FIGURE 2.

MEK inhibitor and α-tocopherol block α-ESA-mediated cell death. A, MEK inhibitor U0126 prevented α-ESA-mediated cell death in both differentiated and nondifferentiated PC12 cells (5 or 2 μm). n = 6; *, p < 0.05 versus α-ESA alone. B, JNK inhibitor SP600125 and p38 inhibitor SB203580 did not block α-ESA-mediated cell death. C, α-Toc blocked α-ESA-mediated cell death at lower concentrations (0.01 μg/ml). n = 6; *, p < 0.05 versus α-ESA alone. D, in both SH-SY5Y and NG108-15 cells, α-ESA-mediated cell death was blocked by U0126 and α-Toc. The values represent the means ± S.D. The viability of α-ESA treated cells was measured by WST-8 16 h after the treatment.