Objective: To investigate the protective effects of lycopene against rotenone-induced mitochondrial damage in PC12 cells. Method: All the experiments were carried out with PC12 in vitro

which were divided into 5 group

control

model(0.5 μmol·L-1)

lycopene(3

10

30 μmol·L-1) preincubation.Cell viability was determined by CCK-8 assay;inverted phase contrast microscope was used to observe the cell morphological was;the ultrastructural changes of neuronal mitochondria were viewed under transmission electron microscope.The flow cytometry was used to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP). Result: CCK-8 assay showed that rotenone had cytotoxicity in PC12 cells

compared with the cells in the control group

cell viability was declined to 70.34%±2.81%(P<0.05)

the pre-treatment of lycopene(3

10

30 μmol·L-1) could significantly increase the PCI2 cell viability

cell viability was increased to 83.09%±3.15%

87.24%±2.15%

89.17%±2.26%(P<0.05). Compared with the cells in the model group

the number and morphology of neuronal mitochondria changed distinctly in the lycopene pretreated cells. Compared with the cells in the model group

the pre-treatment of lycopene(3

10

30 μmol·L-1)increased mean fluorescence intensity of mitochondrial membrane potential to 202.24±26.28

226.21±9.71

238.83±10.29 (P<0.05). Conclusion: Lycopene can exert protective effects against rotenone-induced mitochondrial damage in PC12 cells.