Isoflurane, a commonly used inhaled anesthetic, induces apoptosis in rat pheochromo-cytoma cells (PC12) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner with unknown mechanism. We hypothesized that isoflurane induced apoptosis by causing abnormal calcium release from the endo-plasmic reticulum (ER) via activation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors. Alzheimers pre-senilin-1 (PS1) mutation increased activity of IP3 receptors and therefore rendered cells vulnerable to isoflurane-induced cytotoxicity. Sevoflurane and desflurane had less ability to disrupt intraceUular calcium homeostasis and thus being less potent to cause cytotoxicity. This study examined and com- pared the cytotoxic effects of various inhaled anesthetics on PC12 cells transfected with the Alz- heimers mutated Psi (L286V) and the disruption of intracellular calcium homeostasis. PC12 cells transfected with wild type (WT) and mutated PS1 (L286V) were treated with equivalent of 1 MAC of isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane for 12 h. MTT reduction and LDH release assays were per- formed to evaluate cell viability. Changes of calcium concentration in cytosolic space ([Ca2+]c) were determined after exposing different types of cells to various inhalational anesthetics. The effects of IP3 receptor antagonist xestospongin C on isoflurane-induced cytotoxicity and calcium release from the ER in L286V PC12 cells were also determined. The results showed that isoflurane at 1 MAC for 12 h induced cytoxicity in L286V but not WT PC12 cells, which was also associated with greater and faster elevation of peak [Ca2+]c in L286V than in the WT cells. Xestospongin C significantly amelio- rated isoflurane cytotoxicity in L286V cells, as well as inhibited the calcium release from the ER in L286V cells. Sevoflurane and desflurane at equivalent exposure to isoflurane did not induce similar cytotoxicity or elevation of peak [Ca2+]c in L286V PC12 cells. These results suggested that isoflurane induced cytoxicity by partially causing abnormal calcium release from the ER via activation of IP3 receptors in L286V PC12 cells. Sevoflurane and desflurane at equivalent exposure to isoflumne did not induce similar elevation of [Ca2+]c or neurotoxicity in PC12 cells transfected with the Alzheimers PS1 mutation.