Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis ›› 2018, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (1): 47-51,57.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-616x.2018.01.009

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Relationship between expression of HIF-1α and cytotoxicity from exposure to benzene metabolites on K562 cells

SUN Fengxia, MENG Xing, SUN Rongli, ZHANG Juan, YIN Lihong, PU Yuepu   

  1. Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
  • Received:2017-09-28 Revised:2018-01-07 Online:2018-01-30 Published:2018-01-30

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of expression of HIF-1α on cytotoxicity of K562 cells induced by 1,4-benzoquinone (1,4-BQ),hydroquinone (HQ) and phenol. METHODS: The control K562 cells (K-c) and K562 cells with high expression of HIF-1α (K-h) were treated with different concentrations of 1,4-BQ (0,10,20,40,80 μmol/L),HQ (0,10,20,40,80 μmol/L) and phenol (0,1,1.5,2,2.5,5 mmol/L) for 24 h. Cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay,apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry with PI/FITC Annxein V double staining,and cell cycle was detected by propidium iodide combined with flow cytometry. RESULTS: The MTT results revealed that the relative proliferation rate of K-c cells and K-h cells showed a dose-related decrease after treating with 1,4-BQ (P < 0.05). The relative proliferation rate of K-h was higher than control K-c (P < 0.05) in 80 μmol/L 1,4-BQ. After treating with HQ and phenol at higher concentrations,K-c exhibited proliferation inhibition,while no significant proliferation inhibition was observed in K-h. Flow cytometry results revealed that the apoptosis rate increased in K-c and K-h (P < 0.05) and showed a dose-response relationship after exposuring to 1,4-BQ for 24 h (P < 0.05). Moreover,the apoptosis rate of K-hwas lower than K-c (P < 0.05) with 20 μmol/L 1,4-BQ. After exposure to HQ and phenol,K-c and K-h demonstrated no significant differences compared with control group,K-h was not significantly different from K-c. The results of cell cycle analysis demonstrated K-c were arrested in G0/G1 phase or S-phase after exposure to 1,4-BQ,HQ and phenol. CONCLUSION: Among benzene metabolites,1,4-BQ was the most cytotoxic,followed by HQ and phenol. High expression of HIF-1α reduced the cytotoxicity of K562 cell caused by benzene metabolites,and HIF-1α might work in regulating cell proliferation,apoptosis through cell cycle control.

Key words: HIF-1α, benzene metabolites, proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle

CLC Number: