Decreased sensitivity of transformed 3T3-SV40 cells treated with N-acetylcysteine to bacterial invasion

Long-term treatment of transformed 3T3-SV40 mouse fibroblasts with antioxidant N-acetylcysteine decreased cell level of ROS and increased the concentration of reduced glutathione. Removal of N-acetylcysteine from the medium led to the appearance of well-expressed stress fibrils, virtually absent in control cells. In contrast to control cells, these cells were not invaded by apathogenic Escherichia coli A2 strain producing ECP32 protease specifically cleaving actin. Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine can cause partial reversion of transformed phenotype at the expense of a shift of cell redox balance in favor of reduced glutathione.