Jeju ground water containing vanadium enhances antioxidant systems in human liver cells.

Vanadium compounds have shown promise in the treatment of diabetes and in cancer prevention. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Jeju ground water, containing the vanadium compounds S1 (8.0 ± 0.9 μg/l) and S3 (26.0 ± 2.0 μg/l), and of vanadyl sulfate (VOSO(4), 26 μg/l) on antioxidant systems in human Chang liver cells. Cells were incubated for ten passages in media containing deionized distilled water, Jeju ground water (S1, S3), or VOSO(4). S1 and S3 increased the gene and protein expression and the enzymatic activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and heme oxygenase. VOSO(4) was likewise found to improve mRNA and protein expression as well as the activities of these enzymes. Taken together, these results suggest that the antioxidant properties of Jeju ground water, containing vanadium compounds, and of vanadyl sulfate were due to stimulatory effects on antioxidant enzyme activities and antioxidant enzyme expression.