Relationships between metal ions and oxygen free radicals in ethanol-induced damage to cultured rat gastric mucosal cells.

The current study investigated whether metal ions were cytoprotective against ethanol-induced injury to cultured rat gastric mucosal cells in vitro. Secondly, the relationships between oxygen free radicals and cytoprotection by metal ions were examined. Cultured cells exposed to ethanol produced superoxide anion, as assessed by reduction of cytochrome c, in a time-related fashion, and the production of superoxide anion increased dose-dependently as the concentration of ethanol increased. Cellular damage increased proportionately to the production of superoxide anion. ZnCl2, AlCl3, CoCl2, CuCl2, and CdCl2 significantly diminished ethanol-induced injury dose-dependently. All of the agents studied decreased the reduction of cytochrome c in ethanol-induced damage dose-dependently. These results led to the conclusions that: (1) cultured rat gastric mucosal cells exposed to ethanol generate oxygen free radicals; (2) the production of oxygen free radicals is closely linked with ethanol-induced damage to the cells; and (3) metal ions decrease ethanol-induced gastric mucosal cell damage in vitro. Metal ions protect cultured rat gastric mucosal cells from ethanol-induced damage in which oxygen free radicals participate.