The effect of catechol on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (in vitro study)

• The impact of catechol on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was studied.
• The compound examined induced necrotic, apoptotic and morphological changes in PBMCs.
• Catechol in low concentrations induced statistically significant decrease in ROS formation.
• Catechol in high concentration provoked oxidative damage to lipids and proteins and ROS formation.
• Catechol may induce change in PBMCs only in the caste of poisoning with this compound.

Catechol also known as pyrocatechol or 1,2-dihydroxybenzene is formed endogenously in the organism from neurotransmitters including adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine. It is also a metabolite of many drugs like DOPA, isoproterenol or aspirin and it is also formed in the environment during transformation of various xenobiotics. We evaluated in vitro the effect of catechol on the structure and function of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The cells were incubated with xenobiotic at concentration range from 2 to 500 μg/mL for 1 h.Human blood mononuclear cells were obtained from leucocyte-platelet buffy coat taken from healthy donors in the Blood Bank of Łódź, Poland. Using flow cytometry we have evaluated necrotic, apoptotic and morphological changes in PBMCs incubated with catechol. Moreover, we have estimated changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation in the cells studied.The compound studied provoked necrotic (from 250 μg/mL), apoptotic (from 100 μg/mL), and morphological changes (from 250 μg/mL) in the incubated cells. We have also noted that catechol decreased H2DCF oxidation at 2 and 10 μg/mL but at higher concentrations of 250 and 500 μg/mL it caused statistically significant increase in the oxidation of this probe. We also observed an increase in lipid peroxidation (from 250 μg/mL) and protein carbonylation (from 50 μg/mL) of PBMCs. It was observed that catechol only at high concentrations was capable of inducing changes in PBMCs. The obtained results clearly showed that catechol may induce change in PBMCs only in the caste of poisoning with this compound.

Catechol induces changes in the size (FSC-A) and granulation (SSC-A) of human blood mononuclear cells exposed.It was observed that catechol at 2 and 10 μg/mL induced statistically significant decrease in H2DCF oxidation (ROS formation) but at higher concentrations of 250 and 500 μg/mL it caused statistically significant increase in the oxidation of this probe.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide