IN-VITRO CYTOTOXICITY OF FENTHION AND RELATED METABOLITES IN HUMAN NEUROBLASTOMA CELL-LINES

The aim of our research was the evaluation in vitro of the neurotoxic effects of fenthion and its metabolites on human neuroblastoma cells, as a model for their toxicity in humans. The results indicate that 24 hours exposure was sufficient to produce dose related effects on SK-N- BE and IMR 32 cell viability causing detachment and loss of cells at t he effective doses. In the two cell lines fenthion metabolites display an increased cytotoxicity respect to the parent compound with a disti nct pattern of toxicity on neurons. Our data suggest that cultured neu ronal cells of human origin are discriminating experimental systems, s ensitive to minor differences,of correlating in vivo and in vitro neur otoxicants.