| Abstract: | The effects of several aromatic compounds on tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF)-induced cytotoxicity in murine fibroblast L929 cells were studied. Those phenolics which bear the O -dihydroxy aromatic structure (catechols), i.e. caffeic acid, catechol, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, dopamine and noradrenaline effectively inhibited TNF-induced cytotoxicity in a concentration dependent manner. Related compounds (cinnamic acid, 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid and p -hydroxybenzoic acid) which lack the catecholic functional group failed to protect cells from TNF cytotoxicity. All concentrations of catechols which effectively inhibited the TNF-induced cytotoxicity were also protective as a post treatment, suggesting an effect at some step(s) in the TNF-signal transduction pathway following receptor activation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
