Acrolein toxicity: Comparison with reactive oxygen species

The toxicity of acrolein was compared with that of reactive oxygen species using a mouse mammary carcinoma FM3A cell culture system. Complete inhibition of cell growth was accomplished with 10 μM acrolein, 100 μM H2O2, and 20 μM H2O2 plus 1 mM vitamin C, which produce OH, suggesting that toxicity of acrolein is more severe than H2O2 and nearly equal to that of OH, when these compounds were added extracellularly. Acrolein toxicity was prevented by N-acetyl-l-cysteine and N-benzylhydroxylamine, and attenuated by putrescine and spermidine. Toxicity of H2O2 was prevented by glutathione peroxidase plus N-acetyl-l-cysteine, pyruvate, catalase, and reduced by polyphenol, and toxicity of OH was prevented by glutathione peroxidase plus N-acetyl-l-cysteine, pyruvate, catalase and reduced by N-acetyl-l-cysteine. The results indicate that prevention of cell toxicity by N-acetyl-l-cysteine was more effective with acrolein than with OH. Protein and DNA synthesis was damaged primarily by acrolein and reactive oxygen species, respectively.