D. Adeyemo et al., Antioxidants enhance the susceptibility of colon carcinoma cells to 5-fluorouracil by augmenting the induction of the bax protein, CANCER LETT, 164(1), 2001, pp. 77-84
5 Fluorouracil (5 FU), the most effective systemic chemotherapeutic agent i
n the management of advanced colorectal carcinoma acts by inducing apoptosi
s. Response rates, approximately 20% is improved by folinic acid. This stud
y investigates similar modulation of 5 FU-induced apoptosis by oxidant quen
ching. A five-fold reduction of intracellular oxidant levels by antioxidant
s N-acetylcysteine and vitamin E did not induce apoptosis, it however augme
nted pro-apoptotic bar protein expression, and apoptotic response to a non-
toxic dose of 5 EU in the colorectal cancer cell lines cole 201 and cole 20
5. This suggests that reduction of intracellular levels of reactive oxygen
species enhance susceptibility to 5 FU (apoptotic stimuli) by augmentation
of bar expression. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserv
ed.