RESUMO
This report presents evidence that the following Solanum steroids: solasodine, diosgenin and solanine interact with human erythrocytes and molecular models of their membranes as follows: a) X-ray diffraction studies showed that the compounds at low molar ratios (0.1-10.0mol%) induced increasing structural perturbation to dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers and to a considerable lower extent to those of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine; b) differential scanning calorimetry data showed that the compounds were able to alter the cooperativity of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine and dimyristoylphosphatidylserine phase transitions in a concentration-dependent manner; c) in the presence of steroids, the fluorescence of Merocyanine 540 incorporated to the membranes decreased suggesting a fluidization of the lipid system; d) scanning electron microscopy observations showed that all steroids altered the normal shape of human erythrocytes inducing mainly echinocytosis, characterized by the formation of blebs in their surfaces, an indication that their molecules are located into the outer monolayer of the erythrocyte membrane.
Assuntos
Diosgenina/química , Membrana Eritrocítica/química , Bicamadas Lipídicas/química , Alcaloides de Solanáceas/química , Solanina/química , Varredura Diferencial de Calorimetria , Dimiristoilfosfatidilcolina/química , Diosgenina/farmacologia , Membrana Eritrocítica/efeitos dos fármacos , Corantes Fluorescentes/química , Humanos , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Transição de Fase/efeitos dos fármacos , Fosfatidiletanolaminas/química , Fosfatidilserinas/química , Pirimidinonas/química , Espalhamento a Baixo Ângulo , Alcaloides de Solanáceas/farmacologia , Solanina/farmacologia , Difração de Raios XRESUMO
Changes in mitochondrial ATP synthesis can affect the function of tumor cells due to the dependence of the first step of glycolysis on mitochondrial ATP. The oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system is responsible for the synthesis of approximately 90% of the ATP in normal cells and up to 50% in most glycolytic cancers; therefore, inhibition of the electron transport chain (ETC) emerges as an attractive therapeutic target. We studied the effect of a lipophilic isoprenylated catechol, 3-hydroxybakuchiol (3-OHbk), a putative ETC inhibitor isolated from Psoralea glandulosa. 3-OHbk exerted cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects on the TA3/Ha mouse mammary adenocarcinoma cell line and induced a decrease in the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, the activation of caspase-3, the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transport pore (MPTP) and nuclear DNA fragmentation. Additionally, 3-OHbk inhibited oxygen consumption, an effect that was completely reversed by succinate (an electron donor for Complex II) and duroquinol (electron donor for Complex III), suggesting that 3-OHbk disrupted the electron flow at the level of Complex I. The inhibition of OXPHOS did not increase the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) but caused a large decrease in the intracellular ATP level. ETC inhibitors have been shown to induce cell death through necrosis and apoptosis by increasing ROS generation. Nevertheless, we demonstrated that 3-OHbk inhibited the ETC and induced apoptosis through an interaction with Complex I. By delivering electrons directly to Complex III with duroquinol, cell death was almost completely abrogated. These results suggest that 3-OHbk has antitumor activity resulting from interactions with the ETC, a system that is already deficient in cancer cells.