Nonylphenol decreases viability and arrests cell cycle via reactive oxygen species in Raji cells

4-Nonylphenol (NP), an environmental contaminant commonly found in water systems, has been documented to have adverse effects on human health. In the current study, the effects of NP on the survival, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell cycle distribution of human Raji cells, a human lymphoblastoid cell line with B cell characteristics, were investigated. Furthermore, N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) was used to explore the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that NP dramatically reduced cell viability along with the induction of ROS in a dose dependent manner, and cell survival was recovered by NAC pretreatment. Most strikingly, NP exposure altered the cell cycle profile, mainly leading to the accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase. Pretreatment of Raji cells with NAC attenuated the NP-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest. Taken together, the results suggest NP exhibits cytotoxic effects on Raji cells by decreasing cell viability and inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest, in a ROS dependent manner.