Methylmercury at low doses modulates the toxicity of PCB153 on PC12 neuronal cell line in asynchronous combination experiments.
Me-Hg and PCB153 are known neurotoxic contaminants which tend to accumulate in food, particularly in fish. Aim of this study was to perform asynchronous and combined exposure to Me-Hg and PCB153 in a neuronal rat cell line (PC12) to better characterise the antagonism observed at some combination concentrations. PC12 cells were treated with three concentrations of Me-Hg (0.1-0.5-1.0 microM) and PCB153 at one concentration (175 microM) in single and combined asynchronous exposures, using viability (MTT assay) as end-point. At all concentrations used, a statistically significant antagonistic effect was observed when Me-Hg preceded PCB153 exposure, while effect was additive when PCB153 preceded Me-Hg exposure. The antagonism is particularly evident at low concentrations of Me-Hg (0.1 microM). In conclusion, combined asynchronous exposure showed that whereas Me-Hg can modulate PCB153 toxicity, the opposite seems not to be true. Therefore, the use of asynchronous exposure could be a promising approach to study the mechanisms of toxicity of binary mixtures.
Goldoni
M
M
Laboratory of Industrial Toxicology, Department of Clinical Medicine, Nephrology and Health Sciences, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43100 Parma, Italy. matteo.goldoni@nemo.unipr.it
Caglieri
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A
Poli
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D
Vettori
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MV
Ceccatelli
S
S
Mutti
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A
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005506:Food Contamination; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D016716:PC12 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats
D004338:Drug Combinations; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C014024:2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl