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1880641 
Journal Article 
Abstract 
Metal cytotoxicity: Comparative studies with rabbit alveolar macrophages and human lung fibroblasts (Strain WI-38) 
Waters, MD; Gardner, DE; Coffin, DL 
1974 
1 
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
ISSN: 0041-008X
EISSN: 1096-0333 
29 
1 
132 
English 
WOS:A1974T653800151 
is part of a larger document 3378179 Abstracts of papers for the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology, Washington, D.C. March 10–14, 1974
Two model systems in vitro were employed to study the relative cytotoxic properties of soluble salts of several metals that occur as environmental pollutants. Rabbit alveolar macrophages and human lung fibroblasts (Strain WI-38) were exposed to Cdz+, Ni2+, Mn2+ and Cr3+ as chlorides and to V03- as ammonium vanadate. Trypan blue exclusion tests for cell viability after 20 hr indicated that the relative toxicity of the metals in both test systems was Cd > V > Ni > Mn > Cr. Metal concentrations that caused a reduction in cell viability to 50% in 20 hr ranged from approximately 1^-3x10^-4 M with Cd2+ and VO4- to 5^-7x10^-3 M with Mn2+ and Cr3+. In the macrophage test system, changes in cell viability could be correlated with morphological alterations observed by scanning electron microscopy and with changes in hydrolase specific activity (acid phosphatase and lysozyme). The uptake of precursors for DNA, RNA and protein biosynthesis by WI-38 fibroblasts was depressed at somewhat lower concentrations of metals than those which caused reduction in cell viability. The preliminary data suggest the potential usefulness of these tissue culture systems in screening for relative cytotoxicity of pollutant materials, particularly in cases where small sample size is a consideration. 
Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology 
Washington, D.C. 
March 10–14, 1974