Isoliquiritigenin pretreatment attenuates cisplatin induced proximal tubular cells (LLC-PK1) death and enhances the toxicity induced by this drug in bladder cancer T24 cell line.

Cisplatin is an effective antineoplastic agent widely used in the treatment of solid tumors, however, it induces nephrotoxicity. Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity is associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and decreased antioxidant system defense in kidney. Isoliquiritigenin (IsoLQ) is a chalcone, which is characterized by its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Herein, we investigated the protective effect of IsoLQ on LLC-PK1 proximal tubular cells against cisplatin-induced death and its effect on the antineoplastic activity of cisplatin on bladder cancer T24 cell line. It was found that pretreatment with IsoLQ attenuates cisplatin-induced cell death, ROS production, and activation of caspase-3. IsoLQ also induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression that may be associated with nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation. The protective effect of IsoLQ was abrogated by tin mesoporphyrin (SnMP), an HO inhibitor. Further, bilirubin and carbon monoxide releasing molecule-2 also showed a protective effect against cisplatin-induced cell death. In addition, IsoLQ induced in a dose-dependent way, death of T24 cells and exacerbated cisplatin-induced cell death. These results suggest that IsoLQ has a protective effect on cisplatin-induced toxicity in LLC-PK1 cells, in part through induction of HO-1, without interfering with the antineoplastic activity of this agent in T24 cells.