Objective: To investigate the effect of memantine on Parkinson’s disease cell models. Methods: Parkinson’s disease cell models were established using PC12 cells incubated with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Flow cytometry and microscopy were used to investigate the apoptotic process and the percentage of different apoptotic stages. PC12 cells were infected with lentiviral vectors to knockdown Nur77. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of Nur77 and caspase -3, -8, -9, -12 in PC12 cells withdifferent concentrations of 6-OHDA or 6-OHDA+memantine. Results: 6-OHDA led to apoptosis PC12 cells, and increased the expression of Nur77 and caspases. Memantine significantly inhibited 6-OHDA-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells. Meanwhile, memantine could mitigate apoptosis of PC12 cells by regulating the Nur77 and caspase pathway. Conclusions: Memantine has a protective effect on the PC12 cell model via regulating the Nur77 and caspases pathway.
