Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 22, 2026
09:46
Capturing Common Fragile Site Breaks by Native γH2A.X ChIP
Published on: January 24, 2025
750
Effect of Hecogenin on DNA instability.
Marina Sampaio Cruz1, Sarah Cabral Barroso2, Julio Alejandro Navoni3
1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Sen. Salgado Filho 3000, 59078-970 Natal, RN, Brazil.
Toxicology Reports
|September 30, 2017
Summary
Hecogenin, a compound from Agave plants, showed cytotoxic effects at high doses. While lower doses caused DNA damage in HepG2 cells, it also reduced mutagenic markers, suggesting a potential repair mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Toxicology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Hecogenin is a key sapogenin in Agave species, utilized in pharmaceuticals as a precursor for steroidal hormones and anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Despite its widespread use, the toxicological profile of Hecogenin remains largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic effects of Hecogenin on HepG2 cells.
- To assess the DNA damage and repair mechanisms induced by Hecogenin exposure.
Main Methods:
- Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay.
- Genotoxicity was assessed via comet assay.
- Mutagenicity was determined using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay.
Main Results:
- Cytotoxic effects were observed at Hecogenin concentrations of 100 μM and above.
- Lower concentrations of Hecogenin induced DNA damage but concurrently reduced nuclear mutagenic markers.
- These findings suggest Hecogenin may trigger DNA repair mechanisms, preventing damage propagation during cell division.
Conclusions:
- Hecogenin exhibits a dual effect, causing DNA damage at lower concentrations while potentially activating repair pathways.
- The compound's impact on genomic instability warrants further investigation.
- These results contribute to understanding Hecogenin's toxicological profile and its potential therapeutic applications.
More Related Videos
12:19Tools to Study the Role of Architectural Protein HMGB1 in the Processing of Helix Distorting, Site-specific DNA Interstrand Crosslinks
Published on: November 10, 2016
8.7K
11:38High Content Screening Analysis to Evaluate the Toxicological Effects of Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents HPHC
Published on: May 10, 2016
12.8K
Related Concept Videos
02:36DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle
10.2K
In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
10.2K
02:36DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle
3.2K
In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
3.2K
01:25Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity
2.0K
Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity refer to the ability of drugs to cause genetic defects and induce cancer, respectively. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies agents into four groups based on their carcinogenic potential. Group 1 agents are known human carcinogens; group 2A agents are probably carcinogenic to humans; group 3 agents lack data to support their role in carcinogenesis; and group 4 includes agents for which data support that they are not likely to be...
2.0K
01:02The DNA Replication Fork
41.4K
An organism’s genome needs to be duplicated in an efficient and error-free manner for its growth and survival. The replication fork is a Y-shaped active region where two strands of DNA are separated and replicated continuously. The coupling of DNA unzipping and complementary strand synthesis is a characteristic feature of a replication fork. Organisms with small circular DNA, such as E. coli, often have a single origin of replication; therefore, they have only two replication...
41.4K
01:38Nucleotide Excision Repair
5.3K
DNA Distortion and Damage
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
5.3K
00:55DNA Helicases
24.3K
DNA unwinding helicase enzymes are a type of motor protein. Motor proteins can translocate along filaments or polymers using energy generated from ATP hydrolysis. Helicases are involved in all the important cellular processes where DNA unwinding is required, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. They are present in all living organisms, but vary in their structure, function, and mechanism of action. For example, in prokaryotes, DnaB helicase binds and translocates...
24.3K