Ascorbate on cell growth and differentiation

Ascorbate, an essential nutrient in humans, primates, and guinea pig, is involved in many cellular functions. Ascorbate also modulates cell growth and differentiation. Ascorbate can reduce or stimulate the growth of tumor cells, depending on the cell type. The inhibitory effect is not specific for t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of bioenergetics and biomembranes 1994-08, Vol.26 (4), p.393-398
Main Authors: Alca n, Francisco J., Bur n, M. Isabel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology
Ascorbic Acid - therapeutic use
Calcitriol - pharmacology
Cartilage - cytology
Cartilage - drug effects
Cell Differentiation - drug effects
Cell Division - drug effects
Growth Inhibitors - pharmacology
Guinea Pigs
Humans
Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute - pathology
Mesoderm - drug effects
Mice
Neoplasms - drug therapy
Neoplasms - pathology
Nutritional Requirements
Oxidative Stress
Species Specificity
Tumor Cells, Cultured
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Summary:Ascorbate, an essential nutrient in humans, primates, and guinea pig, is involved in many cellular functions. Ascorbate also modulates cell growth and differentiation. Ascorbate can reduce or stimulate the growth of tumor cells, depending on the cell type. The inhibitory effect is not specific for the biological active isomer L-ascorbate, and isoascorbate and D-ascorbate are more effective in reducing cell growth than L-ascorbate. These results indicate that ascorbate has a cytotoxic effect by killing cells directly, rather a cytostatic one. However, only L-ascorbate is able to stimulate cell growth, but the mechanism of this stimulation is still unknown. L-Ascorbate stimulates the in vitro differentiation of several mesenchyme-derived cell types by altering the expression of multiple genes as the cell progresses through specific differentiation programs. Stimulation of collagen matrix at gene transcription, mRNA stabilization, hydroxylation, and secretion is a key role for L-ascorbate. L-Ascorbate also prevents cell transformation by stabilization of the differentiated state and cooperates with other agents to induce differentiation in a leukemia cell line.
ISSN:0145-479X
1573-6881
DOI:10.1007/BF00762780