Objective   To study on the in vitro toxicity and cell apoptosis of benzoapyrene or/and lead-exposed rat cerebellar granule neurons.

  Methods   Primary cultures of rat cerebellar neurons were prepared from 8-day-old pups, there were 10 groups of cultured neurons in each item of experiments: standard control group; vehicle control group; low dose lead groupo; high dose lead group; low dose BaP group; high dose BaP group; low dose BaP+low dose lead group; low dose lead+high dose BaP group; high dose lead+low dose BaP group; high dose lead+high dose BaPgr oup.Low and high dose BaP group neurons were administrated with BaP dissolved in DSMO at 5 and 50 μmol/L, the vehicle control group was given DSM Oparale and the standard control group was not given additional treatment; low and high dose lead group were administrated with PbAc at 5 and 50 μmol/L specially.Affter 90-minute administration, the neurons were collected by the method of try psin digestion, the survival rates were detected by the method of Tapian-blue dying.Detecting the apoptosis rates by the methods of TUNEL.The relationship between the survival rates and the apoptosis rates were calculated.

  Results   The survival rates of all administrated groups were significantly lower than that of control groups(P < 0.05-P < 10E-7).The apoptosis rates of all administrated groups were significantly higher than that of control groups(P < 0.001-P < 10E-9).There was an negative co-relationship between the survival rates and the apoptosis rates(r=-0.761 25, P < 0.05).

  Conclusion   Both BaP and lead can damage cultured neurons, combine administration of two toxicants can do more serious damage.Cell apoptosis may be one of the mechanisms by which BaP resultsed in toxicity on the cultured neurons.