Effects of cadmium and uranium on some in vitro renal targets.

Metals are major pollutants not only in occupational settings but also in the general environment. Chronic exposure of workers has been related to severe damage, especially at the renal level. While toxic compounds such as metals are well known to severely impair tubular functions, it is clear that nephrotoxicants can act on various other renal targets, i.

Uranium-induced Vasoreactivity in Isolated Glomeruli and Cultured Rat Mesangial Cells.

The present study is aimed at investigating direct vasocontractive effects of uranium on two glomerular in vitro models (isolated rat glomeruli and cultured mesangial cells). For this study, sublethal doses of the uranium(VI)-bicarbonate complex were determined by cytotoxicity experiments on confluent cultured mesangial cells. Afterwards, using a morphoquantitative approach (computerized image analyser) the variations of planar surface areas (PSA) of glomeruli and mesangial cells exposed to uranium(VI)-bicarbonate have been assessed.

Influence of uranium(VI) speciation for the evaluation of in vitro uranium cytotoxicity on LLC-PK1 cells.

Very few data are available concerning the in vitro toxicity of uranium. In this work, we have determined the experimental chemical conditions permitting the observation of uranium(VI) cytotoxicity on LLC-PK1 cells. Uranium solutions made either by dissolving uranyl acetate or nitrate crystals, or by complexing uranium with bicarbonate, phosphate or citrate ligands, were prepared and tested.

Intracellular behaviour of uranium(VI) on renal epithelial cell in culture (LLC-PK1): influence of uranium speciation.

The main objective of this work was to assess the potentiality of in vitro models to study and understand the uranium-induced cytotoxicity on renal cells. Cytotoxicity and morphological studies were performed in a tubular proximal original established cell line (LLC-PK1 cell line). Dose-dependent cytotoxicity response was obtained with the uranium bicarbonate complex.