Neodymium Oxide Induces Cytotoxicity and Activates NF-κB and Caspase-3 in NR8383 Cells

We investigated whether Nd2O3 treatment results in cytotoxicity and other underlying effects in rat NR8383 alveolar macrophages. Cell viability assessed by the MTT assay revealed that Nd2O3 was toxic in a dose-dependent manner, but not in a time-dependent manner. An ELISA analysis indicated that exposure to Nd2O3 caused cell damage and enhanced synthesis and release of inflammatory chemokines. A Western blot analysis showed that protein expression levels of caspase-3, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and its inhibitor IκB increased significantly in response to Nd2O3 treatment. Both NF-κB and caspase-3 signaling were activated, suggesting that both pathways are involved in Nd2O3 cytotoxicity.