Zinc Supplementation Reduces ROS Production and Prevents MDMA-Induced Apoptosis in TM3 Leydig Cells via the Inhibition of Pro-Apoptotic Proteins.
Salar Mahmoudi-Nejad, Sina Ahmadi, Mahssa Hassan-Nejhad, Mahdieh Azimi, Hanieh Dadvand, Morteza Bagheri
Biological Trace Element Research April 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04302-5 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMDMA causes toxic effects and programmed cell death (apoptosis) in a mouse Leydig cell line (TM3). Treatment with MDMA increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins caspase 3, Bax, and p53, while decreasing the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Pre-treatment with zinc for 24 hours before MDMA exposure significantly reduced ROS production, lowered the number of apoptotic cells, and decreased pro-apoptotic protein expression compared to MDMA alone. Zinc pre-treatment mitigates MDMA-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in TM3 cells.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | In vitro study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mouse Leydig cell line (TM3) |
| Interventions | MDMA Zinc |
| Dose | 5 mM MDMA, 8 µM zinc |
| Duration | 48-hour total culture time; zinc pre-treatment for 24 hours prior to MDMA |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Apoptosis Leydig cell line Ros Zinc |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key finding | Pre-treatment with zinc reduces MDMA-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in TM3 cells by decreasing ROS production and modulating expression of apoptotic proteins. |
Abstract
MDMA can cause serious adverse effects on vital organs such as the heart, brain, and liver. Additionally, MDMA consumption can also potentially cause various endocrine system dysfunctions. The previous study has shown that pre-treatment of zinc can reduce the cytotoxicity of MDMA on the Leydig cell line (TM3). In this study, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the treatment with MDMA on the apoptosis of TM3 cells and the effects of zinc pre-treatment on reducing the apoptotic effects of MDMA. TM3 cells were incubated with MDMA (5 mM), zinc (8 µM), and zinc (8 µM) prior to MDMA (5 mM) for 48 h. The cells were pre-treated with zinc for 24 h prior to the administration of MDMA, and the total culture time was 48h. The effect of different treatment groups in causing oxidative stress and apoptosis in TM3 cells was measured by DCF, TUNNEL, and western blot tests, respectively. Our results revealed that the number of DCF and tunnel-positive cells increases as a result of MDMA treatment. In addition, the treatment with MDMA increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins caspase 3, Bax, and p53. Conversely, the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 decreased. Zinc pre-treatment significantly decreased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins and the number of tunnels and DCF-positive cells compared to the MDMA-only group. It is concluded that MDMA has a toxic effect and causes apoptosis on TM3 cells, and also, pre-treatment with zinc mitigates the ROS production and toxic effect of MDMA and MDMA-induced apoptosis in TM3 cells.