[Cytotoxic effect of vitamin E short-chain derivatives on rat thymocytes]

It is established, that alpha-tocopherol, alpha-tocopheryl acetate and tocopheryl quinone with carbon lateral chains shortened to 6 atoms inhibited the viability of primary culture rats thymocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Absence of the DNA internucleosomal degradation side by side with cytosolic lactate-dehydrogenase outlet from the cells testifies to the benefit of necrotic way of thymocytes destruction. The outlet from cells of acid phosphatase, lysosomal marker enzyme, testifies to destabilization of lysosomal membranes by the researched compounds. The possible mechanism of cytotoxication of vitamin E short-chain derivatives in cell cultures is offered, namely: their high permeability through a plasmatic membrane allows to create inside the cells a concentration, sufficient for detergent-like rupture of the lysosomal membranes, that results in the entering of lysosomal enzymes in cytosol and destruction of cells by necrosis.