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Microscopic Aspects of Autoschizic Cell Death in Human Ovarian Carcinoma (2774) Cells Following Vitamin C, Vitamin K3 or Vitamin C:K3 Treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2003

Jacques Gilloteaux ,
James M. Jamison ,
David Arnold ,
Henryk S. Taper ,
Vivian E. von Gruenigen  and
Jack L. Summers
Jacques Gilloteaux
Affiliation:
Department of Urology, Summa Health System, Akron, OH 44304, USA American University of the Caribbean, School of Medicine, Cupecoy-Lowlands, St. Maarten, Netherland Antilles, West Indies
James M. Jamison
Affiliation:
Department of Urology, Summa Health System, Akron, OH 44304, USA
David Arnold
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, Behrend College of Erie, Erie, PA 16563, USA
Henryk S. Taper
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacokinetics, Metabolism, Nutrition and Toxicology, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Woluwe-Brussels, Belgium
Vivian E. von Gruenigen
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akron General Hospital, Akron OH 44308, USA
Jack L. Summers
Affiliation:
Department of Urology, Summa Health System, Akron, OH 44304, USA
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Abstract

Human ovarian carcinoma cells (MDAH 2774) were treated with sodium ascorbate (VC), menadione (VK3), or with a VC:VK3 combination for 1 h and then studied using light microscopy (LM) and scanning (SEM) and transmission electron (TEM) microscopy. Plasma membrane damage (blisters and blebs, hairy aspect) results from vitamin C (VC) treatment, while cytoskeletal damage and self-morsellation are caused by vitamin K3 (VK3) treatment. VC:VK3-treated cells exhibit exacerbated injuries characteristic of both VC and VK3 treatment as well as a significant decrease in cell diameters from 20–35 μm for control cells to 7–12 μm for VC:VK3 treatment. Moreover, after a 1-h exposure to the vitamin combination, autoschizis (43%), apoptosis (3%), and oncosis (1.9%) are observed at the percentages indicated. All cellular changes associated with autoschizis observed with SEM were confirmed by LM and TEM observations and are consistent with cell death by autoschizis: decrease in cell size, cytoplasmic self-excisions, degradation of the nucleus and nucleolus without formation of apoptotic bodies and, ultimately, karyorrhexis and karyolysis. These results also suggest that the vitamin combination may find clinical use in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Keywords

cancerovarynucleuscell deathautoschizisascorbatemenadione
Type
Biological Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , August 2003 , pp. 311 - 329
Copyright
© 2003 Microscopy Society of America

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