Oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction by TiO2 nanofibers in HeLa cells.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles are increasingly being used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. The high aspect ratio of fibrous nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and TiO(2) nanofibers (TiO(2)NFs), similar to the one used in this study makes them an attractive structural material and has attracted a lot of attention due to their possible negative health effects as suggested by their morphological similarities with asbestos. In the present study, therefore, toxicity of TiO(2)NFs was evaluated in human cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa cells. The TEM and XRD analyses showed that TiO(2)NFs used in this study are pure with uniform diameter of around 200 nm, and their length to width aspect ratio ranged between 5 and 15. Exposure of HeLa cells to TiO(2)NFs induced significant cytotoxicity even at doses as low as 2 µg/ml. The intracellular uptake of TiO(2)NFs in cells was shown by Alizarin Red S (ARS) labeled nanofibers. The mechanism of toxicity is mainly due to the induction of cellular oxidative stress, as revealed by elevated ROS levels, reduced antioxidant levels, and increased lipid peroxidation leading to apoptosis. The cell cycle analysis indicated G(2)/M cell cycle arrest in the cells exposed to TiO(2)NF. TiO(2)NFs treatment to HeLa cells resulted in increased expression of proapoptotic proteins Bax with an increase in cytosolic Cytochrome-C and inhibition of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Our results revealed the potential mechanism of cellular effects of TiO(2)NFs.

Potential in vitro antioxidant and protective effects of Gymnema montanum H. on alloxan-induced oxidative damage in pancreatic beta-cells, HIT-T15.

The present study describes the antioxidant activities of ethanol extract from Gymnema montanum (GLEt) which is an endemic plant of India. Antioxidant activity of the GLEt was studied in vitro based on scavenging of hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anions, nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite, reducing power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation estimated in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Further, we examined its protective effect against alloxan-induced oxidative stress in pancreatic beta-cells, HIT-T15 by measuring the free radical generation, malonaldehyde formation and antioxidant levels such as CAT, GPx and GSH. Results showed that G. montanum leaves exhibited significant antioxidant activities measured by various in vitro model systems. The HIT-T15 cell line studies showed the tendency of GLEt to increase antioxidant levels meanwhile decrease the free radical formation and inhibit the lipid peroxidation. The antioxidant activity was found to be well correlated with the phenolic phytochemicals present in the extract. GC-MS analyses revealed the presence of few phenolic compounds in the extract. As this plant has already been demonstrated for a variety of medicinal properties from our laboratory, results of this study suggest that G. montanum is an interesting source for antioxidant compounds and useful for various therapeutic applications.