Synthesized esters of ferulic acid induce release of cytochrome c from rat testes mitochondria

Ferulic acid plays a chemopreventive role incancer by inducing tumor cells apoptosis. As mitochondriaplay a key role in the induction of apoptosis in many cellstypes, here we investigate the mitochondrial permeabilitytransition (MPT) and the release of cytochrome c inducedby ferulic acid and its esters in rat testes mitochondria, inTM-3 and MLTC-1 cells. While ferulic acid, but not itsesters, induced MPT and cytochrome c release in rat testesisolated mitochondria, in TM-3 cells we found that bothferulic acid and its esters induced cytochrome c releasefrom mitochondria in a dose-dependent manner, suggestinga potential target of these compounds in the induction ofcell apoptosis. The apoptosis induced by ferulic acid istherefore associated with the mitochondrial pathway involvingcytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation.