title: Evaluation of the sensitivity of three sublethal cytotoxicity assays in human HepG2 cell line using water contaminants.
abstract: The in vitro toxicological index IC50 (the millimolar concentration of compound which inhibits response assay by 50% compared to the solvent control) of 11 water contaminants (acrylamide, atrazine, B[a]P, BPA, 2,4-DAT, 17-alphaEE, H(2)O(2), 4-OP, sodium bromate, sodium chlorate, sodium nitrate) was evaluated on the human hepatoma (HepG2) cells using three short-term bioassays related to their morbidity status [radiometric RNA synthesis assay (RNA), luminometric ATP assay (ATP), fluorometric Alamar blue assay (AB)]. Among all substances, we were not able to determine atrazine IC50 value whatever the test used. Furthermore, B[a]P was not cytotoxic in the ATP and AB assays. Statistical analysis revealed a correlation between the IC50 values obtained in the three assays. Except with 4-OP, RNA assay was always inhibited at lower concentrations than those required in the other assays, suggesting that this assay is a very sensitive indicator of the presence of toxic compounds. ATP and AB assays responded to a similar pattern. Due to its higher sensitivity and its reliability, RNA synthesis assay using HepG2 cell line provides the most suitable tool for the screening of water contaminants.
authors.affiliation: ENSBANA, UMR (1234) Toxicologie Alimentaire, 1 Esplanade Erasme, F-21000 Dijon, France. adeline.jondeau@u-bourgogne.fr
authors.forename: Adeline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jondeau
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dahbi
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bani-Estivals
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chagnon
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D049449:Luminescence; D010078:Oxazines; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D014966:Xanthenes
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010078:Oxazines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014966:Xanthenes; C005843:resazurin; D012313:RNA; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate