Glutathione content of v79 cells in two- or three-dimensional
culture.
Romero, Francisco J., Daniel Zukowski, and Wolfgang Mueller-Klieser.
Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Mainz,
D-55099 Mainz, Germany and Experimental Toxicology &
Neurotoxicology Unit, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine
& Dentistry, University of Valencia, E-46010 Valencia, Spain
APStracts 3:0407C, 1996.
The cellular glutathione (GSH) content of two- and three-dimensional
cell cultures of V79 hamster lung cells has been studied. As
previously described, cells in monolayer cultures show a decrease in
GSH when they reach the confluent state. Three-dimensional cell
cultures (multicell spheroids) allow a smoother transition from the
initial proliferating to the non-proliferating status and they show a
central area of necrosis, when a certain diameter is reached.
Celllular GSH content in spheroids is variable throughout the
culturing period: (i) GSH content (expressed per mg protein) is lower
in spheroids with central necrotic areas than in smaller spheroids
without necrosis, (ii) results expressed per cell number show a sharp
increase around the diameter where necrosis appears. Once a
relatively large necrotic area has been established, GSH decreases
again to approximately the prenecrotic level. Interestingly, this GSH
'peak' is not dependent on the time in culture but on the spheroid
size. Acute hypoxia occurs in central areas of spheroids at a much
higher size ranges than those described herein. Thus, we suggest a
combination of factors, that may include, among others, oxidative
stress, as the explanation for these cellular GSH variations.
Received 15 October 1996; accepted in final form 6 December 1996.
APS Manuscript Number C592-6.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Cell Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 31 December 1996