Profiles of Antioxidant enzymes in response to smoke components

Abstract

Reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), such as superoxide anions (O2*-) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radical (*OH), and nitric oxide (NO) are involved in multistage process of carcinogenesis as initiator and/or promotor in carcinogenesis.. They are mainly involved in DNA damage. Some of them are mutagenic in mammalian systems. There are first line defense antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT). SOD converts O2*- to H2O2, which is further converted to H2O with the help of GPx and CAT. GPx and CAT are important in the inactivation of many environmental mutagens. They can prevent genetic changes by inhibiting DNA damage induced by the ROMs. Antioxidant enzymes located in the bronchial epithelium can be expected to be important in protecting these cells against both endogenous and exogenous oxidants. In this study, the levels of different antioxidant enzymes were also assessed by RT PCR using an immortalized human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS 2B cells). Beas 2B was treated with several smoke components such as benzo(a)pyrene, nicotine, cotinine and the levels of several antioxidant enzymes were analyzed by RT PCR. SOD, GPx, Catalase were changed sensitively to smoke components.