Application of BY-2 cell model in evaluating an effect of newly prepared potential calcium channel blockers.

Calcium channel blockers represent a group of therapeutically important compounds that have found an application in treatment of systemic vascular resistance and arterial pressure, eventually angina pectoris. We studied possibility of application of a BY-2 cell model to evaluate the potential of newly prepared potential calcium channel blockers. In the preliminary experiment, toxicity of studied compounds was determined. In the next experiment, we evaluated possible protective effect of studied compounds on programmed cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide on the BY-2 cells. Calcium channel blocker lanthanum ions and imidazole, inhibitor of NAD(P)H oxidase (EC 1.6.3.1) that prevents reactive oxygen species formation and programmed cell death, were used as reference compounds to compare the effect of studied compounds. We studied changes in the cell viability and growth as well as markers of cell proliferation, levels of intracellular free calcium ions, reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and markers of programmed cell death, mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase-like activity. Late signs of programmed cell death (changes in nuclear architecture) were also evaluated. Our experiments revealed protective potential of studied compounds against programmed cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide and possibility of application of the BY-2 cell culture to evaluate pharmacological effects of studied compounds in preliminary tests.