查看文章

Vanadium is a metal widely distributed in the environment. Although vanadate-containing compounds exert potent toxic effects on a wide variety of biological systems, the mechanisms controlling vanadate-induced adverse effects remain to be elucidated. The present study investigated the vanadate-induced p53 activation and involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in p53 activation as well as the role of p53 in apoptosis induction by vanadate. Exposure of mouse epidermal JB6 cells to vanadate led to transactivation of p53 activity in a time- and dose-dependent manner. It also caused mitochondrial damage, apoptosis, and generated ROS. Scavenging of vanadate-induced H₂O₂ byN-acetyl-l-cysteine (a general antioxidant) or catalase (a specific H₂O₂ inhibitor), or the chelation of vanadate by deferoxamine, resulted in inhibition of p53 activation and cell mitochondrial damage. In contract, an increase in H₂ …