title: Enhanced radiation-induced apoptosis of cancer cell lines after treatment with resveratrol.
abstract: A search for new agents that can sensitise cancer cells to ionising radiation is of continual interest and mainly due to the use of radiation in cancer therapy. Resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant has been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis in animal models. The purpose of this study was to examine whether resveratrol can sensitise cancer cells to X-irradiation. The human cancer cell lines examined were HELA (cervix carcinoma), K-562 (chronic myeloid leukemia) and IM-9 (multiple myeloma). The assays that were performed following X-irradiation (doses from 0 to 8 Gy) and/or incubation in the presence of resveratrol (concentrations ranging from 0 to 200 microM), were the following: trypan blue exclusion test to determine cell viability, cell morphology after May-Grunwald Giemsa staining, DNA profile analysis by flow cytometry to assess cell cycle distribution and the presence of the sub-G1 peak. The cell lines showed different radiation sensitivity (IM-9, high radiation sensitivity, K-562, intermediate radiation sensitivity and HELA, low radiation sensitivity) as seen by the X-irradiation dose related inhibition of cell growth and induction of apoptosis. The addition of resveratrol alone to the cell cultures induced apoptosis and inhibited cell growth from 50 (IM-9), 100 (EOL-1) or 200 microM (HELA) resveratrol concentrations. Concomitant treatment of the cells with either resveratrol and X-irradiation induced a synergical effect at the highest dose of 200 microM. These results show that resveratrol can act as a potential radiation sensitiser at high concentrations. Further studies need to address the toxicity of resveratrol on normal cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radiobiology, Belgian Nuclear Research Center, SCK-CEN, B-2400 Mol, Belgium. sbaatout@sckcen.be
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baatout
authors.forename: Hanane
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Derradji
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacquet
authors.forename: Daniella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ooms
authors.forename: Arlette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michaux
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mergeay
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000077185:Resveratrol; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D013267:Stilbenes; D000077185:Resveratrol