title: Cell death in relation to DNA damage after exposure to the jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca nematocysts.
abstract: Studies on the toxicity of Mediterranean jellyfish have gained attention owing to their weak toxic properties. Our research has been mainly performed on the Scyphomedusae. Pelagia noctiluca is a scyphozoan jellyfish which causes a danger to sea bathers and fishery damages in the Mediterranean Sea. To check whether the cytotoxicity of Pelagia noctiluca nematocysts was associated to DNA lesions, we have looked for DNA fragmentation by means of the Comet and chromosome aberration assays. To specify cell death pathway, we have investigated caspase-3 activation. Our results have shown that nematocysts reduced cell viability and induced DNA fragmentation in a concentration-dependent manner with a maximum effect at 150 000 nematocysts mL(-1). The high percentage of chromosome aberrations also emphasized the genotoxic character of Pelagia noctiluca nematocysts in Vero cells. This fragmentation was correlated to apoptosis induction which was confirmed by caspase-3 activation. In conclusion, the present report has suggested that Pelagia noctiluca nematocysts were able to promote apoptosis in Vero cells and therefore may be useful in cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Research on Biologically Compatible Compounds, Faculty of Dentistry, Rue Avicenne, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Yosra
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ayed
authors.forename: Chayma
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bouaziz
authors.forename: Dalel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brahmi
authors.forename: Chiraz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaid
authors.forename: Salwa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abid
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bacha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D020552:Comet Assay; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D058894:Nematocyst / Q000737:chemistry*; D037401:Scyphozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D053148:Caspase 3