Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in HepG2 cells induced by the imidazole ionic liquid 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride.

This study purposes to assess the cytotoxicity of 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C12 min]Cl) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. To this end, HepG2 cells were exposed to a range concentration of [C12 min]Cl and evaluated cell viability, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, cell cycle, and apoptosis-related gene expression to determine cytotoxicity. The outcomes showed that [C12 min]Cl curbed HepG2 cell growth and reduced cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, our assay results also revealed that exposure to [C12 min]Cl prompted DNA damage and apoptosis, reduced SOD and GSH content, enhanced MDA level, and changed the cell cycle of HepG2 cells. In addition, [C12 min] Cl caused alters in the expression levels of p53, Bax, and Bcl-2, indicating that p53 and Bcl-2 family may be involved in the cytotoxicity and apoptosis of HepG2 cells induced by [C12 min]C1. In summary, these results indicate that [C12 min]Cl exerts genotoxicity, physiological toxicity and prompts apoptosis in HepG2 cells, and is not an alleged green solvent.