HYDROXYL FREE-RADICALS GENERATED BY VANADYL[IV] INDUCE CELL BLEBBING IN MITOTIC HUMAN CHANG LIVER-CELLS

Vanadium has recently been reported to induce interphase and M-phase ( mitotic) programmed cell death via the generation of hydroxyl free rad icals (OH). In this paper, the effects of antioxidants on: (a) vanady l[IV]-generated OH free radical levels; and (b) cellular glutathione in vanadyl [IV]-treated Chang liver cells were evaluated, The surface morphology of vanadyl-treated mitotic cells was studied by confocal an d scanning microscopy. The free radical scavengers zinc chloride, gluc ose and thiourea reduced the levels of vanadyl-induced OH free radica ls and partially prevented the depletion of cellular glutathione. Conc urrent with OH free radical production, vanadyl-treated telophase cel ls exhibited excessive cell blebbing and cell shrinkage. The morpholog ical features demonstrated in vanadyl-induced mitotic programmed cell death as a consequence of oxidative stress is novel.