The link between Ca2+ dysregulation, mitochondria damages,
oxidative stress and cellular derangement is particularly evident in
neurotoxicity induced by chemotherapeutic agents. In the current study, we
investigated effects of trifluoperazine (TFP) as an inhibitor of calmodulin
against the cytotoxicity induced by cytarabine (Ara-C) and Ifosfamide (IFOS) on
isolated rat neurons and also the mechanisms involved in this toxicity. Isolated
rat neurons were pretreated with TFP (100 µM) for 5 min
at 37°C, then Ara-C (226 µM) and IFOS
(290 µM) were added in separate experiments. After 3 h,
the cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lysosomal membrane
destabilization, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lipid peroxidation
(LP), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels were measured.
Ara-C and IFOS treatments caused a significant decrease in cellular viability,
which was accompanied by ROS generation, GSSG/GSH ratio, lipid
peroxidation and lysosomal and mitochondrial damages. On the other hand, TFP
(100 µM) pre-treatment attenuated Ara-C and IFOS -induced
decrease in cell viability. In addition, TFP (100 µM)
pre-treatment significantly protected against Ara-C and IFOS -induced increase
in ROS generation, lysosomal and mitochondrial damages, lipid peroxidation
levels and decrease in GSH/GSSG ratio. Our data provided insights into
the mechanism of protection by TFP against Ara-C and IFOS neurotoxicity, which
is related, to neuronal ROS formation and mitochondrial damages.