OBJECTIVETo study the cytotoxicity induced by chrysotile asbestos (CA), rock wool (RW) and wollastonite (WS).

METHODSV79 cells were divided into 4 groups. i.e. CA group, WS group, RW group and control group (200 microl PBS). The exposure concentration of dusts was 100 mg/L, The cell viability was detected by MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity assays. The technique of scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the change of V79 cells.

RESULTSSiO2 was main constituent for 3 kinds of dusts. In MTT assay, the cell viability of RW and WS groups was 64.8% and 65.7%, respectively, which were significantly higher than that (54.5%) of CA group (P < 0.01). In LDH assay, the LDH activity of RW and WS groups [(15.7 +/- 50.9), (12.3 +/- 3.7) U/L, respectively] was significantly lower than that [(20.2 +/- 0.9) U/L] of CA group (P < 0.05). In scanning electron microscopy examination, it was found that the two ends of V79 cells in CA group contained a great deal of fibers remaining bodies, but the V79 cell appearance in RW and WS groups was normal.

CONCLUSIONThe cytotoxicity induced by RW and WS is significantly lower than that induced by CA for V79 cell.

Animals ; Asbestos, Serpentine ; toxicity ; Calcium Compounds ; toxicity ; Cell Line ; drug effects ; Cricetinae ; Cytotoxins ; toxicity ; Lactate Dehydrogenases ; metabolism ; Mineral Fibers ; toxicity ; Silicates ; toxicity

To further demonstrate the toxicity of the catheter, cytotoxicity evaluation was conducted in registration inspection products and the relationship between testing methods and materials were analyzed. This result showed that to strengthen cytotoxicity assay in registration inspection is important to choose catheter in clinic.
Cells, Cultured ; Cytotoxins ; toxicity ; Disposable Equipment ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; Urinary Catheters ; adverse effects

Yi-Gan San (YGS), a traditional Chinese medicine for dementia-related symptoms, was previously fractionated. One active fraction, YGS40 exhibited a neuroprotective effect against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity. In the present study, high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with diode-array detection and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, was applied for the identification of its chemical constituents and for quantification studies. The chemical profile of YGS40 consisted of sixty-four identified or tentatively characterized compounds. The levels of the major marker compounds increased significantly in the mixed decoction compared with those in the single plant decoction. The results suggest the high precision of the analyses of most of the constituents in YGS40 and establish the quantitative variations of the major marker compounds between the single and mixed decoction processes.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Cytotoxins ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Glutamic Acid ; toxicity ; Mass Spectrometry ; Neuroprotective Agents ; analysis ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo explore the toxicological mechanism of hydroquinone in human bronchial epithelial cells and to investigate whether DNA polymerase beta is involved in protecting cells from damage caused by hydroquinone.

METHODSDNA polymerase beta knock-down cell line was established via RNA interference as an experimental group. Normal human bronchial epithelial cells and cells transfected with the empty vector of pEGFP-C1 were used as controls. Cells were treated with different concentrations of hydroquinone (ranged from 10 micromol/L to 120 micromol/L) for 4 hours. MTT assay and Comet assay [single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE)] were performed respectively to detect the toxicity of hydroquinone.

RESULTSMTT assay showed that DNA polymerase beta knock-down cells treated with different concentrations of hydroquinone had a lower absorbance value at 490 nm than the control cells in a dose-dependant manner. Comet assay revealed that different concentrations of hydroquinone caused more severe DNA damage in DNA polymerase beta knock-down cell line than in control cells and there was no significant difference in the two control groups.

CONCLUSIONSHydroquinone has significant toxicity to human bronchial epithelial cells and causes DNA damage. DNA polymerase beta knock-down cell line appears more sensitive to hydroquinone than the control cells. The results suggest that DNA polymerase beta is involved in protecting cells from damage caused by hydroquinone.

Bronchi ; cytology ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Comet Assay ; Cytotoxins ; toxicity ; DNA Damage ; DNA Polymerase beta ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hydroquinones ; toxicity ; RNA Interference

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of five diarylheptanoids (1-5) isolated from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale.

METHODVarious models such as scavenging superoxide anions and 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, as well as protecting of rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were employed to assay the antioxidative effects of the diarylheptanoids. The cytotoxicities of compounds 1-5 were measured with MTT assays.

RESULTThe test compounds (1-5) showed promising DPPH inhibitory activities, and compound 5 exhibited the strongest DPPH scavenging activity with an IC50 value of (22.6+/-2.4) micromol x L(-1). Compounds 1, 3 and 4 showed potential anti-peroxidative effects with inhibitory rates of (66.3+/-15.4)%, (68.7+/-15.8)% and (72.2+/-10.6)%, respectively, at 100 microg x mL(-1). It could be observed that compounds 1, 3 and 4 demonstrated significant neuroprotective activities in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, compound 3 exhibited certain cytotoxicities against human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells (K562) and its adriamycin-resistant cells (K562/ADR) with IC50 values of (34.9+/-0.6), (50.6+/-23.5) micromol x L(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONIn vitro results demonstrated that five diarylheptanoids (1-5) isolated from the roots of Z. officinale were capable of scavenging radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and protecting PC12 cells against the insult by H2O2. Additionally, compound 3 could inhibit the growth of K562 and K562/ADR cells.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; toxicity ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytotoxins ; toxicity ; Diarylheptanoids ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; K562 Cells ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIM: To investigate the chemical constituents from the leaves of Broussonetia papyrifera. METHODS: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by macroporous adsorptive resin D101, silica gel, and ODS column chromatography and preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR analyses. In addition, their cytotoxic activity against human hepatoma carcinoma cells (HepG-2) were evaluated by the MTT method. Furthermore, RP-HPLC and colorimetric methods were used for the analysis of cosmosiin and total flavonoids. RESULTS: A new lignan, together with five known compounds were obtained, and their structures were characterized as (+)-pinoresinol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-4″-O-β-D-apiofuranoside (1), cosmosiin (2), luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), liriodendrin (4), 3, 5, 4'-trihydroxy-bibenzyl-3-O-β-D-glucoside (5), and apigenin-6-C-β-D-glucopyranside (6). Furthermore, RP-HPLC and colorimetric methods were established for the analysis of cosmosiin and total flavonoids. CONCLUSION Compound 1 was a new lignan, and compounds 5 and 6 were isolated for the first time from the title plant. Compounds 1, 4 and 6 showed definite activities against HepG-2, while the other compounds didn't show inhibitory effects. The optimal harvest time of B. papyrifera (L.) Vent. is September.
Broussonetia ; chemistry ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytotoxins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Lignans ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of the flower of Acanthus ilicifolius (A. ilicifolius).

METHODSAntioxidant activity was determined as antiradical efficiency with diphenyl picrylhydrazil (DPPH) method and cytotoxic assay was undertaken using brine shrimp lethal toxicity test.

RESULTSA. ilicifolius flower contained terpenoid, phenolic compounds, and alkaloid. The methanol extract of A. ilicifolius flower showed the highest antiradical efficiency (AE=1.41×10(-3)) against DPPH radicals and the highest cytotoxicity (LC50=22 µg/mL) against brine shrimp nauplii.

CONCLUSIONSIt is suggested that active compounds of A. ilicifolius flower solved in methanol play a role to inhibit free radical activity and kill Artemia salina nauplii. The substances can be considered as potential antioxidant and cytotoxic agents as well as imminent candidate for cancer therapy.

Acanthaceae ; chemistry ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Artemia ; drug effects ; Biphenyl Compounds ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cytotoxins ; toxicity ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Picrates ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology

Vibrio vulnificus cytolysin forms transmembrane pores that are permeable to calcium ions in pulmonary endothelial cells, and has been suggested as an important virulence factor that sequestrate neutrophils primarily in the lung. To elucidate the mechanism we investigated whether the cytolysin affect the expression of endothelial P-selectin and adhesiveness of pulmonary endothelial cells for neutrophils. The cytolysin increased the adhesiveness of CPAE cell, a pulmonary endothelial cell line, for neutrophils in a concentrationand time-dependent manner. The increase of adhesiveness occurred within several minutes after the cytolysin exposure, persisted up to 90 min, and was not affected by cycloheximide. Furthermore, flow cytometric analyses showed that cytolysin enhanced the level of P-selectin on CPAE cell surface. Therefore, these results suggest that the cytolysin-induced hyperadhesiveness of pulmonary endothelial cells for neutrophils is mediated by the mobilization of endothelial P-selectin to the cell surface.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cell Adhesion/*drug effects ; Cell Line ; Cycloheximide/pharmacology ; Cytotoxins/*toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelium, Vascular/cytology/*drug effects/metabolism ; Kinetics ; Neutrophils/*drug effects/pathology ; P-Selectin/*metabolism ; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Pulmonary Artery/cytology/*drug effects/metabolism ; Rats ; Vibrio Infections/etiology/pathology ; Vibrio vulnificus/*pathogenicity

Vibrio vulnificus cytolysin forms transmembrane pores that are permeable to calcium ions in pulmonary endothelial cells, and has been suggested as an important virulence factor that sequestrate neutrophils primarily in the lung. To elucidate the mechanism we investigated whether the cytolysin affect the expression of endothelial P-selectin and adhesiveness of pulmonary endothelial cells for neutrophils. The cytolysin increased the adhesiveness of CPAE cell, a pulmonary endothelial cell line, for neutrophils in a concentrationand time-dependent manner. The increase of adhesiveness occurred within several minutes after the cytolysin exposure, persisted up to 90 min, and was not affected by cycloheximide. Furthermore, flow cytometric analyses showed that cytolysin enhanced the level of P-selectin on CPAE cell surface. Therefore, these results suggest that the cytolysin-induced hyperadhesiveness of pulmonary endothelial cells for neutrophils is mediated by the mobilization of endothelial P-selectin to the cell surface.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cell Adhesion/*drug effects ; Cell Line ; Cycloheximide/pharmacology ; Cytotoxins/*toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelium, Vascular/cytology/*drug effects/metabolism ; Kinetics ; Neutrophils/*drug effects/pathology ; P-Selectin/*metabolism ; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Pulmonary Artery/cytology/*drug effects/metabolism ; Rats ; Vibrio Infections/etiology/pathology ; Vibrio vulnificus/*pathogenicity