we have previously reported that taxol, a potent anticancer agent, induces caspase-independent cell death and cytoplasmic vacuolization in human lung adenocarcinoma (ASTC-a-1) cells. However, the mechanisms of taxol-induced cytoplasmic vacuolization are poorly understood. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been reported to be involved in the taxol-induced cell death. Here, we employed confocal fluorescence microscopy imaging to explore the role of ROS in taxol-induced cytoplasmic vacuolization. We found that ROS inhibition by addition of N-acetycysteine (NAC), a total ROS scavenger, did not suppress these vacuolization but instead increased vacuolization. Take together, our results showed that ROS is not a promotor of the taxol-induced cytoplasmic vacuolization.

Date Published: 25 February 2009
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 7178, Biophotonics and Immune Responses IV, 71780K (25 February 2009); doi: 10.1117/12.807256

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7178:
Biophotonics and Immune Responses IV
Wei R. Chen, Editor(s)