title: Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and mechanism of action (via gene expression analysis) of the indole alkaloid aspidospermine (antiparasitic) extracted from Aspidosperma polyneuron in HepG2 cells.
abstract: Aspidospermine is an indole alkaloid with biological properties associated with combating parasites included in the genera Plasmodium, Leishmania and Trypanossoma. The present study evaluated the cytotoxicity (resazurin test), genotoxicity (comet assay) and mechanism of action (gene expression analysis via qRT-PCR) of this alkaloid in human HepG2 cells. The results demonstrated that treatment with aspidospermine was both cytotoxic (starting at 75 μM) and genotoxic (starting at 50 μM). There was no significant modulation of the expression of the following genes: GSTP1 and GPX1 (xenobiotic metabolism); CAT (oxidative stress); TP53 and CCNA2 (cell cycle); HSPA5, ERN1, EIF2AK3 and TRAF2 (endoplasmic reticulum stress); CASP8, CASP9, CASP3, CASP7, BCL-2, BCL-XL BAX and BAX (apoptosis); and PCBP4, ERCC4, OGG1, RAD21 and MLH1 (DNA repair). At a concentration of 50 μM (non-cytotoxic, but genotoxic), there was a significant increase in the expression of CYP1A1 (xenobiotic metabolism) and APC (cell cycle), and at a concentration of 100 μM, a significant increase in the expression of CYP1A1 (xenobiotic metabolism), GADD153 (endoplasmic reticulum stress) and SOD (oxidative stress) was detected, with repression of the expression of GR (xenobiotic metabolism and oxidative stress). The results of treatment with aspidospermine at a 100 μM concentration (the dose indicated in the literature to achieve 89 % reduction of the growth of L. amazonensis) suggest that increased oxidative stress and an unfolded protein response (UPR) occurred in HepG2 cells. For the therapeutic use of aspidospermine (antiparasitic), chemical alteration of the molecule to achieve a lower cytotoxicity/genotoxicity in host cells is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas do Genoma Humano e Células Tronco, Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Biosciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Rua do Matão, 106, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil. giulianacastello_bio@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Giuliana Castello
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Coatti
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Londrina (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Cristina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Marcarini
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Londrina (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Londrina (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Queli Cristina
authors.initials: QC
authors.lastname: Fidelis
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Londrina (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Dalva Trevisan
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Londrina (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Sérgio
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mantovani
keywords: Aspidospermine; Cytotoxicity; Gene expression; Genotoxicity; HepG2