The antioxidant quercetin protects HL-60 cells with high myeloperoxidase activity against pro-oxidative and apoptotic effects of etoposide

Abstract

The protective action of quercetin against the pro-oxidant and apoptotic effect of etoposide was investigated in HL-60 cells with a high level of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and in cells treated with MPO inhibitor, 4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide (ABAH). Quercetin significantly protected MPO-rich cells against the pro-oxidative (p<0.05) and apoptotic (p<0.05) effects of etoposide. Pre-treatment with ABAH abolished this protective influence of quercetin on apoptosis induced by etoposide but actually enhanced the action effect of quercetin against etoposide-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) level by this cytostatic drug. Thus quercetin can protect HL-60 cells against the pro-oxidative activity of etoposide regardless of MPO activity.