N-acetyl-serotonin protects HepG2 cells from oxidative stress injury induced by hydrogen peroxide.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. N-Acetyl-serotonin (NAS) has been reported to protect against oxidative damage, though the mechanisms by which NAS protects hepatocytes from oxidative stress remain unknown. To determine whether pretreatment with NAS could reduce hydrogen peroxide- (H2O2-) induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells by inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, we investigated the H2O2-induced oxidative damage to HepG2 cells with or without NAS using MTT, Hoechst 33342, rhodamine 123, Terminal dUTP Nick End Labeling Assay (TUNEL), dihydrodichlorofluorescein (H2DCF), Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining, immunocytochemistry, and western blot.