Figure 1

Angiotensin II potentiates zinc-induced neuronal cell death in cortical cell cultures. A) Phase-contrast (upper) and matching propidium-iodide fluorescence photomicrographs (lower) of mixed cortical cell cultures after sham wash (CTL), 15 min treatment with 300 μM zinc (Zn), or 15 min treatment with 300 μM zinc plus 1 μM angiotensin II (+Ang). Whereas zinc alone induced a moderate degree of cell death, addition of angiotensin II significantly increased the toxicity, especially to neurons. B) LDH release (mean ± SEM, n = 9) in cortical cell cultures after 15 min exposure to 300 μM zinc or zinc plus angiotensin II (0.5–50 μM). Angiotensin II potentiated zinc-triggered cell death in a concentration-dependent manner (*p < 0.05 versus zinc alone; two-tailed t-test). C) LDH release in cortical culture after a 24 h exposure to 60 μM glutamate, 20 μM NMDA, or 200 nM ionomycin in the absence or presence of 1 μM angiotensin II. Angiotensin II failed to potentiate calcium-overload excitotoxicity.