Effect of simvastatin in different concentrations on free radicals in A‐2058 human melanoma malignum cells—EPR studies

Abstract

The influence of concentration of simvastatin (SIM) on free radicals in A‐2058 human melanoma malignum cells was studied. The proliferation assay for melanoma A‐2058 cells with SIM in concentration range from 0.1 to 20 µM was performed. SIM in the concentrations of 0.1, 0.3, and 1 μM only slightly changed the growth of A‐2058 cells, but the growth of the cells considerably decreased for higher concentrations of SIM. Free radicals in the cells were examined by an X‐band (9.3 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. o‐Semiquinone free radicals with g‐factors in the range of 2.0060 to 2.0065 were found in A‐2058 cells. The asymmetric broad EPR spectra with linewidths (ΔBpp) from 0.87 to 1.25 mT were measured. The fast spin‐lattice relaxation processes characterized all the tested cells. The free radical concentrations in the all A‐2058 cells cultured with SIM were lower than in the control cells. The quenching of free radicals in A‐2058 cells depended on concentration of SIM. This effect was the weakest for concentration of SIM of 3 μM. The strongest decrease of free radical concentration caused SIM in concentration of 1 μM.