Antioxidative and prooxidative effects of quercetin on A549 cells

• Published in: Cell biology international Vol. 31; no. 10; pp. 1245 - 1250
• Main Authors: Robaszkiewicz, Agnieszka, Balcerczyk, Aneta, Bartosz, Grzegorz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2007; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Antioxidants - pharmacology; Apoptosis - drug effects; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - metabolism; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Catalase; Catalase - metabolism; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Glutathione; Glutathione S-transferase; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Oxidative Stress; Quercetin; Quercetin - pharmacology; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Sulfhydryl Compounds - metabolism; Superoxide dismutase; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Tumor Cells, Cultured - drug effects; Tumor Cells, Cultured - metabolism; Superoxide dismutase; Reactive oxygen species; Catalase; Glutathione S-transferase; Quercetin; Glutathione
• ISSN: 1065-6995; 1095-8355
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cellbi.2007.04.009

Quercetin, a common plant polyphenol, has been reported to show both antioxidant and prooxidant properties. We studied the effects of quercetin on A549 cells in in vitro culture. We found that low concentrations of the flavonoid stimulated cell proliferation and increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the cells; while higher concentrations of the flavonoid decreased cell survival and viability, thiol content, TAC and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase. Quercetin decreased production of reactive oxygen species in the cells but produced peroxides in the medium. The cellular effects of quercetin are therefore complex and include both antioxidant effects and induction of oxidative stress due to formation of reactive oxygen species in the extracellular medium.