Synergistic cytotoxicity between pentachlorophenol and copper in a bacterial model.
Both pentachlorophenol (PCP) and copper compounds have been widely used as wood preservatives, and are commonly found not only in the area near wood-preserving facilities, but also in body fluids and tissues of people who are not occupationally exposed to them. In this study, we found that exposing bacteria to a combination of PCP and copper at non- or sub-toxic concentrations resulted in enhanced cytotoxic effect in a synergistic mode as indicated by both the inhibition of growth and the lowering of the colony-forming ability. The toxicity of the combination PCP/Cu(II) was relieved by hydrophilic chelating agents, thiol compounds and adventitious proteins, but was markedly potentiated by low levels of the lipophilic metal chelating agents.
Zhu
B Z
BZ
Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel. benzhan.zhu@orst.edu
Shechtman
S
S
Chevion
M
M
D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003300:Copper / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
D002614:Chelating Agents; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper; D010416:Pentachlorophenol