title: Liposomes and MTT cell viability assay: an incompatible affair.
abstract: The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay is commonly used to evaluate the cytotoxicity potential of drugs vehicled by liposomes. However, liposome delivering drugs could produce inconsistent values of MTT absorbance. On the basis of previous experiments demonstrating the MTT affinity for lipid droplets, this paper aims to show that empty-liposomes interfere, per se, on MTT assay due to its lipidic nature. This brings into question the use of MTT testing cytotoxicity when liposomes are involved in delivering drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: fangius@unica.it.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Angius
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Floris
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005562:Formazans / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005562:Formazans; D008081:Liposomes; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C079782:MTT formazan; C022616:thiazolyl blue
keywords: Cell viability; Drugs; Liposomes; MTT assay