DNA Strand Break Induction and Enhanced Cytotoxicity of Propyl Gallate in the Presence of Copper(II)

The antioxidant propyl gallate (PG) induced single strand breaks in PM2 DNA at concentrations higher than 0.25 μM when it was combined with copper concentrations at 5 μM and above. In combination with 100 μM CuCl2, extensive double strand breakage was also observed. Neither PG alone nor CuCl2 showed any strand breaking properties. DNA strand breakage was inhibited by addition of catalase or the Cu(I) chelator neocuproine, indicating the involvement of H2O2 and a Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycle in the DNA damage. DNA damage of PG/Cu(II) was also observed in human fibroblasts. Using the alkaline elution technique concentrations of 0.15–0.5 mM PG induced DNA strand breaks in combination with 2.5 mM CuCl2, while the single substances did not show any effect. At these concentrations cell viability measured by the MTT assay was not reduced by more than 10%; however, cell growth was inhibited by PG in combination with Cu(II). This growth inhibition was apparently due to the DNA damage incurred by PG/Cu(II). The synergistic interaction between PG and Cu(II) is probably caused by a redox reaction between both compounds, whereby reactive species such as ROS are formed, which are responsible for the observed genotoxic and cytotoxic effects. Our results demonstrate that the antioxidative and cytoprotective properties of propyl gallate may change to prooxidative, cytotoxic and genotoxic properties in the presence of Cu(II).