Assessment on Cytotoxicity of HepG2 Cells Induced by Tetrabromobisphenol A and its Dose-response Relationship

Objectives  To investigate the cytotoxicity of HepG2 cells induced by tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and assess their dose-response relationship.

Methods  The morphology of HepG2 cells was observed by optical microscope; cell viability was measured by using MTS assay kit; the total release of cytoplasmic lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in medium was measured by using LDH assay kit. The dose-response relationship was assessed by no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) and benchmark dose (BMD) methods.

Results  The morphology of HepG2 cells could be affected by TBBPA, and there were dose-effect and time-effect relationship between the viability of HepG2 cells and TBBPA exposure. The IC₅₀ were 33.82, 27.36 and 17.73 μmol/L for 12 h, 24 h and 48 h exposure respectively. There was dose-effect relationship between LDH release and TBBPA exposure in HepG2 cells after 12 h, 24 h and 48 h exposure. The inhibition rate of HepG2 cells after 24 h TBBPA exposure was selected as the endpoint, and the NOAEL, LOAEL, BMDL10 and BMD10 were 10, 15, 9.45 and 10.34 μmol/L respectively.

Conclusions  The results in the present study suggested that TBBPA exposure has cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells, and the value of BMDL10 for TBBPA exposure was 9.45 μmol/L while the inhibition rate after 24 h exposure was selected as the endpoint.