Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of long-term in vitro exposure to aluminum, cadmium or lead on differentiation and cholinergic receptor expression in a human neuroblastoma cell line

  • Published:
Cell Biology and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Neurotoxicity of long-term exposure to lead, aluminum and cadmium has been studied in vitro on the human neuroblastoma cell line IMR32 by measuring cytotoxicity, and the effects on neuronal-specific characteristics such as nitrite outgrowth and expression of cholinergic receptors as parameters of toxicity. Cytotoxicity was highest with cadmium, intermediate with lead and lowest with aluminum exposure. Lead, but not cadmium and aluminum, interfered with neurite growth. The expression of a-bungarotoxin binding sites and muscarinic receptors was markedly increased by cadmium and not affected by aluminum exposure. Lead induced only an increase of toxin binding sites. These in vitro modifications are discussed in relation to the possible use of neuronal cell lines for detecting neurotoxic effects of heavy metals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ACh:

acetylcholine

α-Bgtx:

α-bungarotoxin

BrdUr:

5'-bromodeoxyuridine

CNS:

central nervous system

References

  • AUDESIRK, G. (1985). Effects of lead exposure on the physiology of neurons. Progr. Neurobiol. 24:199–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • BENFENATI, F. and GUARDABASSO, V. (1984). Basic concepts to analyze binding data using personal computers. The “RECEPT” program. In Principles and Methods in Receptor Binding (F. Cattabeni and S. Nicosia, eds.), p. 41. Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • BETZ, H. (1983). Regulation of a-Bungarotoxin receptor accumulation in chick retina cultures: Effects of membrane depolarization, cyclic nucleotide derivatives and Ca2+. J. Neurosci. 3:1333–1341.

    Google Scholar 

  • BOLGMAN, J. and BATES, L.A. (1984). Neurotoxicity of aluminum. Can. J. Physiol. 62:1010–1014.

    Google Scholar 

  • CARROLL, P.T., SILBERGELD, E.K. and GOLDBERG, A.M. (1977). Alteration of control of cholinergic function by chronic lead acetate exposure. Bioch. Pharmacol. 26:397–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • CLARKE, P.S., SCHWARTZ, R.D., PAUL, S.M., PERT, C.B. and PERT, A. (1985). Nicotinic binding in rat brain. Autoradiographic comparison of 3H-acetylcholine, 3Hnicotine, and 125I-Bungarotoxin. J. Neurosci. 5:1307–1315.

    Google Scholar 

  • CLEMENTI, F. and SHER, E. (1985). Antibody-induced internalization of ACHR: Kinetics, mechanism and selectivity. Eur. J. Cell. Biol. 37:220–228.

    Google Scholar 

  • CLEMENTI, F., CABRINI, D., GOTTI, C. and SHER, E. (1986). Pharmacological characterization of cholinergic receptors in a human neuroblastoma cell line. J. Neurochem. 47:291–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • COSTA, L.G. and FOX, D.A. (1983). A selective decrease of cholinergic muscarinic receptors in the visual cortex of adult rats following developmental lead exposure. Brain Res. 276:259–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • CRAPPER, D.R. and De BONI, U. (1980). Aluminum. In: Experimental and Clinical Neurotoxicology. (P.S. Spencer and H.H. Schaumburg, eds.), pp. 326–335, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore.

    Google Scholar 

  • DAVISON, A.M., WALKER, G.S., OLI, H. and LEWINS, A.M. (1982). Water supply aluminum concentration, dialysis dementia, and effect of reverse-osmosis water treatment. The Lancet 11:785–787.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOTTI, C., OMINI, C., BERTI, F. and CLEMENTI, F. (1985). Isolation of a polypeptide from the venom of Bungarus multicinctus that binds to ganglia and blocks the ganglionic transmission in mammals. Neuroscience 13:563–575.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOTTI, C., WANKE, E., SHER, E., FORNASARI, D., CABRINI, D. and CLEMENTI, F. (1986). Acetylcholine operated ion channel and Bungarotoxin binding site in a human neuroblastoma cell line reside on different molecules. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 137:1141–1147.

    Google Scholar 

  • GREENWOOD, F.C., HUNTER, W.M. and GLOVES, J.S. (1963). The preparation of 125I-labeled Human Growth Hormone of high specific radioactivity. Bioch. J. 89:114–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • JOHNSON, G.V.W. and JOPE, R.S. (1986). Aluminum impairs glucose utilization and cholinergic activity in rat brain in vitro. Toxicology 40:93–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • KOSIK, K.S., BRADELY, W.G., GOOD, P.F., ROSOOL, C.G. and SELKOE, D.J. (1983). Cholinergic function in lumbar aluminum mielopathy. J. Neuropath. Exp. Neurol. 42:365–375.

    Google Scholar 

  • LOWRY, O.H., ROSEMBROUGH, N.J., FARR, A.L. and RANDALL, R.J. (1951). Protein measurement with the Foline phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193:265–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • MILLER, C. A. and LEVINE, E.M. (1974). Effects of aluminum salts and cultured neuroblastoma cells. J. Neurochem. 22:751–758.

    Google Scholar 

  • MOINGEON, P., BIDART, J.M., ALBERICI, J.F., BOUDANE, C. and BOHVO, C. (1984). In vivo modulation of muscarine receptors in rat brain by acute lead intoxication. Toxicology 31:135–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • SUNSHINE, I. (1969). Handbook of analytical toxicology, pp. 965–973, Chemical Rubber Co., Cleveland, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • TUMILOWICZ, J.J., NICHOLS, W.W., CHOLAN, J.J. and GREENE, A.E. (1970). Definition of a continuous human cell line derived from neuroblastoma. Cancer Res. 30:2110:2118.

    Google Scholar 

  • VENUGOPAL, B. and LUCKEY, T.D. (1975). Toxicology of non-radioactive heavy metals and their salts. In: Environmental Quality and Safety. (B. Venugopal et al. eds.), Vol. 1, suppl., pp. 74–86, G. Thieme Publ., Stuttgart.

    Google Scholar 

  • WEBSTER, W.S. and VALOIS, A.A. (1981). The toxic effect of cadmium on the neonatal mouse CNS. J. Neuropath. Exp. Neurol. 40:247–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • WINDER, C. and KITCHEN, I. (1984). Lead neurotoxicity: A review of the biochemical, neurochemical and drug induced behavioral evidence. Progr. Neurobiol. 22:59–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • WONG, K.L. and KLAASSEN, L.D. (1982). Neurotoxic effects of cadmium in young rats. Tox. Appl. Pharmacol. 63:330–337.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gotti, C., Cabrini, D., Sher, E. et al. Effects of long-term in vitro exposure to aluminum, cadmium or lead on differentiation and cholinergic receptor expression in a human neuroblastoma cell line. Cell Biol Toxicol 3, 431–440 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119915

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119915

Key words

Navigation