To investigate effect of GDF11 on formaldehyde-induced cytotoxicity in HT22 cells.

HT22 cells were divided into control group (cells without any treatment) , formaldehyde (FA) group (50, 100, 200 μmol/L formaldehyde respectively treated cells) and GDF11+FA group (GDF11 transfected cells and 100 μmol/L formaldehyde respectively treated cells) . Cell counting box (CCK8) was used to detect the viability of HT22 cells, and Western Blotting was used to detect the changes of apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2 in HT22 cells. Caspase-3 activity in HT22 cells was detected by caspase-3 activity detection kit, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in HT22 cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) after DCFDA staining. One-way analysis was used to compare the differences among three groups.

Compared with control group, the viability of HT22 cells (56.12±0.61 vs 92.23±0.20) and the expression level of Bcl-2 protein (220.32±2.21 vs 150.25±0.31) were decreased in the FA group (P < 0.05) . Caspase-3 activity (95.36±1.74 vs 190.17±2.14) , and the expression levels of Bax protein (132.19±1.21 vs 150.17±1.00) and ROS (1099.32±75.47 vs 2802.17±126.49) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) . After transfection of HT22 cells with GDF11, compared with FA group, the viability of HT22 cells in the GDF11+FA group was increased (56.12±0.61 vs 83.11±1.64) , the expression of Bax protein decreased (270.03±0.17 vs 150.17±1.06) , the expression of Bcl-2 protein increased (150.25±0.31 vs 187.34±1.52) , caspase-3 activity decreased (190.17±2.14 vs 105.31±4.12) , and the ROS level decreased (2802.17±126.49 vs 1305.36±68.45) . The difference was statistically significant (all P < 0.05) .

GDF11 can prevent formaldehyde-induced apoptosis and reduce ROS production in HT22 cells, which is of great significance in preventing and treating the neurotoxicity of formaldehyde.