Effects of aluminum speciation on murine neuroblastoma cells.

Murine neuroblastoma cells behave differently in the presence of Al(acac)3 [acac = 2,4-pentanedionate; acetylacetonate] or Al(malt)3 [malt = 3-hydroxy, 2-methyl, 4-pyronate; maltolate] with respect to Al(lac)3 [lac = 2-hydroxypropionate; lactate]. Thus, a remarkable cytotoxic effect was observed in the first case; on the contrary, an evident cytostatic and neuritogenic effect was produced by aqueous Al(lac)3. The hydrolytically stable complexes Al(acac)3 and Al(malt)3 were both toxic in the concentration range of 0.10-0.30 and 0.10-0.50 mM, respectively, over 24 h. In contrast with this behavior Al(lac)3 displayed a potent cytostatic activity with induction of neurites at 0.2-10 mM. Al(OH)3 manifested biological effects comparable to those exhibited by Al(lac)3. AlPO4 was also cytostatic and led to a morphological differentiation of the neuroblastoma cells, qualitatively different from that elicited by Al(lac)3. The morphological effects induced by Al(lac)3, Al(OH)3, and AlPO4 were irreversible.