title: Zinc protects against arsenic-induced apoptosis in a neuronal cell line, measured by DEVD-caspase activity.
abstract: Acute and chronic arsenic exposure results in toxicity in humans and causes many neurological and other manifestations. For the first time the present study reports that zinc decreases arsenic-induced apoptosis and also confirms a single report of apoptosis induced by arsenic in a neuronal cell line. Apoptosis measured by DEVD-caspase activity peaked between 10 microM and 20 microM of arsenic trioxide. Higher concentrations of arsenic up to 40 microM caused increasing cell death with diminishing DEVD-caspase activity. The beneficial effect of zinc was proportional to its concentration with a significant decrease in arsenic-induced DEVD-caspase activity at 50 microM and 75 microM zinc (P < 0.05). This finding may be of therapeutic benefit in people suffering from chronic exposure to arsenic from natural sources, a global problem especially relevant to millions of people on the Indian subcontinent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, South Australia.
authors.forename: Austin Graham
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Milton
authors.forename: Peter David
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Zalewski
authors.forename: Ranjit Nihal
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Ratnaike
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010641:Phenotype; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*; D019287:Zinc Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010087:Oxides; D019287:Zinc Sulfate; D012978:Sodium Oxybate; D020169:Caspases; D015032:Zinc; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide