title: Toxicity of industrially relevant chlorinated organic solvents in vitro.
abstract: The cytotoxic effects of 4 industrially important chlorinated organic solvents, dichloromethane (DCM), 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and tetrachloroethylene (PERC) in vitro, were investigated. Jurkat T cells were exposed to the solvents individually for 72 hours and changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, cell proliferation, intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]), and caspase-3 activity were measured. There was a concentration-dependent increase in the ROS formation and intracellular free [Ca(2+)] following exposure to each of the solvents. This was accompanied by a decrease in the cell proliferation. Solvent potency decreased in the following order: PERC > TCE > DCM > DCE. Caspase-3 activity was increased in a concentration-dependent manner by TCE and PERC but was not significantly altered by DCM or DCE. n-Acetyl-l-cysteine pretreatment showed that changes in the intracellular free [Ca(2+)] and caspase-3 activity were independent of ROS formation. However, increased ROS formation did play a causal role in the decreased cell proliferation observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, Bond University, Robina, Australia. camcderm@bond.edu.au
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: James J A
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heffron
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005025:Ethylene Dichlorides / Q000633:toxicity; D054879:Halogenation; D006801:Humans; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000633:toxicity; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000633:toxicity*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*; D013750:Tetrachloroethylene / Q000633:toxicity; D014240:Trichloroethanes / Q000633:toxicity; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D005025:Ethylene Dichlorides; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012997:Solvents; D014240:Trichloroethanes; D014241:Trichloroethylene; C024565:ethylene dichloride; D008752:Methylene Chloride; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D002118:Calcium; D013750:Tetrachloroethylene; D000111:Acetylcysteine