Figure 11.

bFGF protects primary dopaminergic neurons against rotenone-induced cell death via activation of ERK1/2 and PI3-kinase pathways. A, bFGF reduces rotenone-induced loss of TH⁺ dopaminergic neurons. Primary ventral mesencephalic cultures were pretreated with 10 ng/ml bFGF for 1 h, followed by 1–5 nm rotenone treatment for 24 h. Data were from two independent experiments with duplicate determinations. B, bFGF protection against rotenone is reversed by pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2 or PI3-kinase pathways. Primary ventral mesencephalic cultures were pretreated with bFGF for 1 h, followed by a 24 h treatment with rotenone, 10 μm U0126 (U0), 10 μm LY294002 (LY), or vehicle control (V) as indicated. All TH⁺ cells on each coverslip were counted. Vehicle control represents 100% survival. Data are representative of two independent experiments with triplicate determinations. Error bars are SEM. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 (ANOVA).