Aluminum-induced oxidative events in cell lines: Glioma are more responsive than neuroblastoma

Aluminum, a trivalent cation unable to undergo redox reactions, has been li nked to many diseases such as dialysis dementia and microcytic anemia witho ut iron deficiency. It has also been implicated in Alzheimer's disease alth ough this is controversial. Because cell death due to oxidative injury is s uspected to be a contributory factor in many neurological diseases and alum inum neurotoxicity, glioma (C-G) and neuroblastoma (NBP2) cells were utiliz ed to assess early changes in oxidative parameters consequent to a 48-h exp osure to aluminum sulfate. A 500-mu M concentration of this salt produced a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and a sig nificant decrease in glutathione (GSH) content in glioma cells. However, th e same concentration of the aluminum salt did not lead to any significant c hanges in the neuroblastoma cells. Mitochondrial respiratory activity in gl ioma cells was also found to be significantly higher in the aluminum treate d cells. As judged by morin-metal complex formation, aluminum can enter gli oma cells much more readily than neuroblastoma cells. Thus, it is possible that the cerebral target following an acute exposure to aluminum may be gli al rather than neuronal. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.