Aluminium triggers necrosis and apoptosis in V79 cells

Authors: Pedro H.P.A. Schildknecht; Benedicto C. Vidal

Source: Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry, Volume 86, Number 1, January-February 2004 , pp. 63-72(10)

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Abstract:

The aim of this work was to examine the induction of cell death by aluminium (Al) at low pH, where the toxic cation Al³⁺ has maximum activity. Chinese hamster V79 fibroblasts were used as a model to study the toxic effects of different Al concentrations under optimal conditions for Al³⁺ activity (pH 4.5). Al³⁺ was detected by 8-hydroxyquinoline staining and cell death was assessed by image analysis, TUNEL assay and annexin-V labelling. Intracellular Al³⁺ deposits occurred mainly in the cytoplasm and within the nucleus. Al³⁺ altered the nuclear morphology, with chromatin condensation and loss being observed in Al³⁺-treated cells. Necrosis was detected with 10^-5-10^-3 M AlCl₃ and apoptosis was observed only at 10^-8-10^-5 M AlCl₃. Our results show that Al³⁺ induces cell death through a mechanism which could determine whether necrosis or apoptosis would be triggered.

Keywords: Aluminium toxicity; Apoptosis; Necrosis; TUNEL assay; Annexin-V

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/62772240410001688251

Publication date: 2004-01-01