Effect of several PEO-PPO amphiphiles on bax, bcl-2, and hTERT mRNAs: An insight into apoptosis and cell immortalization induced in hepatoma cells by these polymeric excipients

CASTRONUOVO, CYNTHIA CELESTE; CUESTAS, MARÍA LUJÁN; OUBIÑA, JOSÉ RAÚL; MATHET, VERÓNICA LIDIA

BIOTECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED BIOCHEMISTRY

PORTLAND PRESS LTD

Año: 2016 vol. 63 p. 273 - 280

0885-4513

Recent data have shown that synthetic polymers and nanomaterials display phenotypic effects in cells and signal transduction mechanisms involved in inflammation, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Aim: This article aims to investigate the effect of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide) (PEO-PPO) block copolymers with a wide range of biomedical and pharmaceutical applications on apoptosis and/or cell immortalization, by flow cytometry and multiplex RT-PCR for bax, bcl-2, and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Results: PEO-PPO amphiphiles upregulated bax and hTERT and induced apoptosis of two human hepatoma cell lines. Conclusions: PEO-PPO block copolymers - considered safe for human use - can drastically alter gene expression profiles of genes related to apoptosis/cell proliferation.