Early redox changes during rat thymocyte apoptosis.

Methylprednisolone (glucocorticoid hormone, MPS), etoposide (epipodophyllotoxin inhibitor of a topoisomerase II), and thapsigargin (inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticular Ca2+-ATPase) were used as apoptosis-inducing agents in rat thymocytes. Early redox changes were determined during the early phase of induced apoptosis. The three agents induced apoptosis as assessed by DNA laddering after agarose gel electrophoresis and by quantitative DNA fragmentation.