Abstract: Objective To explore the changes of c-fos in apoptosis of cerebellar granular neuron of neonatal SD rats induced by heroin and the mechanisms of neuronal injury caused by heroin. Methods Primary cerebellar granular neuron were cultured in vitro, the model of apoptosis induced by heroin was established. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR） and Western blotting were adopted to investigate the changes of c-fos in cell models. Results Ten μg/mL of heroin was the optimal dose to induce the apoptosis of cerebellar granular neuron at 48 h. Both Western blotting and RT-PCR showed down regulation of c-fos expression. Conclusion Heroin could induce apoptosis of cerebellar granular neuron and down regulation of c-fos, which may be one of the apoptosis mechanisms.

Key words: forensic pathology, heroin, neurons, genes, fos, rats