Acrolein toxicity: Comparison with reactive oxygen species

The toxicity of acrolein was compared with that of reactive oxygen species using a mouse mammary carcinoma FM3A cell culture system. Complete inhibition of cell growth was accomplished with 10 μM acrolein, 100 μM H₂O₂, and 20 μM H₂O₂ plus 1 mM vitamin C, which produce OH, suggesting that toxicity of acrolein is more severe than H₂O₂ and nearly equal to that of OH, when these compounds were added extracellularly. Acrolein toxicity was prevented by N-acetyl-l-cysteine and N-benzylhydroxylamine, and attenuated by putrescine and spermidine. Toxicity of H₂O₂ was prevented by glutathione peroxidase plus N-acetyl-l-cysteine, pyruvate, catalase, and reduced by polyphenol, and toxicity of OH was prevented by glutathione peroxidase plus N-acetyl-l-cysteine, pyruvate, catalase and reduced by N-acetyl-l-cysteine. The results indicate that prevention of cell toxicity by N-acetyl-l-cysteine was more effective with acrolein than with OH. Protein and DNA synthesis was damaged primarily by acrolein and reactive oxygen species, respectively.