Membrane fluidity changes are associated with benzo[a]pyrene-induced apoptosis in F258 cells: protection by exogenous cholesterol.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo[a]yrene (B[a]P) constitute a widely distributed class of environmental pollutants, responsible for highly toxic effects. Elucidating the intracellular mechanisms of this cytotoxicity thus remains a major challenge. Besides the activation of the p53 apoptotic pathway, we have previously found in F258 hepatic cells that the B[a]P (50 nM)-induced apoptosis was also dependent upon the transmembrane transporter NHE1, whose activation might result from membrane alterations in our model. We here demonstrate that: (1) B[a]P induces a membrane fluidization surprisingly linked to NHE1 activation; (2) membrane stabilization by exogenous cholesterol protects cells from B[a]P-induced apoptosis, via an effect on late acidification and iron uptake.