Toxicity of methyl tertiary-butyl ether on human blood lymphocytes. 2016

Ahmad Salimi, and Mehrdad Vaghar-Moussavi, and Enayatollah Seydi, and Jalal Pourahmad
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 14155-6153, Tehran, Iran.

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) is a synthetic solvent widely used as oxygenate in unleaded gasoline. Few studies have addressed the cellular toxicity of MTBE on some cell lines, and so far, no comprehensive study has been conducted to investigate the probable immunotoxicity of this compound. In this study, the toxicity of MTBE on human blood lymphocytes was evaluated. Blood lymphocytes were isolated from healthy male volunteers' blood, using Ficoll polysaccharide followed by gradient centrifugation. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, lipid peroxidation, glutathione levels, and damage to mitochondria and lysosome were determined in blood lymphocytes after 6-h incubation with different concentrations of MTBE (0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 mM). Our results showed that MTBE, in particular, decreased cell viability, which was associated with significant increase at intracellular ROS level and toxic alterations in mitochondria and lysosomes in human blood lymphocytes. Moreover, it was shown that MTBE strongly provoked lipid peroxidation and also depleted glutathione level at higher concentrations. Interestingly, MTBE exhibited its cytotoxic effects at low concentrations that may resemble to its concentrations in human blood following occupational and environmental exposure. It is therefore concluded that MTBE was capable of inducing oxidative stress and damage to mitochondria and lysosomes in human lymphocytes at concentrations ranging from 5 to 40 μg/L, which may be present in human blood as a result of environmental exposure.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008214 Lymphocytes White blood cells formed in the body's lymphoid tissue. The nucleus is round or ovoid with coarse, irregularly clumped chromatin while the cytoplasm is typically pale blue with azurophilic (if any) granules. Most lymphocytes can be classified as either T or B (with subpopulations of each), or NATURAL KILLER CELLS. Lymphoid Cells,Cell, Lymphoid,Cells, Lymphoid,Lymphocyte,Lymphoid Cell
D008297 Male Males
D008738 Methyl Ethers A group of compounds that contain the general formula R-OCH3. Ethers, Methyl
D002470 Cell Survival The span of viability of a cell characterized by the capacity to perform certain functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, some form of responsiveness, and adaptability. Cell Viability,Cell Viabilities,Survival, Cell,Viabilities, Cell,Viability, Cell
D004784 Environmental Monitoring The monitoring of the level of toxins, chemical pollutants, microbial contaminants, or other harmful substances in the environment (soil, air, and water), workplace, or in the bodies of people and animals present in that environment. Monitoring, Environmental,Environmental Surveillance,Surveillance, Environmental
D005742 Gasoline Volative flammable fuel (liquid hydrocarbons) derived from crude petroleum by processes such as distillation reforming, polymerization, etc. Diesel Fuel,Diesel Fuels,Fuel, Diesel,Fuels, Diesel,Gasolines
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015227 Lipid Peroxidation Peroxidase catalyzed oxidation of lipids using hydrogen peroxide as an electron acceptor. Lipid Peroxidations,Peroxidation, Lipid,Peroxidations, Lipid
D015386 Hazardous Substances Elements, compounds, mixtures, or solutions that are considered severely harmful to human health and the environment. They include substances that are toxic, corrosive, flammable, or explosive. Biohazard,Hazardous Chemical,Hazardous Chemicals,Hazardous Material,Hazardous Materials,Hazardous Substance,Toxic Environmental Substance,Toxic Substances, Environmental,Biohazards,Chemicals, Hazardous,Environmental Substances, Toxic,Toxic Environmental Substances,Chemical, Hazardous,Environmental Substance, Toxic,Environmental Toxic Substances,Material, Hazardous,Materials, Hazardous,Substance, Hazardous,Substance, Toxic Environmental,Substances, Environmental Toxic,Substances, Hazardous,Substances, Toxic Environmental
D018675 Toxicity Tests An array of tests used to determine the toxicity of a substance to living systems. These include tests on clinical drugs, foods, and environmental pollutants. Tests, Toxicity,Test, Toxicity,Toxicity Test

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