ATLA::Alternatives to Laboratory Animals

Volume 24, Number 5

Cytotoxic effects of paracetoamol in vitro: the effects of an S9 fraction.

ATLA 24, 715-725, September/October 1996

Katarina Ruppová,¹ Darina Slameñová,² Ladisalve Wsólová,¹ Alena Gábelová,² and Márla Vargová¹

¹The Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Limboua' 14, 83101, Bratislava, Slovak Republic; ²Cancer Research Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Spita'lska 21, 81232, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

SUMMARY

The cytotoxic effects of short-term and long-term exposure of HeLa cells to paracetamol (acetaminophen) were assayed by total protein content reduction (microprotein assay) and by [¹⁴C]-L-leucine incorporation into macromolecular acid-insoluble cell fraction. The level of total protein content was followed over 72 hours and the level of [¹⁴C]-L-leucine incorporation over 24 hours, after paracetamol treatment. Statistical evaluation did not show a significant difference between results obtained by these two methods. In addition, the influence of S9 fraction on [¹⁴C]-L-leucine incorporation and the growth activity of paracetamol-treated HeLa cells were assayed. In these experiments, short-term paracetamol treatments (2 hours in phosphate buffered saline), were used. Statistical analysis of the data did not show an increase in paracetamol-induced cytotoxicity in the presence of the S9 fraction; on the contrary, a protective effect of S9 fraction on paracetamol-treated cells was found.

Keywords: human cells in vitro, paracetamol, [¹⁴C]-L-leucine incorporation, microprotein assay, growth activity of HeLa cells