Abstract |
The effects of aluminum (Al) on the cytotoxicity of ferrous iron (Fe(Ⅱ)), copper(Cu) and cadmium(Cd) were studied. Log-phase cells were treated with either FeSO4,CuSO4, or CdCl2 in the presence or absence of AlCl3(120μM) for 18h at pH 4.0. After the treatment, the viability was determined as relative growth of the metal-treated cells to the untreated control cells during the post-treated culture. A single treated with either Al, Fe(Ⅱ) or Cd did not inhibit the growth at the metal concerntrations up to 300 μM, 200 μM and 500 μM, respectively, whereas the growth was markedly inhibited at 15 μM Cu. Thus,the cells were relatively insensitive to Al, Fe(Ⅱ) and Cd and sensitive to Cu. When cells were treated with both Fe(Ⅱ)(120 μM)and Al(120μM), the growth was significantly inhibited and the cellular contents of both Al and Fe increased synergistically. After the treatment with Cu(0 to 10 μM) with or without Al, the cells grew more vigorously when they were treated in the presence of Al, althrouh the Cu content of the cells were not alterd by Al. The presence of Al during the treatmemt with Cd(0 to 2 μM) had no effect on the degree of growth inhibition by Cd. Thus, Al interacts with the toxicity of Fe(Ⅱ), Cu and Cd in different manners; synergistic with Fe(Ⅱ), antagonistic with Cu and apparently no effeco on Cd.
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