Objective      To explore whether Canonical transient receptor potential 3 (TRPC3) plays a role in the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons induced by electromagnetic irradiation.       Methods      Primarily cultured hippocampal neurons of Wistar rats were exposed to 65 mW/cm

2

electromagnetic wave for 20 min. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of TRPC3 at m

RNA and protein levels respectively. TRPC3-siRNA or control-siRNA was transfected into the cultured neurons. The viability of the neurons was determined by CCK8 assay

and the apoptosis of neurons were measured by flow cytometry after AnnexinV-FITC staining.       Results      Electromagnetic irradiation markedly increased mRNA and protein expression of TRPC3 and [Ca

2+

]

i in cultured hippocampal neurons. The viability of hippocampal neurons [（58.8±3.6）%

]

was obviously decreased and the apoptosis rate was increased [（30.2±2.6）%

]

when compared with the control cells （P

<

0.05）. TRPC3-siRNA significantly increased the survival rate [（86.3±4.1）%

]

and decreased the apoptosis rate [（9.2±0.6）%

]

and partially suppressed [Ca

2+

]

i in the irradiation-treated cells（

P

<

0.05）

and TRPC3 false-siRNA treatment did not have these effects （

P

>0.05）.       Conclusion      The enhanced expression of TRPC3 may be involved in the apoptosis in cultured hippocampal neurons after electromagnetic irradiation.