Inhibition of staurosporine-induced neuronal cell death by bisphenol A and nonylphenol in primary cultured rat hippocampal and cortical neurons

We examined whether bisphenol A (BPA) and 4-nonylphenol (NP) influenced staurosporine-induced neuronal cell death in primary cultured rat hippocampal and cortical neurons. In hippocampal neurons, 17beta-estradiol (E-2) (1 nM and 10 muM) and BPA (10 muM) significantly inhibited the staurosporine-induced release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). In cortical neurons, BPA significantly inhibited the LDH release, while E-2 did not. In hippocampal neurons, E-2 and BPA significantly inhibited the staurosporine-induced increase in caspase-3 activity. In cortical neurons, BPA and NP significantly inhibited the increase in caspase-3 activity, while E-2 did not. Furthermore, low-dose BPA (10 nM) also significantly inhibited the increase in caspase-3 activity in both hippocampal and cortical neurons. BPA and NP might impede normal brain development by inhibiting even desirable neuronal cell death, interfering with caspase-3 activation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.