1. Department of chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran; 2. Department of chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran;
Abstract
Introduction
Lung cancer is one of the most important lethal cancers in the world. the occurrence of lung cancer is estimated about 1.6 million deaths in 2012. increasing ros and rns are associated with some abnormalities including some cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase are main types of antioxidant which protect the cells from the harmful effects of ros in body. it was showed that higher levels of ros are generated in cancer cells in comparison to normal cells. thymosin alpha-1 is a 28- amino acid peptide that was discovered by allan goldstein and colleagues in 1972. the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of thymosin alpha- on a549 cancer cells by evaluating the activity of catalase and gluthathione peroxidase.
Methods
In this study, a549 lung cells were cell cultured and the activity of antioxidant enzyme including catalase and glutathione peroxidase on a549 cancer cells treated with various concentration of thymosin alpha-1 was evaluated as described, previously. the activity of glutathione peroxidase was investigated using randox-ransel enzyme kit (randox, crumlin, uk). the reduce in absorption of catalase and glutathione peroxidase were determined using uv-spectroscopy at 240 and 340 nm, respectively.
Results
The results of this current study demonstrated that the activity of catalase on a549 treated cancer cells increased by enhancing the dosage of thymosin alpha-1 in comparison with control. catalase showed a significant higher activity at 12 μg/ml of thymosin alpha-1. also the activity of glutathione peroxidase on a549 lung cancer cells treated with various dosage of thymosin alpha-1 was investigated. our results revealed that glutathione peroxidase activities significantly enhanced in a concentration dependent manner.
Conclusion
Our results suggested that thymosin alpha-1 indicated antioxidant properties and has protective effect on a549 lung cancer cells.
