Protective effect of sulfurous water in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of Alzheimer's disease patients.
OBJECTIVE
One of the main features of sulfurous water (SW) is the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which confers its antioxidant activity. Since oxidative stress plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) we hypothesize that SW could have a protective effect in these patients.


METHODS
A therapeutic in vitro approach of SW was performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of AD patients and in age-matched healthy non-demented controls using one modification of the comet assay (to measure oxidative DNA damage) and the MTT assay (as an indicator of cell viability). Hydrogen peroxide and homocysteine were used to induce oxidative DNA damage, and vitamin C, Trolox and N-acetyl-cysteine were selected as antioxidants of reference to compare SW treatment results.


RESULTS
SW did not increase per se the oxidative DNA damage of PBMC. Furthermore, SW protected them against enhanced oxidative stress in AD and control populations after pro-oxidant stimuli, with similar results to those observed when using the antioxidants of reference. Nevertheless, SW was the only treatment that could avoid the loss of viability of PBMC for all pro-oxidant stimuli in both populations, suggesting that H2S could confer to SW a more antioxidant capacity than other known antioxidants.


CONCLUSIONS
The protective effect of SW was proved for the first time not only in DNA stability but also in cell viability preservation in AD, indicating that further research in other in vitro and in vivo models could lead to include SW as a possible therapy for AD.
Departamento de Medicina Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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R
Guzmán
Departamento de Medicina Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
C
C
Campos
Unidad de Memoria Servicio de Geriatría, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Profesor Martín Lagos s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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R
Yuguero
Unidad de Memoria Servicio de Geriatría, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Profesor Martín Lagos s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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C
Masegù
Unidad de Memoria Servicio de Geriatría, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Profesor Martín Lagos s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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P
Gil
Departamento de Medicina Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: acasado@cib.csic.es.
Ángela Casado
ÁC
Moragón
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D000975:Antioxidants; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014867:Water; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
Alzheimer's disease; Cell viability; Comet assay; Hydrogen sulfide; Hydrogen sulfide (PubChem CID: 402); Oxidative DNA damage; Sulfurous water