Biology and Medicine

Abstract

Effects of Antioxidants on the Viability of the Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cell Culture under the Conditions of Heavy-Metal Toxicity

Olga Igorevna Kulikova, Tatiana Nikolaevna Fedorova, Alexander Vasilievich Lopachev, Valentina Sergeevna Orlova and Vladimir Alexandrovich Grachev

Protective action of antioxidants (mexidol, carnosine, N-acetyl cysteine) and the metal chelator Ca, Na2-EDTA was studied in the culture of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells after the addition of salts of heavy metals—lead, cadmium, cobalt, and molybdenum—to the culture medium. Cells were incubated with heavy metals and protectors for 24 h, and cell viability and cell death were evaluated. All the metals lowered cell viability in a concentration-related manner. Different protective agents were studied based on this model. The most pronounced capability of increasing the cell viability in conditions of heavy-metal toxicity was demonstrated by N-acetyl cysteine (the protective effect was demonstrated at the concentrations 0.5-1.0 mM and higher). Protective potential of carnosine was somewhat lower and that of mexidol was minimal.