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Cytotoxic and cytogenetic effects of α-copaene on rat neuron and N2a neuroblastoma cell lines

  • Section Cellular and Molecular Biology
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Abstract

Alpha-copaene (α-COP), a tricyclic sesquiterpene, is present in several essential oils of medicinal and aromatic plants and has antioxidant and antigenotoxic features. Its cytotoxic, cytogenetic and oxidative effects have not been investigated in neuron and N2a neuroblastoma (NB) cell cultures. Therefore, we aimed to describe in vitro: (i) cytotoxic properties by 3-(4,5-dimetylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenlytetrazolium bromide test; (ii) antioxidant/oxidant activity by total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidative status (TOS) analysis; and (iii) genotoxic damage potential by single cell gel electrophoresis — of α-COP in healthy neuron and N2a-NB cell cultures for the first time. Significant (P < 0.05) decrease in cell proliferation were observed in cultured primary rat neurons starting with the concentration of 150 mg/L and in N2a-NB cells starting with 100 mg/L. In addition, 25 mg/L of α-COP treatment caused increase of TAC levels and α-COP treatments at higher doses led to increase of TOS levels in neuron N2a-NB cell cultures. Moreover, none of the tested concentrations of α-COP have shown a genotoxic effect on both cell lines. Our findings clearly demonstrate that α-COP exhibited mild cytotoxic effects on N2a-NB cell line. In conclusion, α-COP may have potential as an anticancer agent, which needs to be further studied.

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Abbreviations

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

MTT:

3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide

NB:

neuroblastoma

SCGE:

single cell gel electrophoresis

TAC:

total antioxidant capacity

TOS:

total oxidative status

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Sciences, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Hasan Turkez

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Atatürk University, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey

    Basak Togar & Fatime Geyıkoglu

  3. Department of Medical Genetics, Medical Faculty, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Abdulgani Tatar

  4. Department of Medical Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Ahmet Hacımuftuoglu

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  1. Hasan Turkez
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  2. Basak Togar
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  3. Abdulgani Tatar
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  4. Fatime Geyıkoglu
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  5. Ahmet Hacımuftuoglu
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Correspondence to Basak Togar.

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Turkez, H., Togar, B., Tatar, A. et al. Cytotoxic and cytogenetic effects of α-copaene on rat neuron and N2a neuroblastoma cell lines. Biologia 69, 936–942 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-014-0393-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-014-0393-5

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