Glycine reduces cadmium-induced alterations in the viability and activation of macrophage U937 cells

This study investigates the effect of glycine on cadmium-induced alterations on the viability and activation of the cell line U-937 In this experiment, U-937 cells were pre-treated with 16 mu M cadmium (as cadmium chloride). These cadmium-treated cells were later incubated with or without glycine (1-16 mu M) After 72 h. it was revealed that glycine significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the tendency of cadmium to reduce the viability of the cells U-937 cells were also treated with phorbol, 12-myristate, 13-acetate to enhance their transition to the macrophage form. Thereafter, the cells were treated with cadmium with or without glycine (1-16 mu M) Twenty-four hours later, the supernatants of each cell culture were assessed for the production of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 6 (IL-6). interleukin 1 (IL-1), nitric oxide (NO). and catalase activity as indices of the activation of macrophages. The results show that glycine significantly (P < 0 05) reduced the cadmium-induced production of all the markers of the activation of macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner. The findings support the immense antioxidant role of glycine. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved