Tetrabromobisphenol A induced p38-MAPK/AMPKα activation downstream-triggered CHOP signal contributing to neuronal apoptosis and death

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a brominated flame retardant (BFR), has been implicated as the neurotoxic effects in mammalian. However, the exact mechanisms underlying TBBPA-induced neurotoxicity remain unclear. In the present study, Neuro-2a cells, a mouse neural crest-derived cell line, were used to examine the mechanism of TBBPA-induced neuronal cytotoxicity. TBBPA exposure caused alterations in cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and induction of apoptotic events, such as increased apoptotic cell population and cleaved caspase-3, −7, −9, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein expression). TBBPA exposure triggered CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP) activation. Transfection with CHOP-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) obviously prevented the expression of CHOP protein and markedly attenuated MMP loss, and caspase-3 and −7 activation in TBBPA-exposed Neuro-2a cells. In addition, TBBPA exposure significantly evoked the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular-signal regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38-MAPK), and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)α proteins. Pretreatment of cells with pharmacological inhibitors of p38-MAPK (SB203580) and AMPK (compound C), but not inhibitors of JNK (SP600125) or ERK1/2 (PD98059), effectively prevented the increase in caspase-3 activity, MMP loss, and activated CHOP and cleaved caspase-3 and −7 protein expression in TBBPA-treated cells. Notably, transfection with either p38α-MAPK- or AMPKα1/2-specific siRNAs markedly attenuated the expression of CHOP, and cleaved caspase-3 and −7. Interestingly, transfection with each siRNA significantly reduced the TBBPA-induced phosphorylation of p38-MAPK and AMPKα proteins. Collectively, these findings suggest that CHOP activation-mediated mitochondria-dependent apoptosis contributes to TBBPA-induced neurotoxicity. An interdependent p38-MAPK and AMPKα signaling-regulated apoptotic pathway may provide new insights into the mechanism understanding TBBPA-elicited neurotoxicity.