Objective: To study the effects of allitridum on the antioxidative capability of rat lung epithelial L2 cells (CCL-149 cell line) by observing the changes of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the expressing level of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS) protein.
Methods: The cell viability of CCL-149 cells treated with allitridum was detected by MTT assay. CCL-149 cells were incubated with 0, 0.1, 1.0, 5.0 microg/ml of allitridum for 6, 12, 24, 48 h. After treatment, GSH content and MDA formation were measured by spectrophotometric assay, and the gamma-GCS protein was semi-quantified by Western blot.
Results: Allitridum (0.1, 1.0, 5.0 microg/ml) showed no side effects on cell growth (P > 0.05). Treatment with allitridum increased GSH levels and decreased MDA formation in CCL-149, the most significant time being incubation at 24 h. The GSH content were (13.34 +/- 0.62), (27.67 +/- 2.39), (29.54 +/- 0.71), (30.25 +/- 1.05) mg/g prot, and the MDA content were (1.25 +/- 0.08), (0.90 +/- 0.06), (0.84 +/- 0.06), (0.81 +/- 0.02) nmol/mg prot when CCL-149 cells were treatment with 0, 0.1, 1.0, 5.0 microg/ml of allitridum for 24 h, respectively. The effect showed no dose dependent effects (P > 0.05). After 6, 12, 24 h incubation, the expression of gamma-GCS protein was increased as compared to the control cells (t = 2.82 - 9.92, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Allitidum may increase the antioxidative ability of CCL-149 cells by increasing the expression of gamma-GCS protein and the content of GSH.