N-acetylcysteine (NAC), often used as an antioxidant-scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro, was recently shown to increase the cytotoxicity of other compounds through ROS-dependent and ROS-independent mechanisms. In this study, NAC itself was found to induce extensive ROS production in human leukemia HL-60 and U937 cells. The cytotoxicity depends on ROS-modulating enzyme expression. In HL-60 cells, NAC activated NOX2 to produce superoxide (O2•-). Its subsequent conversion into H2O2 by superoxide dismutase 1 and 3 (SOD1, SOD3) and production of ClO- from H2O2 by myeloperoxidase (MPO) was necessary for cell death induction. While the addition of extracellular SOD potentiated NAC-induced cell death, extracellular catalase (CAT) prevented cell death in HL-60 cells. The MPO inhibitor partially reduced the number of dying HL-60 cells. In U937 cells, the weak cytotoxicity of NAC is probably caused by lower expression of NOX2, SOD1, SOD3, and by the absence of MOP expression. However, even here, the addition of extracellular SOD induced cell death in U937 cells, and this effect could be reversed by extracellular CAT. NAC-induced cell death exhibited predominantly apoptotic features in both cell lines. Conclusions: NAC itself can induce extensive production of O2•- in HL-60 and U937 cell lines. The fate of the cells then depends on the expression of enzymes that control the formation and conversion of ROS: NOX, SOD, and MPO. The mode of cell death in response to NAC treatment bears apoptotic and apoptotic-like features in both cell lines.

• Keywords
• HL-60 cells, MPO, N-acetylcysteine, NOX, SOD, U937 cells, oxidative stress,
• MeSH
• Acetylcysteine pharmacology   MeSH
• HL-60 Cells MeSH
• Catalase genetics   MeSH
• Leukemia drug therapy   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• NADPH Oxidase 2 genetics   MeSH
• Oxidative Stress drug effects   MeSH
• Peroxidase genetics   MeSH
• Cell Proliferation drug effects   MeSH
• Reactive Oxygen Species metabolism   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic drug effects   MeSH
• Gene Expression Profiling MeSH
• Superoxide Dismutase genetics   MeSH
• U937 Cells MeSH
• Cell Survival drug effects   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Acetylcysteine MeSH
• CYBB protein, human MeSH Browser
• Catalase MeSH
• MPO protein, human MeSH Browser
• NADPH Oxidase 2 MeSH
• Peroxidase MeSH
• Reactive Oxygen Species MeSH
• Superoxide Dismutase MeSH

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults and has a poor prognosis. Complex genetic alterations and the protective effect of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) have so far hampered effective treatment. Here, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitors, geldanamycin (GDN) and 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG, tanespimycin), in a panel of glioma tumor cell lines with various genetic alterations. We also assessed the ability of the main drug transporters, ABCB1 and ABCG2, to efflux GDN and 17-AAG. We found that GDN and 17-AAG induced extensive cell death with the morphological and biochemical hallmarks of apoptosis in all studied glioma cell lines at sub-micro-molar and nanomolar concentrations. Moderate efflux efficacy of GDN and 17-AAG mediated by ABCB1 was observed. There was an insignificant and low efflux efficacy of GDN and 17-AAG mediated by ABCG2. Conclusion: GDN and 17-AAG, in particular, exhibited strong proapoptotic effects in glioma tumor cell lines irrespective of genetic alterations. GDN and 17-AAG appeared to be weak substrates of ABCB1 and ABCG2. Therefore, the BBB would compromise their cytotoxic effects only partially. We hypothesize that GBM patients may benefit from 17-AAG either as a single agent or in combination with other drugs.

• Keywords
• ABC transporters, apoptosis, blood brain barrier, human glioma tumor cell panel, multidrug resistance, tanespimycin,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The synthetic curcumin analogue, 3,5-bis[(2-fluorophenyl)methylene]-4-piperidinone (EF-24), suppresses NF-κB activity and exhibits antiproliferative effects against a variety of cancer cells in vitro. Recently, it was reported that EF-24-induced apoptosis was mediated by a redox-dependent mechanism. Here, we studied the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on EF-24-induced cell death. We also addressed the question of whether the main drug transporters, ABCB1 and ABCG2, affect the cytotoxic of EF-24. We observed that EF-24 induced cell death with apoptotic hallmarks in human leukemia K562 cells. Importantly, the loss of cell viability was preceded by production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and by a decrease of reduced glutathione (GSH). However, neither ROS production nor the decrease in GSH predominantly contributed to the EF-24-induced cell death. We found that EF-24 formed an adduct with GSH, which is likely the mechanism contributing to the decrease of GSH. Although NAC abrogated ROS production, decreased GSH and prevented cell death, its protective effect was mainly due to a rapid conversion of intra- and extra-cellular EF-24 into the EF-24-NAC adduct without cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, we found that neither overexpression of ABCB1 nor ABCG2 reduced the antiproliferative effects of EF-24. In conclusion, a redox-dependent-mediated mechanism only marginally contributes to the EF-24-induced apoptosis in K562 cells. The main mechanism of NAC protection against EF-24-induced apoptosis is conversion of cytotoxic EF-24 into the noncytotoxic EF-24-NAC adduct. Neither ABCB1 nor ABCG2 mediated resistance to EF-24.

• Keywords
• EF-24-GSH adduct, EF-24-NAC adduct, K562 cells, NF-κB, Nrf2,
• MeSH
• ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2 genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Acetylcysteine metabolism   MeSH
• Apoptosis drug effects   MeSH
• Benzylidene Compounds pharmacology   MeSH
• Glutathione metabolism   MeSH
• Leukemia metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Cell Line, Tumor MeSH
• Neoplasm Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Oxidative Stress * MeSH
• ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Piperidones pharmacology   MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Reactive Oxygen Species metabolism   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 3,5-bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)piperidin-4-one MeSH Browser
• ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2 MeSH
• ABCB1 protein, human MeSH Browser
• ABCG2 protein, human MeSH Browser
• Acetylcysteine MeSH
• Benzylidene Compounds MeSH
• Glutathione MeSH
• Neoplasm Proteins MeSH
• ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B MeSH
• Piperidones MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents MeSH
• Reactive Oxygen Species MeSH