Objective: This study aimed to explore the mechanism of venlafaxine in regulating the apoptosis of SHSY-5Y cells induced by hypoxia.
Methods: The CoCl2-induced neuronal hypoxia model was established based on SHSY-5Y cells. The morphology and related protein expression of SHSY-5Y cells were detected by qPCR, ELISA and Western blot.
Results: Under the condition of hypoxia-induced by CoCl2, the expression of HIF-1α in SHSY-5Y cells was up-regulated and the expression of β-catenin was down-regulated. After adding siRNA targeting HIF-1 α to the culture cell system, down-regulation of β -catenin expression in SHSY-5Y cells was restored. This confirmed the existence of the “hypoxia-HIF-1α-Wnt/β-catenin-depression” axis. Further studies have shown that venlafaxine can alleviate neuronal apoptosis induced by hypoxia by upregulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
Conclusion: Venlafaxine regulates apoptosis induced by hypoxia through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which provides a new theoretical basis for the treatment of depression.
Keywords: venlafaxine, Wnt/β-catenin, SHSY-5Y cells, apoptosis