Comparison of the effect of VOSO4, Na3VO4 and NaVO3 on proliferation, viability and morphology of H35-19 rat hepatoma cell line.

This study presents the investigation and comparison the influence of VOSO4 [V(IV)I, Na3VO4 and NaVO3 [V(V)] in the range of 0.5-20.0 microM on the rat hepatoma cell line H35-19. The cells were tested with crystal violet (N-hexamethylpararosaniline), and counted in a Bürker chamber to determine their rate of proliferation, while the survival level was established with neutral red and MTT [bromide 3-(4,5-dimetyltioazo-2)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazole]. Parallel independent pathomorphological studies with electron microscopic examinations were done. We found progressive growth inhibition of rat hepatoma H35-19 cells within the range 0.5-20.0 concentrations of three vanadium salts. The most effective (and/or toxic) was NaVO3, whereas VOSO4 showed a relatively mild action. As compared with metavanadate or vanadyl sulphate and especially organic vanadium derivatives, previously studied by the same authors under similar experimental conditions, sodium orthovanadate showed an intermediate effect. Electron microscopic examinations confirmed these results. Vanadium salts in low concentration in medium (0.5 microM) were observed to normalize cell morphology. Higher doses of vanadium salts (greater than 2.5 or 5.0 microM) resulted in damaging cell organelles and the more cytotoxic the compounds seemed to be.