Reduction of apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway by the administration of acetyl- l-carnitine to mouse fibroblasts in culture

• Published in: Experimental cell research Vol. 306; no. 1; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Pillich, Rudolf Tito, Scarsella, Gianfranco, Risuleo, Gianfranco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 15.05.2005; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Acetyl- l-carnitine; Acetylcarnitine - pharmacology; Animals; ANOXIA; ANTIGENS; APOPTOSIS; Apoptosis - drug effects; BIOLOGICAL STRESS; CARNITINE; Caspase 3; Caspases - metabolism; CELL CONSTITUENTS; Cell Line; CELL PROLIFERATION; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Culture Media, Serum-Free - pharmacology; Cytochromes c - metabolism; DNA; DNA Fragmentation - drug effects; DRUGS; FIBROBLASTS; Fibroblasts - cytology; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - metabolism; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; LABELLING; METABOLISM; MICE; Mitochondria - drug effects; Mitochondria - metabolism; PCNA; Phosphorylation - drug effects; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen - metabolism; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; PCNA; TUNEL; LC; Acetyl- l-carnitine; ALC; Caspase 3; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0014-4827; 1090-2422
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2005.01.019

It is shown in literature that stress, such as deprivation of trophic factors and hypoxia, induces apoptosis in cultured cells and in tissues. In light of these results, we explored the possibility of protecting cells from programmed death by improving the metabolism of the mitochondrion. To this end, acetyl- l-carnitine was administered at various concentrations under conditions of serum deprivation. The choice of this drug was based on the accepted notion that acetyl- l-carnitine is able to stabilize mitochondrial membranes and to increase the supply of energy to the organelle. The results presented here indicate that the drug protects cells from apoptotic death: this is demonstrated by a lower positivity to the TUNEL reaction and by a strong reduction of the apoptotic DNA ladder in serum-deprived cells. The involvement of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway was assessed by cytochrome C release and immunoreactivity to caspase 3. Moreover, acetyl- l-carnitine stimulates cell proliferation.