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Effects of curcumin on ethanol-induced hepatocyte necrosis and apoptosis: implication of lipid peroxidation and cytochrome c

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Abstract

Ethanol-induced hepatocyte necrosis and apoptosis are valid in vitro models to investigate the modulatory effects of hepatoprotective/toxic agents such as curcumin. In this study, suspension and monolayer cultures of isolated rat hepatocytes were used. Levels of trypan blue uptake, reduced glutathione, and lipid peroxidation were quantified. Chromatin condensation, caspase-3 activity, and cytochrome c extramitochondrial translocation were also evaluated. Results revealed that curcumin did not protect against either ethanol-induced necrosis or glutathione depletion. Neither did curcumin reduce caspase-3 activation nor chromatin condensation. In contrast, curcumin induced glutathione depletion, caspase-3 activation, necrosis, and apoptosis. Fortunately, all tested curcumin concentrations (1 μM–10 mM) diminished the ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation. In addition, 1 μM curcumin decreased cytochrome c translocation in hepatocyte monolayers. In conclusion, low concentrations of curcumin may protect hepatocytes by reducing lipid peroxidation and cytochrome c release. Conversely, higher concentrations provoke glutathione depletion, caspase-3 activation, and hepatocytotoxicity.

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Abbreviations

Ac-DEVD-pNA:

Acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp p-nitroanilide

ANOVA:

analysis of variance

BSA:

bovine serum albumin

Casp-3:

caspase-3

Cur:

curcumin

Cyt c :

cytochrome c

DMSO:

dimethyl sulfoxide

DTT:

dithiothreitol

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

EtOH:

ethanol

GSH:

reduced glutathione

H:

Hoechst 33258

HEPES:

4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid

HRP:

horseradish peroxidase

KH:

Krebs-Henseleit

KR:

Krebs-Ringer

LDH:

lactate dehydrogenase

LP:

lipid peroxidation

MDA:

malondialdehyde

opm:

oscillations per minute

PBS:

phosphate-buffered saline

PI:

propidium iodide

pNA:

p-nitroaniline

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SDS-PAGE:

sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

TB:

trypan blue

TBA:

thiobarbituric acid

TBARS:

TBA reactive substances

WME:

Williams’ medium E

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks Dr. Pierre Haddad’s research group (Université de Montréal, Canada) for technical support. Special thanks are due to Dr. Aya Asaad (University of Alexandria, Egypt) and Dr. Ebtehal El-Demerdash (Ain Shams University, Egypt) for valuable comments. This study was supported by the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

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  1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, 11566, Cairo, Egypt

    Asser I. Ghoneim

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Correspondence to Asser I. Ghoneim.

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A part of this work was presented in abstract form at the 1st Scientific Conference of Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, 29 March 2008.

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Ghoneim, A.I. Effects of curcumin on ethanol-induced hepatocyte necrosis and apoptosis: implication of lipid peroxidation and cytochrome c . Naunyn-Schmied Arch Pharmacol 379, 47–60 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-008-0335-2

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