue NPC cells from ECyd-induced growth inhibition, demonstrating a novel mechanistic action of ECyd on TIGAR. We demonstrated for the first time that an RNA-directed nucleoside analog, ECyd, exerts its antitumor activity via downregulation of a novel regulator of apoptosis, TIGAR. Moreover, ECyd may represent a novel therapy for NPC.     

Human mitochondrial and cytosolic branched-chain aminotransferases are cysteine S-conjugate beta-lyases,but turnover leads to inactivation

The mitochondrial and cytosolic branched-chain aminotransferases (BCAT(m) and BCAT(c)) are homodimers in the fold type IV class of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-containing enzymes that also contains D-amino acid aminotransferase and 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate lyase (a beta-lyase). Recombinant human BCAT(m) and BCAT(c) were shown to have beta-lyase activity toward three toxic cysteine S-conjugates [S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine, S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine, and S-(2-chloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl)-L-cysteine] and toward beta-chloro-L-alanine. Human BCAT(m) is a much more effective beta-chloro-L-alanine beta-lyase than two aminotransferases (cytosolic and mitochondrial isozymes of aspartate aminotransferase) previously shown to possess this activity. BCAT(m), but not BCAT(c), also exhibits measurable beta-lyase activity toward a relatively bulky cysteine S-conjugate [benzothiazolyl-L-cysteine]. Benzothiazolyl-L-cysteine, however, inhibits the L-leucine-alpha-ketoglutarate transamination reaction catalyzed by both enzymes. Inhibition was more pronounced with BCAT(m). In the presence of beta-lyase substrates and alpha-ketoisocaproate (the alpha-keto acid analogue of leucine), no transamination could be detected. Therefore, with an amino acid containing a good leaving group in the beta position, beta-elimination is greatly preferred over transamination. Both BCAT isozymes are rapidly inactivated by the beta-lyase substrates. The ratio of turnover to inactivation per monomer in the presence of toxic halogenated cysteine S-conjugates is approximately 170-280 for BCAT(m) and approximately 40-50 for BCAT(c). Mitochondrial enzymes of energy metabolism are especially vulnerable to thioacylation and inactivation by the reactive fragment released from toxic, halogenated cysteine S-conjugates such as S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine. The present results suggest that BCAT isozymes may contribute to the mitochondrial toxicity of these compounds by providing thioacylating fragments, but inactivation of the BCAT isozymes might also block essential metabolic pathways.     

Expression of deoxynucleoside kinases and 5'-nucleotidases in mouse tissues: implications for mitochondrial toxicity

Anti-HIV nucleoside therapy can result in mitochondrial toxicity affecting muscles, peripheral nerves, pancreas and adipose tissue. The cytosolic deoxycytidine kinase (dCK; EC 2.7.1.74) and thymidine kinase (TK1; EC 2.7.1.21), the mitochondrial thymidine kinase (TK2) and deoxyguanosine kinase (dGK; EC 2.7.1.113) as well as 5'-deoxynucleotidases (5'-dNT; EC 3.1.3.5) are enzymes that control rate-limiting steps in formation of intracellular and intra-mitochondrial nucleotides. The mRNA levels and activities of these enzymes were determined in mouse tissues, using real-time PCR and selective enzyme assays. The expression of mRNA for all these enzymes and the mitochondrial deoxynucleotide carrier was detected in all tissues with a 5-10-fold variation. TK1 activities were only clearly detected in spleen and testis, while TK2, dGK and dCK activities were found in all tissues. dGK activities were higher than any other dNK in all tissues, except spleen and testis. In skeletal muscle dGK activity was 5-fold lower, TK2 and dCK levels were 10-fold lower as compared with other tissues. The variation in 5'-dNT activities was about eight-fold with the highest levels in brain and lowest in brown fat. Thus, the salvage of deoxynucleosides in muscles is 5-10-fold lower as compared to other non-proliferating tissues and 100-fold lower compared to spleen. These results may help to explain tissue specific toxicity observed with nucleoside analogs used in HIV treatment as well as symptoms in inherited mitochondrial TK2 deficiencies.     

Identification of residues involved in the substrate specificity of human and murine dCK

Deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) is a salvage pathway enzyme that can phosphorylate both pyrimidine and purine deoxynucleosides, including important antiviral and cytostatic agents. Earlier studies showed that there are differences in kinetic properties between human and murine dCK, which may explain differences in toxic effects of nucleoside analogs. To determine if certain substitutions in amino acid sequences between human and mouse dCK give these differences in substrate specificity the 14 mutants and hybrid forms of human dCK were studied. All variants were characterised with dCyd, dAdo and dGuo as phosphate acceptors and ATP and UTP as phosphate donor. The relative activities with dCyd, dAdo and dGuo were about 70, 20, 30%, respectively, with UTP as compared to ATP for human dCK and 40, 60, 70% for mouse dCK. Among all tested mutants only the triple combination of substitutions Q179R-T184K-H187N (RKN) had a kinetic behaviour very similar to mouse dCK. The kinetic patterns with several important nucleoside analogs, such as AraC, CdA, ddC and AraG have also been studied. Results demonstrated 50-70% low relative capacities of the recombinant mouse and triple mutant RKN to phosphorylate this nucleoside analogs compare with human dCK. A model for dCK was used to try to explain the functional role of these amino acid substitutions. According to this model the triple mutant RKN have altered amino acids in a region necessary for conformational changes during catalyses. This may affects the substrate selectivity both for the nucleosides and the phosphate donors.     

Down-regulation of deoxycytidine kinase in human leukemic cell lines resistant to cladribine and clofarabine and increased ribonucleotide reductase activity contributes to fludarabine resistance

Mechanisms of acquired resistance to three purine analogues, 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (cladribine, CdA), 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-2-fluoroadenine (fludarabine, Fara-A), and 2-chloro-2'-arabino-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine (clofarabine, CAFdA) were investigated in a human T-lymphoblastic leukemia cell line (CCRF-CEM). These analogues are pro-drugs and must be activated by deoxycytidine kinase (dCK). The CdA and CAFdA resistant cell lines exhibited increased resistance to the other nucleoside analogues activated by dCK. This was also the case for the Fara-A resistant cells, except that they were sensitive to CAFdA and guanosine analogues. The CdA and CAFdA resistant cells displayed a deficiency in dCK activity (to <5%) while the Fara-A resistant cells showed only a minor reduction of dCK activity (20% reduction). The activity of high K(m) 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NT) (cN-II) using IMP as substrate, was 2-fold elevated in the resistant cell lines. The amount of the small subunit R2 of ribonucleotide reductase (RR) was higher in the Fara-A resistant cells, which translated into a higher RR activity, while CdA and CAFdA cells had decreased activity compared to the parental cells. Expression of the recently identified RR subunit, p53R2 full-size protein, in CAFdA cells was low compared to parental cells, but a protein of lower molecular weight was detected in CdA and CAFdA cells. Co-incubation of Fara-A with the RR inhibitor 3,4-dihydroxybenzohydroxamic acid (didox) enhanced cytotoxicity in the Fara-A resistant cells by a factors of 20. Exposure of the cells to the nucleoside analogues studied here also caused structural and numerical instability of the chromosomes; the most profound changes were recorded for CAFdA cells, as demonstrated by SKY and CGH analysis. We conclude that down-regulation of dCK in cells resistant to CdA and CAFdA and increased activity of RR in cells resistant to Fara-A contribute to resistance.     

Trimidox,an inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase,synergistically enhances the inhibition of colony formation by Ara-C in HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells

Ribonucleotide reductase is the rate-limiting enzyme for the de novo synthesis of deoxynucleoside triphosphates and therefore represents a good target for cancer chemotherapy. Trimidox (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzamidoxime) was identified as a potent inhibitor of this enzyme and was shown to significantly decrease deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP) pools in HL-60 leukemia cells. We now investigated the ability of trimidox to increase the antitumor effect of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl cytosine (Ara-C). Ara-C is phosphorylated by deoxycytidine kinase, which is subject to negative allosteric regulation by dCTP. Therefore, a decrease of dCTP may cause increased Ara-C phosphorylation and enhanced incorporation of Ara-C into DNA. Ara-C incorporation indeed increased 1.51- and 1.89-fold after preincubation with 75 and 100 microM trimidox, respectively. This was due to the significantly increased 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl cytosine triphosphate pools (1.9- and 2.5-fold) after preincubation with trimidox. We also investigated the effects of a combination of trimidox and Ara-C on the colony formation of HL-60 cells. A synergistic potentiation of the effect of Ara-C could be observed, when trimidox was added. Trimidox, which decreases intracellular deoxynucleoside triphosphate concentrations thus leading to apoptosis, enhanced the induction of apoptosis caused by Ara-C. We conclude, that trimidox is capable of synergistically enhancing the effects of Ara-C and therefore this drug combination might be further tested in animals.     

Two new flavonoid glycosides from the whole herbs of Hyssopus officinalis

Two new flavonoid glycosides, quercetin 7-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranoside (1) and quercetin 7-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranoside 3′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (2), together with nine known flavonoids were isolated from the whole herbs of Hyssopus officinalis L. cultivated in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. All structures were characterized by the spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, ESI-MS, 1D, and 2D NMR. Their potent free radical scavenging activity against the stable 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical was evaluated.     

Synergism between staurosporine and drugs inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress

Drugs causing endoplasmic reticulum or mitochondrial dysfunction may trigger apoptosis in eukaryotic cells. The thiol reagent dithiothreitol (DTT) belongs to the first group whereas the protein kinases inhibitor staurosporine acts on mitochondria. Since the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis may converge in common steps, we examined the possibility of synergism between these two drugs. Using the activation of caspase-3 as indicator of apoptosis, we found that in two cell lines, Jurkat and Mono-Mac 6, staurosporine and DTT elicited apoptosis with a different pattern: staurosporine acted rapidly and at nanomolar concentrations while DTT acted slowly and at higher concentrations (1mM). When staurosporine and DTT were combined, the proapoptotic action was increased. This was confirmed examining late apoptotic events such as the translocation of phosphatidylserine across the plasma membrane and the cleavage of the antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1. The use of subthreshold DTT concentrations and isobologram analysis demonstrated the synergic nature of the interaction. Tunicamycin, a drug that, like DTT, inhibits protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum also increased the proapoptotic effect of staurosporine. In agreement with the interplay between the mitochondrial and the endoplasmic reticulum pathways it was found that both staurosporine and DTT induced cytochrome c release. Furthermore, 90min incubation with DTT did not induce caspase-4 activation while staurosporine alone or in combination with DTT stimulated caspase-4 activity. We conclude that staurosporine is more active in cells undergoing endoplasmic reticulum stress. This synergism may warrant evaluation to establish whether the anticancer activity of staurosporine is also enhanced.     

A sensitive new method for clinically monitoring cytarabine concentrations at the DNA level in leukemic cells

Cytarabine (ara-C), a major antileukemic agent, is phosphorylated in the cell to cytarabine triphosphate (ara-CTP), which is then partly incorporated into DNA. The drug incorporation into DNA poisons the extending primer against further incorporation of deoxyribonucleotides including dCTP, ultimately inhibiting DNA synthesis. While intracellular ara-CTP concentration has been found to predict clinical outcome, cytotoxicity in vitro is determined primarily by the extent of drug incorporation into DNA. However, clinically appropriate quantitation methods for ara-C at the DNA level have not been available. We developed a sensitive new method for monitoring ara-C incorporated into DNA in vivo. After DNA from leukemic cells was fractionated using the Schmidt-Thannhauser-Schneider method, it was degraded to constituent nucleosides to release ara-C, which was isolated from the nucleosides using HPLC and then measured by radioimmunoassay. Recovery for DNA fractionation, ara-C release by degradation, and ara-C isolation were 92.0+/-6.4%, 90.7+/-9.4%, and 98.5+/-1.4%, respectively. The method was found to determine ara-C incorporation into DNA of ara-C-treated HL 60 cells in vitro with minimal interassay variation. The values determined were compatible with those determined by scintillation counting in parallel experiments using tritiated ara-C. Our method could be used to monitor DNA-incorporated ara-C concentrations during ara-C therapy, together with plasma ara-C and intracellular ara-CTP concentrations. ara-C incorporation into DNA appeared to be associated with intracellular retention of ara-CTP or persistence of plasma ara-C. Thus, the present method is sensitive, accurate, precise, and may permit therapeutic drug monitoring at the DNA level for better individualization of antileukemic regimens.     

Two new terpenoid glucosides from Aster flaccidus

Two new terpenoid glucosides, namely 2-O-β-d-glucopyranoside-vicodiol (1) and 10-O-β-d-glucopyranoside-oplopanone (2), along with seven known compounds, were isolated from the aerial part of Aster flaccidus (composite), a traditional Chinese herb medicine. The structures of 1 and 2 were established by spectroscopic methods, especially 2D NMR experiments.     

In vitro susceptibility of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets to fludarabine

Administration of the adenosine analogue fludarabine (FLU) in vivo induces a profound and prolonged T lymphopenia which mainly affects CD4(+) cells. To better understand the mechanistic basis underlying this preferential depletion, we analyzed the in vitro susceptibility of T cell subsets to FLU-induced apoptosis. Contrasting with observations in vivo, our results showed that treatment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with FLU induced a higher level of apoptosis in CD8(+) than in CD4(+) T lymphocytes. This increased sensitivity of CD8(+) T cells to FLU was observed in samples from both, healthy donors and B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, and resulted in higher CD4:CD8 ratios in FLU-treated than in untreated cultures (P<0.01). Expression of factors involved in FLU transport and metabolism was then evaluated by quantitative real time-PCR in normal T cell subsets. It was found that mRNA levels of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 nucleoside transporter were higher whereas deoxycytidine kinase and IMP/GMP selective 5'-nucleotidase mRNA levels were lower in CD4(+) cells. However the dCK/cN-II ratio was 2-fold greater in CD8(+) than in CD4(+) T lymphocytes, which could account for the higher apoptosis levels observed in the CD8(+) subset. These results favor the view that decreased CD4:CD8 ratios in FLU-treated patients should be attributed to differences in cell recovery and/or homing between T cell subsets.     

Steroidal alkaloids from the bulbs of Fritillaria unibracteata

Two new steroidal alkaloids peimisine-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1) and puqiedinone-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (3), together with three known compounds peimisine (2), puqiedinone (4), and puqiedine (5), were isolated and characterized from the bulbs of Fritillaria unibracteata. Their structures were fully elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Compound 1 showed moderate protection effect on neurotoxicity of PC12 cell lines induced by rotenone.