Influence of different calcic antagonists on the Caco-2 cell monolayer integrity or "TEER, a measurement of toxicity?".

The purpose of this work was to investigate the interest of the TEER measurement, a quite simple measure, as an evaluation of toxicity, in function of time and level of drug in the experimental medium, for different anticalcic agents. The extend of the increase and decrease of TEER, was evaluated by measuring the TEERmax and calculating the TEER50 respectively. Three groups of compounds could be therefore considered. The first, characterized by a quite short period of TEER increase, followed by an extremely rapid decrease (high values of TEER50), included perhexiline and prenylamine. The most toxic compounds, the second one, characterized by the smallest variations of TEER, included verapamil and diltiazem. This group was related with the less toxic compounds, the third group, represented by bepridil, characterized by dependant-dose TEERmax and TEER50. Therefore, the TEER measurement appeared as a quite simple approach of comparative toxicity of anticalcic agents.