ATLA::Alternatives to Laboratory Animals

Volume 27, Number 3

Toxicity of mercury to hybridoma TA7 cells.

ATLA 27, 397-401, May/June 1999

Inessa Remez,1 Pauls Andersons2 and Hackel Veksler1

1Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, Medical Academy of Latvia, 16 Dzierciema Street, Riga 1007, Latvia; 2Latvian University of Agriculture, 2 Liela Street, Jelgava 3001, Latvia

SUMMARY

Environmental mercury and mercury compound contamination has increased dramatically since the industrial revolution. This paper describes the toxic effects of mercury on a culture of hybridoma TA7 cells, which produce antibodies against the A-subunit of viskumin. Cells were cultivated on 96-well flat-bottomed plates with RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum at 37°C in 5% CO2/95% air. The cells were exposed to 0.1 nM/1-10 µM/1 Hg2(NO3)2.2H2O (mercury nitrate) during the exponential growth phase. Toxicity was assessed by using the calorimetric MTT (tetrazolium) assay after exposure for 48 hours. Cell growth and cell survival were evaluated by using percentage indices of cellular content in exposed cells when compared to non-exposed control cells. The concentrations of the no-effect level, the lowest observed effect level and the highest toxic effect level were registered. The toxic effects of the mercury compound on the hybridoma cells occurred between 0.1 µM/I and 10 µM/l.

Keywords: mercury, hybridoma TA7 cells, toxicity, dose-effect