title: Flavonoid-induced glutathione depletion: potential implications for cancer treatment.
abstract: The ability of a number of flavonoids to induce glutathione (GSH) depletion was measured in lung (A549), myeloid (HL-60), and prostate (PC-3) human tumor cells. The hydroxychalcone (2'-HC) and the dihydroxychalcones (2',2-, 2',3-, 2',4-, and 2',5'-DHC) were the most effective in A549 and HL-60 cells, depleting more than 50% of intracellular GSH within 4 h of exposure at 25 microM. In contrast, the flavones chrysin and apigenin were the most effective in PC-3 cells, depleting 50-70% of intracellular GSH within 24 h of exposure at 25 microM. In general, these flavonoids were more effective than three classical substrates of multidrug resistance protein 1 (MK-571, indomethacin, and verapamil). Prototypic flavonoids (2',5'-DHC and chrysin) were subsequently tested for their abilities to potentiate the toxicities of prooxidants (etoposide, rotenone, 2-methoxyestradiol, and curcumin). In A549 cells, 2',5'-DHC potentiated the cytotoxicities of rotenone, 2-methoxyestradiol, and curcumin, but not etoposide. In HL-60 and PC-3 cells, chrysin potentiated the cytotoxicity of curcumin, cytotoxicity that was attenuated by the catalytic antioxidant manganese(III) meso-tetrakis(N-ethylpyridinium-2-yl)porphyrin (MnTE-2-PyP). Assessments of mitochondrial GSH levels mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release showed that the potentiation effects induced by 2',5'-DHC and chrysin involve mitochondrial dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, CO 80206, USA.
authors.forename: Remy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kachadourian
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D047188:Chalcones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016877:Oxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D047188:Chalcones; D005419:Flavonoids; D016877:Oxidants; D005978:Glutathione