Inhibition of UV-C light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a highly toxic pollutant ubiquitously present in the environment. Most of the toxic effects of TCDD are believed to be mediated by high-affinity binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and subsequent effects on gene transcription. TCDD causes canc...

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Main Authors: Chopra, M., Dharmarajan, Arunasalam, Meiss, G., Schrenk, D.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2009
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36064
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author Chopra, M.
Dharmarajan, Arunasalam
Meiss, G.
Schrenk, D.
author_facet Chopra, M.
Dharmarajan, Arunasalam
Meiss, G.
Schrenk, D.
author_sort Chopra, M.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a highly toxic pollutant ubiquitously present in the environment. Most of the toxic effects of TCDD are believed to be mediated by high-affinity binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and subsequent effects on gene transcription. TCDD causes cancer in multiple tissues in different animal species and is classified as a class 1 human carcinogen. In initiation-promotion studies TCDD was shown to be a potent liver tumor promotor. Among other theories it has been hypothesized that TCDD acts as a tumor promotor by preventing initiated cells from undergoing apoptosis. We examined the effects of TCDD on ultraviolet C (UV-C) light-induced apoptosis in primary rat hepatocytes and Huh-7 human hepatoma cells. TCDD inhibits UV-C light-induced apoptosis in both cell types. This effect is seen with chromatin condensation and fragmentation and appears to be mediated by the AhR in rat hepatocytes. Apoptosis induced by UV-C light in these cells is caspase-dependent and is accompanied by alterations in apoptosis-related gene expression such as up-regulation of proapoptotic bcl-2 family genes like bak and bax, and a marked down regulation of the expression of the antiapoptotic bcl-2. TCDD treatment of irradiated hepatocytes induces the expression of some apoptosis-related genes (birc3, dad1, pycard, tnf). Upstream apoptotic events, namely caspase activation and caspase substrate cleavage are not inhibited by TCDD treatment. We hypothesize that TCDD inhibits late-stage apoptotic events that lead to internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, maintaining chromosomal integrity probably in order to sustain metabolic capacity and hepatic elimination of substrates despite of an initiation of apoptosis. © The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-360642017-09-13T15:18:39Z Inhibition of UV-C light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Chopra, M. Dharmarajan, Arunasalam Meiss, G. Schrenk, D. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a highly toxic pollutant ubiquitously present in the environment. Most of the toxic effects of TCDD are believed to be mediated by high-affinity binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and subsequent effects on gene transcription. TCDD causes cancer in multiple tissues in different animal species and is classified as a class 1 human carcinogen. In initiation-promotion studies TCDD was shown to be a potent liver tumor promotor. Among other theories it has been hypothesized that TCDD acts as a tumor promotor by preventing initiated cells from undergoing apoptosis. We examined the effects of TCDD on ultraviolet C (UV-C) light-induced apoptosis in primary rat hepatocytes and Huh-7 human hepatoma cells. TCDD inhibits UV-C light-induced apoptosis in both cell types. This effect is seen with chromatin condensation and fragmentation and appears to be mediated by the AhR in rat hepatocytes. Apoptosis induced by UV-C light in these cells is caspase-dependent and is accompanied by alterations in apoptosis-related gene expression such as up-regulation of proapoptotic bcl-2 family genes like bak and bax, and a marked down regulation of the expression of the antiapoptotic bcl-2. TCDD treatment of irradiated hepatocytes induces the expression of some apoptosis-related genes (birc3, dad1, pycard, tnf). Upstream apoptotic events, namely caspase activation and caspase substrate cleavage are not inhibited by TCDD treatment. We hypothesize that TCDD inhibits late-stage apoptotic events that lead to internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, maintaining chromosomal integrity probably in order to sustain metabolic capacity and hepatic elimination of substrates despite of an initiation of apoptosis. © The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. 2009 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36064 10.1093/toxsci/kfp128 unknown
spellingShingle Chopra, M.
Dharmarajan, Arunasalam
Meiss, G.
Schrenk, D.
Inhibition of UV-C light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
title Inhibition of UV-C light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
title_full Inhibition of UV-C light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
title_fullStr Inhibition of UV-C light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
title_full_unstemmed Inhibition of UV-C light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
title_short Inhibition of UV-C light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
title_sort inhibition of uv-c light-induced apoptosis in liver cells by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36064