Effect of trivalent lanthanides and actinides on a rat kidney cell line

Exposure to trivalent lanthanides (Ln) and actinides (An) poses a serious health risk to animals and humans. Since both Ln and An are mainly excreted with the urine, we investigated the effect of La, Ce, Eu, and Yb (as representatives of Ln) as well as Am (as representative of An) exposure on a rat kidney cell line (NRK-52E) for 8, 24, and 48 h in vitro. Cell viability studies using the XTT assay and fluorescence microscopic investigations were combined with solubility and speciation studies using ICP-MS and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). Thermodynamic modeling was applied to predict the speciation of Ln and Am in cell culture medium.
All Ln show a concentration- and time-dependent effect on NRK-52E cells with Ce being the most potent element. Effective Ln concentrations reducing the cell viability to 50 % (EC50 values) range from 340 µM for Ce to 1.1 mM for Eu. In general, light and heavy Ln seem to exhibit a greater effect than middle Ln.
In cell culture medium with 10 % fetal bovine serum (FBS), the Ln are completely soluble and complexed with proteins from FBS. Ln speciation is time-independent. Comparative experiments with Am are ongoing and will reveal analogies and/or differences in the effect of trivalent Ln and An on rat kidney cells.
This is the first study revealing the effects of Ln onto mammalian kidney cells. Furthermore, our laboratory is one of the few worldwide, which is able to perform cell culture studies using radioactive elements like Am.
The results of this study underline the importance of combining biological, chemical, and spectroscopic methods in studying the effect of Ln and An on cells in vitro and may contribute to the improvement of the current risk assessment for Ln in the human body. Furthermore, they demonstrate that Ln seem to have no effect on rat renal cells in vitro at environmental trace concentrations. Nevertheless, especially Ce has the potential for harmful effects at elevated concentrations observed in mining and industrial areas.