Effects of lead on viability and intracellular metal content of C6 rat glioma cells.

Cultured C6 rat glioma cells were exposed to lead (Pb) acetate (0, 1, 10, or 100 microM) for 3-4 d. Cells were analyzed for changes in viability and intracellular lead, iron, and copper concentrations after Pb treatment was discontinued. The results were compared with previous findings on astroglia and oligodendroglia in culture in order to evaluate C6 cultures as a model for Pb toxicity in glia. Viability was measured by three methods on the day Pb was removed from the cells (designated d 0), and 2 and 9 d after Pb treatment was discontinued (designated d 2 and 9). The methods used were trypan blue dye exclusion, total cell counts, and incorporation of [3H]-L-leucine into proteins. Small, dose-dependent reductions were observed on d 2 in the percentages of cells excluding dye. Decreased cell numbers were seen at all three Pb doses only on d 0. With respect to these two viability measurements, C6 cells responded like astroglia in culture to Pb, but not like oligodendroglia, which are more Pb-sensitive. We expected decreased amino acid incorporation to accompany the decreased viability of the cultures. Instead, increased amino acid incorporation, which indicates increased protein synthesis, was seen on d 0 and 2 at all three Pb doses, though total cellular protein did not increase. A similar response has been reported previously in oligodendroglial cultures. C6 cells treated for 3 with 1 or 100 microM Pb acetate were analyzed for intracellular metal content by atomic absorption aspectroscopy on d 4 and 11 after exposure to Pb was discontinued. The cells were found to take up large amounts of Pb intracellularly and store it for at least 11 d. Cells treated with FeCl2 instead of Pb took up Fe, but required a higher extracellular Fe concentration to achieve an intracellular Fe level comparable to that of Pb in Pb-treated cells. Pb uptake did not affect intracellular Fe or Cu concentrations. With respect to Pb and Fe uptake, C6 cells closely resembled immature astroglia in culture. Unlike C6 cells, however, astroglia showed elevations of intracellular Fe and Cu after Pb treatment. Thus, Pb effects on C6 cells resembled those on cultured oligodendroglia and astroglia in some respects but not in others. C6 cells appear to be an adequate model for selected events in glial toxicosis, such as Pb-stimulated protein synthesis in oligodendroglia and Pb uptake in astroglia, but not Pb-induced alterations of intracellular Cu and Fe in astroglia. Their use as a model for glial progenitor cells in Pb toxicity studies remains to be determined.