PARENT SESSION
PW1 - Molecular/ Cellular Toxicology
Wednesday, 20 November 2002
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM
Exhibit Hall
(P712) Toxicity of novel organotellurium compounds.
Sailer, Brian*,1, Liles, Nathan1, Dickerson, Sarah1, Chasteen, Thomas2, 1 Sam Houston State University Department of Biology, Huntsville, TX, USA2 Sam Houston State University Department of Chemistry, Huntsville, TX, USA
ABSTRACT- The increasing use of organotellurium compounds in research, industry and agriculture will lead to their eventual introduction into the environment. Therefore, a basic understanding of their toxicity is necessary. We have examined the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of six novel organotellurium compounds using fluorescence microscopy, gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry. Results indicate that these compounds all have in vitro toxicity; some at doses as low as 1 E-6 M. All of the compounds induced apoptotic cell death in human promyelocytic cells. The cellular toxicity was both time and dose dependent. Several of the compounds have also demonstrated in vivo toxicity, in that they disrupt spermatogenesis in a mouse model system. These compounds are potentially inducing cellular death by altering redox pathways. Data indicate that further use of these compounds should proceed with caution based on their relative toxicities.
Key words: organotellurium, apoptosis, spermatogenesis, flow cytometry