In Vitro Toxicity Assessment of Methylmercury, Arsenic (III and V) with a Cell-Based Model

The negative health effects associated with exposure to heavy metals are of global concern, so their toxic mechanisms and potency should be identified to develop effective prevention. In this sense, we analysed the toxicity of arsenic (+3 and +5 valences) and meHg in intestinal epithelial cells (H4) and blood macrophages (TLT). We performed crystal violet, MTT, proliferation, ROS, H2ax, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and cell shape assays with different concentrations of these elements to determine the potency and mechanism of their toxicity. The potency of the heavy metals differs in both cell types and among each element. In addition, all the selected heavy metals induced ROS formation and histone exposure, but each element had different pathways associated with their toxicity. For example, each element induced cell cycle arrest in different phases of H4 and TLT cells, and suggest that each element induce different cell death pathways in each cell type. Understanding the mechanisms of toxicity may help to implement effective strategies for the prevention or mitigation of the heavy metal toxicity.