Apoptosis-inducing activity of vitamin C and vitamin K.

Abstract

Apoptosis-inducing activity of vitamins C and K and of their analogs are reviewed. Vitamin C shows both reducing and oxidizing activities, depending on the environment in which this vitamin is present. Higher concentrations of vitamin C induce apoptotic cell death in various tumor cell lines including oral squamous cell carcinoma and salivary gland tumor cell lines, possibly via its prooxidant action. The apoptosis-inducing activity of ascorbate is stimulated by Cu2+, lignin and ion chelator, and inhibited by catalase, Fe3+, Co2+ and saliva. On the other hand, at lower concentrations, ascorbic acid displays an antioxidant property, preventing the spontaneous and stress or antitumor agent-induced apoptosis. Sodium 5,6-benzylidene-L-ascorbate, intravenous administration of which induces degeneration of human inoperable tumors and rat hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo, induces apoptotic or non-apoptotic cell death, depending on the types of target cells. On the other hand, elevation of intracellular concentration of ascorbic acid by treatment with ascorbate 2-phosphate or dehydroascorbic acid makes the cells resistant to the oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. Vitamin K2, which has a geranylgeranyl group as a side chain,and vitamin K3 induces apoptosis of various cultured cells including osteoclasts and osteoblasts, by elevating peroxide and superoxide radicals. Synergistic apoptosis-inducing actions have been found between vitamins C and K, and between these vitamins and antiproliferative agents. The possible therapeutic application of these vitamins is discussed.

• Authors: H Sakagami, K Satoh, Y Hakeda, M Kumegawa
• Journal: Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France) (Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand)) Vol. 46 Issue 1 Pg. 129-43 (Feb 2000) ISSN: 0145-5680 [Print] France
• PMID: 10726979 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Vitamin K
• Ascorbic Acid

Topics

• Animals
• Antioxidants (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Ascorbic Acid (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Bone Density (drug effects)
• Humans
• Molecular Structure
• Rats
• Tumor Cells, Cultured
• Vitamin K (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)