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Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry (1999) 29, (213–215) (Printed in Great Britain)

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Effect of a-tocopherol andsilibin dihemisuccinate on the proliferation of human skinfibroblasts

D. Onat*, D. Boscoboinik†, A. Azzi†and H. Basaga‡¹

*Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, BogaziciUniversity, Bebek 80815 Istanbul, Turkey, †Instituteof Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bern,Buhlstrasse 28 Postfach 3000 Bern 9, Switzerland, and ‡Facultyof Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanc University, Bankalar Cad. No 2, 80020Karakoy, Istanbul, Turkey

Abbreviations used: SDH, silibin dihemisuccinate; PKC, protein kinase C; FCS, fetal calf serum; ERK, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase.

¹ To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Cell proliferation is a complex and important event in atherosclerosis, aging and cancer, and is under the control of signalling pathways. These signalling pathways in turn are effected by the presence of a number of chemicals. For this purpose, we have checked the effect of two chemicals on the proliferation of skin fibroblasts. a-Tocopherol and silibin dihemisuccinate (SDH) negatively regulate proliferation of human skin fibroblasts. To check the cell-cycle time intervals, a [³H]thymidine incorporation assay was performed, showing DNA replication at around 24 h; this indicated the time required for the incubation with the chemicals. When a-tocopherol was added to the growth medium at a physiological concentration of 50 µM, cell proliferation was inhibited by 40% in 72 h. A similar inhibitory effect of cell proliferation was achieved when 500 µM SDH was used (39% inhibition in 72 h). From the dose–response curves obtained it was concluded that both duration of treatment and the concentration of the chemicals are important parameters. The actual mechanism of the inhibition of cell proliferation may be due to the anti-oxidative potential of these chemicals as well as another mechanism effecting signal transduction pathways.

Received 29 September 1998/19 November 1998; accepted 25 November 1998

Portland Press Ltd © 1999