The role of luteolin in modulation of acrylamide-induced genotoxicity and apoptosis in embryonic fibroblast cells

Acrylamide (Acr) is generated through cooking techniques such as frying and roasting, commonly employed in food preparation. The consumption of Acr is unavoidable due to its prevalence in frequently consumed food products. Awareness of the detrimental consequences of Acr has prompted researchers to undertake experiments aimed at mitigating these effects. Flavonoids, the secondary metabolites of plants, have been researched for their antioxidant properties. Luteolin (Lut) exhibits higher antioxidant potency compared to many other flavonoids and has also shown strong DNA-protective properties in the previous research. The study involved the administration of Acr (0.5, 1, and 2 mM) and Lut (10 µM) to Balb/c 3T3 embryonic fibroblast cells for 24 h. The cytotoxic effect of Acr and Lut on 3T3 embryonic fibroblast cells was assessed using cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase assays. Furthermore, the propidium iodide/Hoechst double fluorescence staining technique was employed to illustrate the apoptotic consequences. The genotoxicity of Acr and the cytoprotective properties of Lut against this genotoxicity were evaluated using cytokinesis-blocking micronucleus analysis and the comet test. The analysis of the results revealed that exposure of embryonic fibroblast cells to Acr concentrations led to a significant reduction in cell viability, along with an elevation in lactate dehydrogenase enzyme levels, an increase in the frequency of micronuclei, and the formation of comets. Additionally, Lut has been shown to suppress both cytotoxicity and genotoxicity when used in combination with Acr. Consequently, it has been revealed that Lut has ameliorative effects on genotoxicity caused by Acr.