[The relationship between hormesis of proliferation and oxidative stress induced by sodium arsenite in human embryo lung fibroblasts].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the hormesis of proliferation and oxidative stress induced by sodium arsenite (Na(2)AsO(2)) in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF).


METHODS
HELF were treated with Na(2)AsO(2) of 0.0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 micromol/L for 4 hours or 24 hours, respectively. The cell proliferation, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activity of glutathione peroxide (GSH-Px) and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) in HELF were detected respectively.


RESULTS
The HELF proliferation induced by 0.1 and 0.5 micromol/L Na(2)AsO(2) was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). The HELF proliferation induced by 5.0 and 10.0 micromol/L Na(2)AsO(2) was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.01) with the dose-effect relation of an inverted U curve. The ROS level induced by Na(2)AsO(2) of between 0.5 and 10.0 micromol/L was significantly increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The positive correlation was found between the ROS level and the exposure dose of Na(2)AsO(2) (r = 0.934, P < 0.01). The 5.0 and 10.0 micromol/L Na(2)AsO(2) induced the significant increase of the MDA contents (P < 0.01) and the significant decrease of the GSH-Px activity compared to those in the control group (P < 0.01). The SOD activity in 0.5 micromol/L Na(2)AsO(2) group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01) while the SOD activity induced by 5.0 and 10.0 micromol/L Na(2)AsO(2) was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) if compared with the control group with the dose-effect relation of an inverted U curve.


CONCLUSIONS
The sodium arsenite can induce the hormesis of proliferation in HELF with the dose-effect relation of an inverted U curve. The mechanisms probably relates to different levels of oxidative stress induced by sodium arsenite of different concentrations.
Yang
Ping
P
Department of Molecular Toxicology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratories of Human Functional Genomics and Applied Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Liu
Qi-zhan
QZ
Li
Ai-ping
AP
Li
Ting
T
Hong
Xia
X
Zhou
Jian-wei
JW
D018053:Arsenites / Q000633:toxicity*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D017670:Sodium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D018053:Arsenites; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D017670:Sodium Compounds; C017947:sodium arsenite; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase