Potential of a soluble tetrazolium/formazan assay for the evaluation of filarial viability.

Using female Acanthocheilonema viteae we have investigated the bioreduction of the tetrazolium reagent XTT (2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-sulphonyl)-5-[(phenylamino) carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide). Unlike the formazan formed by other tetrazolium salts, that derived from XTT readily diffuses out of A. viteae in vitro. Formazan formation can therefore be quantified by direct absorbance reading of the incubation medium, eliminating the need for a DMSO solubilization step. Optimum assay conditions involved a 4 h incubation, in the presence of the electron coupling agent phenazine methosulphate (PMS). Repeat 4 h incubations with XTT-PMS were well tolerated by worms for 5 consecutive days. This confirmed the low toxicity of XTT formazan and its usefulness in the semi-continuous assessment of filarial viability. In comparison to our previously reported MTT (3-(4, 5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide)-reduction assay XTT-PMS reduction showed comparable drug sensitivity and accuracy, however XTT-PMS appears to be at least 10-15 times less efficiently reduced by A. viteae females. A possible application of the XTT assay using female Onchocerca volvulus is discussed.