Interaction of Eu(III) with mammalian cells: Cytotoxicity, uptake, and speciation as a function of Eu(III) concentration and nutrient composition

- In-vitro cell experiments combined with analytical methods, spectroscopy, modeling.
- Cytotoxicity and uptake of Eu(III) cells are mainly concentration-dependent.
- Eu(III) cytotoxicity and uptake are governed by its chemical speciation.
- Fetal bovine serum reduces Eu(III) cytotoxicity onto FaDu cells significantly.
- In serum free medium, Eu(III) cytotoxicity and uptake are much higher.

In case of the release of lanthanides and actinides into the environment, knowledge about their behavior in biological systems is necessary to assess and prevent adverse health effects for humans. We investigated the interaction of europium with FaDu cells (human squamous cell carcinoma cell line) combining analytical methods, spectroscopy, and thermodynamic modeling with in-vitro cell experiments under defined conditions. Both the cytotoxicity of Eu(III) onto FaDu cells and its cellular uptake are mainly concentration-dependent. Moreover, they are governed by its chemical speciation in the nutrient medium. In complete cell culture medium, i.e., in the presence of fetal bovine serum, Eu(III) is stabilized in solution in a wide concentration range by complexation with serum proteins resulting in low cytotoxicity and cellular Eu(III) uptake. In serum-free medium, Eu(III) precipitates as hardly soluble phosphate species, exhibiting a significantly higher cytotoxicity and slightly higher cellular uptake. The presence of a tenfold excess of citrate in serum-free medium causes the formation of Eu(HCit)23− complexes in addition to the dominating Eu(III) phosphate species, resulting in a decreased Eu(III) cytotoxicity and cellular uptake. The results of this study underline the crucial role of a metal ion's speciation for its toxicity and bioavailability.