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Protective Effect of Lignophenol Derivative from Beech ( Fagus crenata Blume) on Copper‐ and Zinc‐Mediated Cell Death in PC12 Cells
Author(s) -
Sato Shin,
Fujita Shuzo,
Funaoka Masamitsu,
Komori Miyako,
Kurasaki Masaaki
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
basic and clinical pharmacology and toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1742-7843
pISSN - 1742-7835
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-7843.2006.pto_535.x
Subject(s) - beech , zinc , copper , fagus crenata , programmed cell death , botany , biology , chemistry , biochemistry , apoptosis , organic chemistry
Lignophenol, prepared using a phase‐separation system, is a derivative of lignin, which is one of the components in the plant cell wall, and possesses high phenolic function, high stability and antioxidant properties. However, little is known about the beneficial effect of lignophenol. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of lignophenol from the beech tree ( Fagus crenata Blume) on copper‐ and zinc‐mediated apoptosis in PC12 cells by using DNA fragmentation and TUNEL assays. In DNA fragmentation assays, the DNA ladder patterns in the PC12 cells treated with 200 μM Cu and 200 μM Zn were enhanced, whereas the DNA ladder pattern was hardly observed in these cells treated with 20 mM lignophenol. In the TUNEL assay, TUNEL signals increased significantly in the untreated PC12 cells exposed to 200 μM Cu compared with the control. In contrast, the degree of apoptosis in the 20 mM lignophenol‐treated cells was significantly lower than in the untreated cells, indicating that lignophenol inhibited Cu‐induced apoptotic cell death in PC 12 cells. In the 200 μM Zn‐exposed group, the degree of apoptosis in the 20 mM lignophenol‐treated cells was also low compared with the untreated cells. In conclusion, these results suggest that lignophenol plays a role in protecting against Cu‐ and Zn‐mediated PC12 apoptotic cell death.