Comparative toxicity and apoptosis induced by diorganotins in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells

• The cytotoxicity of three diorganotin compounds was compared in PC12 cells.
• The cytotoxic potency was in the order of DBT > DPT ≫ DMT.
• Mitochondria-mediated apoptosis was responsible for their neurotoxicity.

As ubiquitous environmental toxicants, organotin (IV) compounds (OTC) accumulate in the food chain and potential effects on human health are disquieting. The present study compared the cytotoxicity of three diorganotins, namely, dimethyltin (DMT), dibutyltin (DBT) and diphenyltin (DPT), in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, and the molecular mechanisms responsible for their cytotoxic effects were also explored. Twenty-four hours exposure of PC12 cells to DBT and DPT resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability with median lethal concentration (LC50) of 2.97 μM and 7.24 μM, respectively. However, DMT at concentrations up to 128 μM had no obvious effect on cell viability. The mechanistic study revealed that the extent of apoptosis was greater for DBT than that for DPT, followed by DMT, as evidenced by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) fluorescent staining method and annexin V-FITC/PI staining flow cytometry analysis, as well as generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) disruption, release of cytochrome c (Cyt c), and consequent activation of caspase-9, and -3. These investigations suggested that the cytotoxic potency of three diorganotins in PC12 cells was in the order of DBT > DPT ≫ DMT, and these compounds could induce PC12 cells apoptosis through ROS mediated mitochondrial pathway.