title: Mitochondrial activity and cytotoxicity of vitamin A (retinol) in yeast and human cell cultures. Protective effect of antioxidants.
abstract: Vitamin A inhibited the growth of yeast and human cells in a dose-dependent but selective manner in cultures utilizing a non-fermentable carbon and energy source. At sub-inhibitory concentrations in yeast cultures (approximately 100 micrograms/mL), the vitamin had a stimulatory effect on the mitochondrial system, foreshortening the lag phase in the adaptation to non-fermentable substrate. At inhibitory concentrations, vitamin A depressed mitochondrial protein synthesis relative to cytoplasmic protein synthesis and induced the mitochondrial mutation petite but had little or no mutagenicity with respect to nuclear genes at the concentrations used. The vitamin showed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity (lethality) in both yeast and human cells. All of these deleterious effects were overcome to a large extent by the presence of antioxidants implicating free-radical metabolites in much of the toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University College London, U.K.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilkie
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects*; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014801:Vitamin A