Synthesized esters of ferulic acid induce release of cytochrome c from rat testes mitochondria

• Published in: Journal of bioenergetics and biomembranes Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 19 - 26
• Main Authors: Cione, E., Tucci, P., Senatore, V., Perri, M., Trombino, S., Iemma, F., Picci, N., Genchi, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.02.2008; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal Anatomy; Animal Biochemistry; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biochemistry; Bioorganic Chemistry; Caspase 3 - metabolism; Cell Line; Cellular biology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coumaric Acids - chemical synthesis; Coumaric Acids - pharmacology; Cytochrome; Cytochromes c - metabolism; Enzyme Activation - drug effects; Esters; Esters - chemical synthesis; Esters - pharmacology; Histology; Male; Mitochondria; Mitochondria - enzymology; Morphology; Organic Chemistry; Original Paper; Rats; Reproductive system; Rodents; Testis - enzymology; Tumors; Cytochrome; Mitochondria; MLTC-1 cells; TM-3 cells; Ferulic acid; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0145-479X; 1573-6881
• DOI: 10.1007/s10863-007-9097-7

Ferulic acid plays a chemopreventive role in cancer by inducing tumor cells apoptosis. As mitochondria play a key role in the induction of apoptosis in many cells types, here we investigate the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) and the release of cytochrome c induced by ferulic acid and its esters in rat testes mitochondria, in TM-3 and MLTC-1 cells. While ferulic acid, but not its esters, induced MPT and cytochrome c release in rat testes isolated mitochondria, in TM-3 cells we found that both ferulic acid and its esters induced cytochrome c release from mitochondria in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting a potential target of these compounds in the induction of cell apoptosis. The apoptosis induced by ferulic acid is therefore associated with the mitochondrial pathway involving cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation.