title: Glutathione protects a human insulinoma cell line from tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity.
abstract: It is postulated that glutathione acting as a free oxygen radical scavenger may protect beta-cells from cytokine-mediated cytotoxicity in insulin-dependent diabetes. In this study the effect of glutathione in preventing the cytotoxic damage mediated by tumor necrosis factor-a in vitro towards a human beta-cell line (CM insulinoma) was investigated. CM cells were exposed in vitro to tumor necrosis factor-alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha plus glutathione or glutathione alone at different concentrations. The resulting cytotoxicity was measured using a colorimetric assay. Glutathione significantly reduced the cytotoxicity mediated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha in a dose-dependent fashion (P < 0.001). These results suggest a protective effect of glutathione on beta-cell cytotoxicity induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and encourage the use of glutathione in trials aimed at reducing the beta-cell damage occurring in insulin-dependent diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Istituto II Clinica Medica, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cavallo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monetini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beales
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pozzilli
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007340:Insulinoma; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D005978:Glutathione