Assessment of Cadmium, Nickel and Lead Toxicity by Using Green Algae Scenedesmus Incrassatulus and Human Cell Lines: Potential In Vitro Test-Systems for Monitoring of Heavy Metal Pollution
Journal Title: Toxicology and Forensic Medicine – Open Journal - Year 2017, Vol 2, Issue 2
Abstract
Background: Pollution of aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals leads to decrease of the biodiversity and accumulation of toxicants in the food chain. Species of the genus Scenedesmus are sensitive indicators of environmental changes and have been used for the evaluation of risk factors for contamination of aquatic ecosystems. The microalga Scenedesmus incrassatulus can remove chromium and cadmium from the growth medium. Also, mammalian cell lines are another type of test system that has been used to study the mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity. However, little is known about the sensitivity and potential application of different human cell lines for bio-monitoring of heavy metal contamination. Aim: To investigate the toxicity of increasing concentrations of cadmium, nickel and lead on the green microalga Scenedesmus incrassatulus and the human cell lines HeLa, A549, FL, and Caco-2. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the toxic effects of Cd, Ni, and Pb, two test systems were used: an algal culture of S. incrassatulus and four human cell lines. For the algal system, the growth of the algae and the features such as “cell number in the coenobium/single cells”, “position of the inner cells in the coenobium”, and “shape of the peripheral cell”, were assessed. For the human cell cultures, the methyl-thiazol-tetrazolium (MTT) and neutral red assays were performed. In both the systems, the effects were measured at different time points (24, 48, and 72 hours) of treatment. Results: The experimental observations showed that lead exposure in maximal permissible levels (MPL) inhibited the growth of the green algae S. incrassatulus, while cadmium had a stimulating effect even at lower test concentrations. Cadmium and nickel treatment affected the morphological features “cell number in the coenobium/single cells” and “position of the inner cells in the coenobium”. Regarding “shape of the peripheral cell”, lead had the most significant effect after 24 h of treatment, which was expressed in reduction of the type “incrassatulus” compared to the type “obliquus”. Cytotoxic effects of the heavy metals were also observed for all tested human cell lines. HeLa, FL and Caco-2 were most sensitive to cadmium compared to lead, while A549 cells showed equal sensitivity to all three heavy metals. Conclusion: The reported data presented specific impacts on the studied parameters for both the test-systems. The present study concluded that the green alga S. incrassatulus could be used as an effective test system for the biomonitoring of lead pollution. The cell line A549 can serve as a sensitive test system for the presence of cadmium, nickel and lead.
Authors and Affiliations
Balik Dzhambazov
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP550827
- DOI 10.17140/TFMOJ-2-121
- Views 123
- Downloads 0
Lambda Cyhalothrin Elicited Dose Response Toxicity on Haematological, Hepatic, Gonadal and Lipid Metabolic Biomarkers in Rat and Possible Modulatory Role of Taurine
Extensive application of pesticides is usually accompanied with serious problems of pollution and health hazards. Lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT), a type II synthetic pyrethroid, is widely used in agriculture, home pest control...
Electronic Cigarettes: Toxicity and Addiction
Cigarette smoking remains a leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in the United States and other countries. More than 20 million Americans have died as a result of smoking since the 1st Surgeon General...
Dose-Dependent Hematological, Hepatic and Gonadal Toxicity of Cypermethrin in Wistar Rats
Background: Pesticides are used frequently and may have various adverse effects on human health in different ways. Cypermethrin (CYP) is a synthetic type II pyrethroid pesticide that has been used extensively to control...
Interactions between Over-the-Counter and Illicit Drugs Utilizing Cytochrome P450 Metabolism: Potential for Exacerbation of Pharmacological Response
Aim: To determine the interaction of over-the-counter (OTC) and illicit psychostimulants at the cytochrome P450 enzyme, CYP2D6. CYP2D6 is responsible for 20% of hepatic Phase I metabolism and is a site of drug-drug inter...
Adverse Consequences of Alcohol Consumption: A Preliminary Study
Alcohol is a depressant drug which slows down the activity of the central nervous system (CNS) and cause health related problems associated with various positive and negative social experiences. It has both pharmacologic...