Adaptive reactions of human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF) to a fullerene derivative modified with 3-benzothienylalanine residues

   We investigated the effort of fullerene derivative with five attached residues of 3-benzothienylalanine and one hydrogen atom (F1) on the functioning of the human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF). It was shown that F1 penetrates the cytoplasm of most cells in the population within 24 hours. To study the effect of F1 on HELF, two concentrations were selected: 18.3 ng/ml, which is in the range of non–toxic concentrations and a concentration close to damaging – 28 µg/ml and three incubation times of cells with compounds – 1, 3 and 24 hours. It was found that after 24 hours in the presence of low concentrations of F1, the level of ROS in cells decreases, which is due to an increase in the expression of the NRF2 gene and an increase in its functional activity. The F1 compound in a concentration close to toxic causes an increase in the expression level of the NOX4 gene and protein in cultured HELF, which leads to the synthesis of ROS in cells and oxidative modifications, and double-stranded DNA breaks of cell nuclei after 24 hours of incubations. There was no effect of F1 on the expression level of the BRCA1 gene and protein, which probably contributes to the formation of double-stranded DNA breaks in cells and maintenance at a high level after 24 hours of incubation. An increase in the expression of anti-apoptotic genes in HELF after 24 hours of cultivation with F1 may contribute to the survival of cells with damaged DNA.

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