PARENT SESSION
17 - Metal-Organic Interactions in the Environment
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM, Monday, 13 May 2002
Exhibition Area

(17-06) Differential Effects of Aluminum Toxicity on Primary Cortical Astrocytes and Human Neuroblastoma Cells.

ABUBAKAR, MU'AZU^*,1, TAYLOR, ANDREW^1,2, TOMS, NICK¹, FERNS, GORDON^1,3, ¹ CENTER FOR CLINICAL SCIENCES & MEASUREMENT, SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL & LIFE SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF SURREY, GUILDFORD, SURREY² SUPRREGIONAL ASSAY SERVICE TRACE ELEMENT LABORATORY, C, GUILDFORD, SURREY³ DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY,ROYAL SURREY COUNTY HOSPITAL, EGERTON ROADROYAL SURREY COUNTY HOSPITAL, EGERTON ROAD, GUILDFORD, SURREY

ABSTRACT- This study examined the potential of aluminium to induce pro-oxidant effects in two different cell type viz., rat primary cortical astrocytes and the human neuroblastoma cell line (SHSY-5Y). These cells were exposed to aluminium as aluminium sulphate (300 M & 1000 M). The toxic effects were essessed by using mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity, measured by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT), cell viability as revealed by fluorescein diacetate-propidium iodide (FDA-PI) staning, glutathione content, lipid peroxidation as determined by malondialdehyde production, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The data suggests that aluminium have a differential effect between the cell type, with human neuroblastoma cells being more susceptible to aluminium sulphate exposure. The primary cortical astrocytes are quite resistance to the pro-oxidant effects of aluminium, in comparison to the neuronal cell type neuroblastoma SHSY-5Y.

Key words: aluminium , astrocytes, neuroblastoma, pro-oxidant