Modulatory effect of cyclosporin A on tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative damage in hepatocytes

In the present work, we followed an in vitro protective action of cyclospor in A (CsA) against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative damag e in hepatocytes. Various parameters (cell viability, cytosolic calcium Lev el, rhodamine 123 accumulation as indicator of mitochondrial membrane poten tial and alanine-aminotransferase leakage from cells) were measured as an i ndex of cytotoxicity. Tert-butyl hydroperoxide (1 mM) significantly increas ed cytosolic Ca2+ and affected mitochondrial membrane potential. Pretreatme nt with cyclosporin A (0.5 muM) reduced t-BHP-induced cytosolic Ca2+ increa se and ALT (alanine-aminotransferase) leakage, but had no protective effect on t-BHP-induced changes of mitochondrial membrane potential. Our data thu s suggest that the mechanism of cytoprotection of CsA on the cytosolic Ca2 changes and ALT leakage induced by t-BHP, does not directly correlate with protection of t-BHP-induced changes of mitochondrial membrane potential.