Avaliação do efeito do uso de menadiona e ácido ascórbico associadas ao ferro em células tumorais de linhagem 4T1 e leucócitos in vitro

Abstract

Introduction: The current study aimed to evaluate the use of a combination consisting of ascorbic acid/menadione associated with iron as a generator of oxidative stress in tumor cells. 4T1 breast cancer tumor cells and human peripheral blood leukocytes were utilized as samples and treated in vitro in RPMI incomplete medium. Methods: The samples were separated into control, ascorbic acid (AA)/Menadione (Men) and AA+Men+Iron groups. After treatment, the cells were tested for catalase activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) quantification, nonprotein thiols concentration, and cell death analysis by flow cytometry with annexin V/propidium iodide (P.I.) staining. Results: 4T1 cells presented increased catalase activity and non-protein thiols concentration (p<0.05) in the iron associated group after a 1-hour treatment. Human leukocytes presented a decrease in catalase activity in both the AA+Men and iron associated groups (p<0.05) in both treatment durations, while presenting a large quantity of nonprotein thiols (p<0.05) in the iron associated group during a 4-hour treatment. Cells suffering apoptosis, necrosis/ autoschizis were encountered in larger quantities in the vitamin-only treated groups while cellular survival was noted to be improved in the iron associated groups. Conclusion: Treatment utilizing ascorbic acid and menadione is a suitable method to increase reactive oxygen species production and increase tumor cell death while the use of iron increased cellular survival.