Mushroom lectin protects arsenic induced apoptosis in hepatocytes of rodents

• Published in: Human & experimental toxicology 2011-04, Vol.30 (4), p.307-317
• Main Authors: Rana, Tanmoy, Asit Kumar Bera, Das, Subhashree, Bhattacharya, Debasis, Pan, Diganta, Bandyopadhyay, Subhasish, De, Sumanta, Subrata Kumar Das
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Arsenic; Arsenic Poisoning - prevention & control; Arsenites - toxicity; Basidiocarps; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinogenesis, carcinogens and anticarcinogens; Caspase-3; Cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Chemical agents; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Chemoprevention; DNA fragmentation; DNA nucleotidylexotransferase; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Hepatocytes; Hepatocytes - drug effects; Hepatocytes - metabolism; Hepatocytes - pathology; Kidney; Lectins; Lectins - pharmacology; Liver; Male; Medical sciences; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Mushrooms; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Nuclei; Phagocytes; Phagocytosis - drug effects; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Pleurotus - chemistry; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rodents; Sodium arsenite; Sodium Compounds - toxicity; Toxicity; Toxicology; Tumors
• ISSN: 0960-3271; 1477-0903
• DOI: 10.1177/0960327110372642

Acute and chronic arsenic exposure result in toxicity both in human and animal beings and cause many hepatic and renal manifestations. The present study stated that mushroom lectin prevents arsenic-induced apoptosis. Apoptosis was measured by morphological alterations, cell proliferation index (CPI), phagocytic activity (nitro blue tetrazolium index; NBT), nitric oxide (NO) production, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity. Arsenic exposure at 5 μM in the form of sodium arsenite resulted in significant elevation of deformed cells, NO production, TUNEL stained nuclei of hepatocytes, DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity. But the CPI and NBT index were significantly declined in arsenic-treated hepatocytes. The beneficial effect of mushroom lectin at 10 μg/mL, 20 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL) showed increased CPI and phagocytic activity. Mushroom lectin at those concentrations reduced deformed cells, NO production, DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity of hepatocytes. But significant better protection was observed in 50 μg/mL mushroom lectin-treated hepatocytes. This finding may be of therapeutic benefit in people suffering from chronic arsenic exposure.