Cytotoxicity of methyl bromide: effect of methyl bromide on cultured mammalian cells.

Cytotoxicity of methyl bromide on cultured mammalian cells was examined. Acute toxic action was induced by methyl bromide itself and its cytotoxicity was reduced in the presence of glutathione. Its hydrolysis products or its reaction products with organic compounds in the medium was extremely low in toxicity. Although methyl bromide is known to be a methylating agent, morphological changes induced on HeLa cells were different from the changes characteristic of chemotherapeutic alkylating agents. Lethal concentration of methyl bromide on HeLa cells and primary cultured muscle, kidney and brain cells was similar (10 microgram/ml). In a detailed survey, however, there was a slight difference in the susceptibility among the cells from primary culture of brain.