p21(WAF1/Cip1) is not involved in kainic acid-induced apoptosis in murine cerebellar granule cells.

ABSTRACT

Kainic acid (KA) treatment induced neuronal death and apoptosis in murine cerebellar granule cells (CGNs) cultures from both wild-type and knockout p21(-/-) mice. There was not statistically significant difference in the percentage of neuronal apoptosis among strains. KA-induced neurotoxicity was prevented in the presence of NBQX (20 microM) and GYKI 52446 (20 microM), but not by z-VAD-fmk, suggesting that caspases are not involved in the apoptotic process. Data suggest that p21(WAF/Cip) was unable to modulate KA-induced apoptosis in murine CGNs.