Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) Mitigates The Effect of Camptothecin‐Induced Oxidative Stress on Bone Cancer‐like cells (UMR 106‐01 BSP) by Inhibiting Apoptosis
Authors: Nguyen Ailinh , Joseph Eugene 
Published: May 2022

Many medical treatments have been proposed and utilized to mitigate the effects of oxidants on mammalian cells. Some studies have demonstrated the antioxidative effects of EGCG (an active ingredient in green tea) against cellular oxidants such as camptothecin (CAMPT). However, not many studies have shown how EGCG mitigates the effects of CAMPT on UMR cells. We hypothesized that EGCG mitigates the effects of CAMPT on cell proliferation and biophysical parameters in UMR cells by inhibiting CAMPT‐induced apoptosis. Briefly, UMR cells were routinely passaged, counted, plated at 4.8 x 105 cells/mL in six‐well culture plates, then treated with varying concentrations of CAMPT. The cultures were incubated for 72 hours at 37°C + 5% CO₂ infusion. Cells were subsequently counted to establish the proliferation and viability of the induced cells as compared to controls. In another experiment, designated UMR cells were co‐treated with CAMPT and different concentrations of EGCG then processed, as mentioned above, to evaluate whether or not the EGCG treatment was able to mitigate the oxidative effect of CAMPT through proliferation / viability studies. Apoptosis markers were assessed for each experiment by using a Caspase‐3/CPP32 Colorimetric Assay Kit. Lastly, designated cells were treated with CAMPT alone, or CAMPT +EGCG then assessed using electric cell‐substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) technology to explore the effects of the chemicals used on key biophysical parameters of UMR cells (i.e. cell membrane resistance, rate of cell spreading and cell attachment). Briefly, CAMPT‐treated and CAMPT+EGCG‐treated UMR cells were plated at 2.5 x 105 cells/mL in eight‐well ECIS array plates. The plates were placed into the ECIS array holder and incubated at 37°C with 5% CO₂. The biophysical parameters (cell membrane resistance/impedance, cell spreading, cell attachment) were monitored and measured in real‐time for 48 hours, using the ECIS instrument. F test ANOVA was used to compare variances between all trials and all values in the results were expressed as means ±SD. The results of the proliferation study showed a decrease in CAMPT‐treated UMR cell proliferation in a concentration‐dependent manner (Figure 1). Cells co‐treated with CAMPT + EGCG revealed that EGCG was able to reverse the oxidative effects of CAMPT on the UMR cells in a concentration‐dependent manner *Figure 2). The Caspase‐3/CPP32 Colorimetric Assay showed an increase in apoptotic marker activity from the CAMPT‐induced samples in contrast with the uninduced controls. The ECIS technology documented decreases in biophysical parameters in the UMR cells when CAMPT alone was used. Co‐treatment of the cells with CAMPT+EGCG showed a reverse effect on the biophysical parameters. F‐Test ANOVA yielded statistically significant values with p values <0.05. The results of this research suggest that EGCG is effective in protecting UMR cells from oxidative stress by inhibiting apoptosis. Moreover, results from the ECIS instrument validates this technology as a corroborator of the biological effects of CAMPT and EGCG on UMR cells. This study suggests that EGCG has a protective role in mitigating oxidative stress in mammalian cells.