Effect of Polyphenols on the Growth and Enzymes of Some Animal Cells

The effect was investigated of some polyphenol compounds on the growth and intracellular enzyme activity of human-derived cells and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Quercetin, a mutagen, inhibited the growth of serum-free cultured human-human hybridomas (SI102 and HB4C5) and a human histiocytic lymphoma cell line (U-937), but did not affect the growth of CHO cells. Glycosides of quercetin such as quercetin-4'-glucoside (Q-4'-G), quercetin-3, 4'-glucoside (Q-3, 4'-G) and rutin, and other polyphenol compounds (catechin and epicatechin) had no significant inhibiting effect on the growth of human-derived cells or CHO cells. These compounds slightly promoted the growth of human-derived cells. Most of the polyphenols used increased the activity of a drug-metabolizing enzyme, NADPH-cytochrome C reductase, in the U-937 cells and CHO cells, this effect being more marked in the CHO cells than in the U-937 cells. Quercetin markedly reduced the activity of catalase in the human-derived cell lines, while it slightly activated catalase in the CHO cells. Rutin, Q-4'-G, Q-3, 4'-G, catechin and epicatechin produced no significant change in catalase activity. Quercetin also reduced the activity of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase in the U-937 cells.