title: beta-Carotene exhibits antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties to prevent ethanol-induced cytotoxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes.
abstract: The study was designed to evaluate the effects of 1 microM beta-carotene on antioxidant status in ethanol-treated rat hepatocytes and investigate possible anti-apoptotic mechanisms of beta-carotene in protecting ethanol-induced cytotoxicity. The isolated rat hepatocytes were incubated for 48 h in a medium with or without alcohol (100 mM) and mu-carotene (1 microM) using the following groups: the control (C), beta-carotene (CB), ethanol (E), and ethanol + beta-carotene (EB) groups. The cell viability, antioxidative status, cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and caspase expressions in hepatocytes were measured. The E group demonstrated lower cell viability, glutathione (GSH) levels, and lipid peroxide accumulation in rat hepatocytes; meanwhile, CYP2E1, caspase-3, and caspase-9 expressions increased. In contrast, cell viability, GSH levels, and glutathione reductase (GRD) activity significantly increased while lipid peroxides and expressions of CYP2E1, casapse-3, and caspase-9 decreased in the EB group. The results suggest that ethanol treatment decreases cell viability in rat hepatocytes via induced oxidative stress. 1 muM beta-carotene decreased oxidative stress and prevented ethanol-induced cell death by inhibiting caspase-9 and caspase-3 expression.
authors: School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Hsiang-Chi
authors: HC
authors: Peng
authors: Jiun-Rong
authors: JR
authors: Chen
authors: Ya-Ling
authors: YL
authors: Chen
authors: Suh-Ching
authors: SC
authors: Yang
authors: Sien-Sing
authors: SS
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D019207:beta Carotene; D000431:Ethanol; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; C506435:Casp9 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D005978:Glutathione