[Effects of methyl tertiary butyl ether on cell cycle and cell apoptosis]

To explore the effects of the new gasoline additive, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) on cell cycle and cell apoptosis.

Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the effect of MTBE (1, 2, 4 microl/ml, 24 h) on NIH/3T3 cell cycles; and the effect of MTBE on Hela cell apoptosis was evaluated by detecting cell survival using crystal violet staining.

Flow cytometry showed that MTBE could change NIH/3T3 cell cycles, decrease the number of cells in S stage, and arrest cells at G(2) + M stage. The results suggested that MTBE could affect NIH/3T3 cell cycles and induce cell proliferation. This situation existed 48 hours after the treatment, and cell cycles came back normal 96 hours after the treatment. By detecting cell survival using crystal violet staining, we found that MTBE could inhibit the apoptosis of Hela cells which was induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and cycloheximide.

MTBE's carcinogenicity to animals may relate to induction of cell proliferation and inhibition of cell apoptosis.