title: Safety testing of blue vital dyes using cell culture models.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the safety of trypan blue, brilliant blue G (BBG), Evans blue (EB), patent blue, Chicago blue (CB), and bromophenol blue (BB), with and without halogen and xenon light exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  All dyes were diluted in a balanced saline solution at a concentration of 0.5%. Cells of the human RPE line ARPE-19 and rat RGC5 were exposed to vital dyes for 5 min. Experiments with and without xenon or halogen illumination were performed. The viability of ARPE-19 and RGC5 cells was determined at 12, 24, or 120 h by a cell proliferation assay using WST-1 reagent. The apoptotic events as well as cell numbers were registered for 72 h and counted by time-lapse videomicroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no evidence of ARPE-19 or RGC5 toxicity, immediate (0 and 24 h) or delayed (120 h), following exclusive exposure to each single dye. After halogen light exposure, ARPE-19 cell lines did not show any significant toxicity, except for when they were exposed to EB. After xenon illumination, ARPE-19 cells showed a marked decrease in cell viability when exposed to EB or CB and a moderate decrease when exposed to BBG and BB. After xenon illumination, RGC5 cells showed the highest decrease in cell viability when exposed to EB and CB; BB caused the same decrease in cell viability as in ARPE-19 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interaction of light from endo-illumination source and blue vital dyes may increase the risk of retinal toxicity.
authors: 1 Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Eye Clinic, University of Florence , Italy .
authors: Fabrizio
authors: F
authors: Giansanti
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Schiavone
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Papucci
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Bitossi
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Andreucci
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Pontenani
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Cutrì
authors: Ugo
authors: U
authors: Menchini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001978:Bromphenol Blue / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D005070:Evans Blue / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D051381:Rats; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014343:Trypan Blue / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D004396:Coloring Agents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D001978:Bromphenol Blue; C009000:pontamine sky blue; D005070:Evans Blue; C008769:sulfan blue; C006796:brilliant blue; D014343:Trypan Blue