Selenium compounds induce ROS in human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981

Background and objective It has been proved that methylseleninic acid (MSA) is a kind of artificially developed selenium compound, which appeared to be the best candidate for cancer prevention and therapy. Reduced glutathione is not only critical to MSA metabolism, but also is a kind of protective antioxidant which could remove the oxygen free radical promptly and maintain the intracellular redox status stable. The aim of this study is to explore the anticancer effects of ROS induced by MSA and the molecular mechanisms of MSA on induction of ROS. Methods We confirmed that MSA and selenite have the anticancer effect in the human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981 by growth inhibition detection, we detect the ROS induced by MSA and selenite in L9981 by fluorescence microscopy, and use flow cytometry to quantitate the ROS induced by NAC together with selenium compounds. Results ①MSA 2.5 μM and 5.0 μM selenite could inhibit the L9981 growth, Increasing the concentration resulted in a more pronounced effect. ②MSA and selenite could induce ROS in L9981. ③incubated NAC with selenite could significantly inhibit the ROS but increase the ROS treated by NAC with MSA. Conclusions ①MSA and selenite had anti-L9981 effect. ②Oxidative stress reaction may participate in the induction of apoptosis by MSA and selenite in lung cancer cell line L9981.