Characterization of methyl-β-cyclodextrin toxicity in NGF-differentiated PC12 cell death

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are used to deliver hydrophobic molecules in aqueous environments. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), a member of this family of molecules, has been proposed to be a good carrier to deliver fatty acids to cells in culture. This report focuses on studying the in vitro effects of MβCD on nerve growth factor-differentiated PC12 (NGFDPC12) cells, a tissue culture model to study neuronal survival and differentiation. The main findings are: (1) NGFDPC12 cells have normal viability when exposed to 0.12% MβCD but showed a significant loss in cell viability at higher concentrations; (2) NGFDPC12 cells exposed to 0.25% MβCD exhibit nuclear condensation, blebbing and apoptotic bodies, and whole cell lysates exhibited an increase in caspase-3-like activity and high levels of Bax and Bcl-XL protein expression compared to control. Cultures treated with 0.25% MβCD also showed cleavage of normal 21-kDa Bax protein into a 18-kDa fragment. (3) Experiments using 0.12% MβCD to deliver oleic acid did not affect cell viability, in contrast NGFDPC12 cultures in which 0.25% MβCD concentration is used exhibited similar loss of cell viability as observed with 0.25% MβCD alone. Treating these cultures with caspase-3 inhibitor z-VAD-fmk did not protect the cells from MβCD toxic effects. (4) Immortalized Schwann cells (iSC) exposed to MβCD 0.12% did not show loss of cell viability while 0.25% MβCD triggered a significant toxicity but with a different dose and time course dynamic than NGFDPC12 cells. Thus, NGFDPC12 or iSC cell cultures exposed to 0.12% MβCD exhibits normal viability while higher concentrations increase in cell death and apoptosis.