Yu Ching Li

Baicalein-Induced Apoptosis via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Through Elevations of Reactive Oxygen Species and Mitochondria Dependent Pathway in Mouse-Rat Hybrid Retina Ganglion Cells (N18)

Studies were designed to investigate the effects of baicalein on mouse–rat hybrid retina ganglion cells (N18) to better understand its effect on apoptosis and apoptosis-related genes in vitro. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytoplasmic Ca2+, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), apoptosis induction, and caspases-3 activity were examined by flow cytometric assay. Apoptosis-associated proteins such as p53, Bax, Bcl-2, cytochrome c, and caspase-3 were examined by Western blot. We demonstrated the increase in the levels of p53, Bax, and cytochrome c and decrease in the level of Bcl-2, which are associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death after 24 h treatment with baicalein in N18 cells. Baicalein induced an increase in the cytoplasmic levels of ROS and Ca2+ in 1 h and reached their peak at 3 h, and thereafter a loss of MMP by flow cytometry. We also demonstrated a release of the cytochrome c from mitochondria into cytosol and an activation of caspase-3, which led to the occurrence of apoptosis in N18 cells treated with baicalein by Western blot. Pretreatment was conducted with BAPTA (intracellular calcium chelator) in baicalein-treated cells, the decline of MMP was recovered, and the increase in the level of cytoplasmic Ca2+ was suppressed, and the proportion of apoptosis was also markedly diminished. In conclusion, our data suggests that oxidative stress and cellular Ca2+ modulates the baicalein-induced cell death via a Ca2+-dependent mitochondrial death pathway in N18 cells.

Inhibition of N-Acetyltransferase activity and DNA–2-Aminofluorene adducts by glycyrrhizic acid in human colon tumour cells

Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) was tested for inhibition of arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity in a human colon tumour (adenocarcinoma) cell line (colo 205). Two assay systems were performed, one with cellular cytosols (9000g supernatant), the other with intact colon tumour cell cultures. The NAT activity in a human colon tumour cell line was inhibited by GA in a dose-dependent manner in both types of systems examined. The data also indicated that GA decreased the apparent values of K(m) and V(max) of NAT enzymes from human colon tumour cells in both examined systems. The DNA-2-aminofluorene adduct formation in human colon tumour cells were inhibited by GA. This report is the first to demonstrate that GA does inhibit human colon tumour cell NAT activity and DNA adduct formation.

Luteolin-inhibited arylamine N-acetyltransferase activity and DNA-2-aminofluorene adduct in human and mouse leukemia cells.

N-Acetyltransferase enzyme is an important enzyme in the first step of arylamine compounds metabolism. Luteolin has been shown to exit antibacterial and antineoplastic activity. The purpose of this present study is to evaluate the question of whether luteolin could affect arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and DNA-2-aminofluorene adduct formation in human (HL-60) and mouse (L1210) leukemia cells. By using HPLC, N-acetylation of 2-aminofluorene was determined. Luteolin displayed a dose-dependent inhibition to cytosolic NAT activity and intact human and mice leukemia cells. Time-course experiments showed that N-acetylation of 2-aminofluorene measured from intact human and mice leukemia cells were inhibited by luteolin for up to 24 hours. Using standard steady-state kinetic analysis, it was demonstrated that luteolin was a possible uncompetitive inhibitor to NAT activity in cytosols. The DNA-2-aminofluorene adduct formation in human and mouse leukemia cells were inhibited by luteolin. This report is the first demonstration to show that luteolin affects human and mice leukemia cells NAT activity and DNA-2-aminofluorene on adduct formation.

Aloe-emodin inhibited N-acetylation and DNA adduct of 2-aminofluorene and arylamine N-acetyltransferase gene expression in mouse leukemia L 1210 cells

N-Acetyltransferases (NATs) plays an important role in the first step of arylamine compounds metabolism. Polymorphic NAT is coded for rapid or slow acetylatoion phenotypes, which are recognized to affect cancer risk related to environmental exposure. Aloe-emodin has been shown to exit anticancer activity. The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not aloe-emodin could affect arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and gene expression (NAT mRNA) and DNA-2-aminofluorene (DNA-AF) adduct formation in mouse leukemia cells (L 1210). By using high performance liquid chromatography, N-acetylation and non-N-acetylation of AF were determined and quantitated. By using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and PCR, NAT mRNA was determined and quantitated. Aloe-emodin displayed a dose-dependent inhibition to cytosolic NAT activity and intact mice leukemia cells. Time-course experiments indicated that N-acetylation of AF measured from intact mice leukemia cells were inhibited by aloe-emodin for up to 24h. Using standard steady-state kinetic analysis, it was demonstrated that aloe-emodin was a possible uncompetitive inhibitor to NAT activity in cytosols. The DNA-AF adduct formation in mouse leukemia cells were inhibited by aloe-emodin. The NAT1 mRNA in mouse leukemia cells were also inhibited by aloe-emodin. This report is the first demonstration which showed aloe-emodin affect mice leukemia cells NAT activity, gene expression (NAT1 mRNA) and DNA-AF on adduct formation.

Effects of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene on DNA adduct formation and arylamines N-acetyltransferase activity in PC-3 cells (human prostate tumor) in vitro

The effects of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on the N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and DNA adduct formation in PC-3 cells (human prostate tumor) was studied. PC-3 cells were placed into tissue culture flasks and grown in an incubator as cytosols and intact cells. The BHA or BHT were added to the cytosols and intact cells. The NAT activity in cytosol and intact PC-3 cells were measured by HPLC assaying exhibited for the amounts of N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene and N-acetyl-p-aminobenzoic acid, 2-aminofluorene and p-aminobenzoic acid. The NAT activity in PC-3 cells and cytosols were inhibited by BHA or BHT in a dose-dependent manner; that is, the higher the concentrations of BHA or BHT the higher inhibition of NAT activity. The NAT values of K(m) and V(max) from PC-3 cells were also decreased by BHA or BHT in both cytosols and intact cells. The data also demonstrated concomitant exposure to BHA or BHT decreased AF-DNA adduct formation which was seen in the PC-3 cells. In addition, the formation of DNA adduct was decreased after BHA or BHT exposure. These findings suggested the usefulness of using human cultured PC-3 cells for assessing arylamine-induced DNA adduct formation. Furthermore, the findings illustrate how effectively BHA or BHT reduce the adduct formation.