Resistance of HEK-293 and COS-7 cell lines to oxidative stress as a model of metabolic response

Oxidative stress (OS), arising from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant defenses, plays a pivotal role in cellular dysfunction and the pathogenesis of numerous diseases. This study evaluates the impact of oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide on the metabolomic profiles of the human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) and African green monkey kidney (COS-7) cell lines. Viability (MTT) and free radical accumulation (DCF-DA) assays confirmed a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect of hydrogen peroxide, with COS-7 cells exhibiting greater resistance and producing lower levels of intracellular ROS compared to HEK-293. Metabolomic profiling was conducted using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR) to identify and quantify metabolic changes. Exposure to a free radical inducer significantly altered both intracellular and extracellular metabolites compared to control H₂O₂-free samples. The analysis revealed common changes in intracellular metabolites between the two lines, including glutamate, NAD⁺, glutathione, ATP/ADP, AMP, and pyruvate - key molecule for mitochondrial function, as well as extracellular metabolites such as glutamate, glutamine, acetate, lactate, and pyruvate. Metabolomic differences observed in COS-7 cells suggest a potentially greater capacity for metabolic adaptation to oxidative stress. These included elevated levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), supporting energy production, and increased formate production, which may aid purine synthesis and cellular resilience. These findings highlight the distinct metabolic adaptations of COS-7 cells to oxidative stress in comparison to the HEK-293 cell line. They also provide insights into the direct cellular responses to altered redox potential, offering possible therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting metabolic pathways to mitigate oxidative stress.