Tea extracts protect normal lymphocytes but not leukemia cells from UV radiation-induced ROS production: An EPR spin trap study

Purpose: An ex vivo method for detection of free radicals and their neutralization by aqueous tea in human normal lymphocytes and MEC-1 leukemia cells under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was investigated.Materials and methods: This method is based on the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy spin-trapping technique. 5-tert-butoxycarbonyl 5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (BMPO) was used as the spin trap. Normal human lymphocytes and leukemia cells were exposed to UVB radiation (290-315 nm) at 47.7 and 159 mJ/cm² and to UVA radiation (315-400 nm) at 53.7 J/cm².Results: No significant radical production at 47.7 mJ/cm² UVB dose in both cell lines was observed. In normal cells, free radical production was observed at 159 mJ/cm² UVB and 53.7 J/cm² UVA doses. However, both UV sources did not significantly produce free radicals in leukemia cells. A radical scavenging property of tea extracts (black, green, sage, rosehip) was observed in normal lymphocytes after both UVB and UVA exposure. In leukemia cells, the intensities of EPR signals produced in BMPO with tea extracts were found to be increased substantially after UVA exposure.Conclusion: These results showed that UV radiation induced free radical formation in normal human lymphocytes and indicated that tea extracts may be useful as photoprotective agents for them. On the other hand, tea extracts facilitated free radical production in leukemia cells.