Cytotoxicity Of Menadione Research Articles

Induction of cell damage by menadione and benzo(a)-pyrene-3,6-quinone in cultures of adult rat hepatocytes and human fibroblasts

The cytotoxicity of menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) and benzo(a)pyrene-3,6-quinone (BP-3,6-0) was tested in cultures of adult rat hepatocytes and human fibroblasts. Menadione induced DNA strand breaks, cell membrane damage and depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) in both hepatocytes and fibroblasts. In fibroblasts, effects on both DNA and membrane integrity were potentiated by the presence of dicoumarol, a specific inhibitor of the 2-electron reduction of quinones by DT-diaphorase, whereas in hepatocytes only the cell membrane damage was sensitive to dicoumarol. Results indicate that menadione toxicity is mediated via 1-electron reduction, although in hepatocytes different reactive species may be responsible for damage to DNA and to the membrane. BP-3,6-Q induced DNA strand breaks in fibroblasts at concentrations as low as 1 μM. The extent of DNA damage was insensitive to dicoumarol. Even after GSH depletion and inhibition of glucuronidation and sulphate conjugation, BP-3,6-Q caused no DNA damage in hepatocytes. In contrast to menadione, BP-3,6-Q did not induce cell membrane leakage or decrease in GSH levels in either hepatocytes or fibroblasts. These studies show the complexity of the metabolic pathways involved, in terms of activation and detoxification processes, in the toxicity of quinones.

Induction of dna damage by menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes

The cytotoxicity of menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) had been investigated using primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Menadione was found to induce DNA strand breaks which were actively repaired by the cells. Dicoumarol, an inhibitor of DT diaphorase, did not potentiate menadioneinduced DNA strand breaks. Neither had metyrapone, an inhibitor of cytochrome P-450 dependent monooxygenases, any effect on the extent of DNA damage. Covalent binding of menadione metabolite(s) to DNA was detected in the cultured hepatocytes and, in addition, hepatic microsomes were also found to metabolize menadione to DNA-binding products. The extent of binding of menadione to DNA in vitro, was markedly decreased by inclusion of the hepatic cytosol fraction, or reduced glutathione, in the incubations. In the presence of dicoumarol, menadione was also found to induce cell membrane damage. It also caused a rapid loss in cellular glutathione which was augmented by the presence of dicoumarol. The results suggest that both the cell membrane damage and DNA damage induced by menadione are mediated by one-electron reduction of the quinone to free radical intermediate(s). DT diaphorase appears to protect the cell from membrane damage, whereas reduced glutathione may have an important role in the prevention of DNA damage.