A new antioxidant formulation reduces the apoptotic and damaging effect of cigarette smoke extract on human bronchial epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVE: In this study we evaluated the possible protective effect of an antioxidant formulation containing microfiltered milk derived polypeptides, Curcumin, Vitamin B2, Carnitine and N-Acetyl-cysteine (NAC) in an in vitro model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) were used in this study. Cells were treated for 24 h in the presence or absence of 10% of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and in the presence or absence of antioxidant formulation. We evaluated cell viability by MTT assay, reactive oxygen species by flow cytometer and quantitative analysis of gene expression by Real-time PCR.

RESULTS: The data obtained showed a significant increase of cell viability in CSE-exposed cells and a significant reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production compared to cells treated with only CSE. The antioxidant effects of formulation were confirmed by a decrease of inflammatory cytokines genes IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, nitric oxide synthase gene (NOS2) and through an induction of antioxidant genes such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2 (NRF2) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α).

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that antioxidants combination plays a protective role on oxidative stress and inflammation, in an in vitro model of COPD, activating key genes in response to oxidative stress and decreasing the cytokines responsible for the inflammatory pathways.