Downregulation of NHE1 expression attenuates apoptosis of primary hippocampal neurons of an epilepsy model through the calpain-1 pathway

Na(+)/H(+) exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1), a membrane protein that regulates intracellular pH, is abundantly expressed in brain tissues. It is associated with pathophysiologies in several brain diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of NHE1 on the apoptosis of primary neurons of an epilepsy model. Primary hippocampal neurons were cultured in an Mg2+-free medium to establish an epilepsy cell model. Designed shNHE1 lentivirus was used to silence NHE1 level in primary neurons. Nonselective pharmacological inhibitor MDL-28170 (20 μmol/L) was used to inhibit calpain-1 protein in neurons treated with Mg2+-free medium. The expression levels of NHE1 and calpain-1, intracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+i) and H+ (H+i) levels, and the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax were detected in neurons. TUNEL staining was performed to determine apoptosis in different groups. NHE1 expression was increased in primary neurons treated with an Mg2+-free medium, and it was correlated with increased expression of calpain-1 and cell apoptosis. Neurons from the in vitro epilepsy model showed significantly decreased Bcl-2 protein expression and significantly increased Bax protein expression. In the presence of LV-shNHE1 and the calpain-1 inhibitor MDL-28170, the changes in the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax were blocked in the epileptic model, and the percentage of apoptotic neurons among neurons from the in vitro epilepsy model was significantly decreased. The increase in calpain-1 expression was suppressed by LV-shNHE1; however, the inhibition of calpain-1 did not affect NHE1 expression. These results demonstrate that NHE1 participates in the promotion of neuronal apoptosis of epilepsy model in vitro through the calpain-1 pathway. Downregulation of NHE1 expression could exert a neuroprotective effect on epilepsy.