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Effects of iodinated x-ray contrast media on renal epithelial cells in culture
K J Andersen1, E I Christensen, H Vik
1Division of Clinical Cell Biology, University of Bergen, Norway.
Rationale And Objectives:
To study cellular mechanisms that cause contrast media nephropathy, an in vitro system for proximal and distal tubular cells has been established to evaluate the influence of x-ray contrast media on tubular function.
Methods:
Confluent cell cultures of the two renal cell lines, proximal tubule (LLC-PK1) and distal tubule (MDCK), were exposed for 20 hours to 0 to 100 mg iodine/mL of the ionic monomer metrizoate, the ionic dimer ioxaglate, and the non-ionic monomer iohexol. Toxicity was assessed by electron microscopy, cell viability, and biochemical assays of brush-border and lysosomal marker enzymes.
Results:
The results demonstrated a concentration-dependent toxic effect from the contrast media on cellular appearance consisting of an increased vacuolization and on the activity of brush-border and lysosomal marker enzymes in cells and in culture media.
Conclusion:
The results, in which the nonionic x-ray contrast media iohexol appeared to be less toxic than the ionic x-ray contrast media investigated, demonstrated that defined renal cells in culture are valuable tools in studies regarding renal toxicity of x-ray contrast media.