stilbenes and Acid-Base-Imbalance

Development of potential cancer treatment strategies by using an exogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating agent (prooxidant) or redox intervention, has attracted much interest. One effective ROS generation method is to construct a prooxidant system by polyphenolic compounds and Cu(II) ions. This work demonstrates that Cu(II) and the stilbene-chroman hybrid with a catechol moiety could synergistically induce pBR322 plasmid DNA damage, as well as cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of HepG2 cells. Additionally, an interesting acid/base-promoted prooxidant reaction was found. The detailed chemical mechanisms for the reaction of the hybrid with Cu(II) in acid, neutral and base solutions are proposed based on UV/Vis spectral changes and identification of the related oxidative intermediates and products.

Topics: Acid-Base Imbalance; Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Catechols; Cell Cycle Checkpoints; Chromans; Copper; DNA; DNA Fragmentation; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Oxidants; Plasmids; Reactive Oxygen Species; Spectrum Analysis; Stilbenes