Glutathione-dependent cytotoxicity of the chloroacetanilide herbicides alachlor, metolachlor, and propachlor in rat and human hepatoma-derived cultured cells

Alachlor, metolachlor, and propachlor are widely used chloroacetanilide herbicides. Their cytotoxicity in rat (Fa32) and human (Hep G2) hepatoma-derived cells was investigated, in connection with their influence on the endogenous glutathione (GSH) content, on the xenobiotic-metabolizing phase I enzymes 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and 7-pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase (PROD), and phase II glutathione transferase (GST). The cytotoxicity was measured by the neutral red uptake inhibition assay. The following toxicity range was observed in both cell lines : propachlor > alachlor > metolachlor. When the endogenous GSH content was reduced by pretreatment of the cells with L-buthionine (S,R)-sulfoximine, the cytotoxicity of the herbicides increased strongly in both cell lines. EROD and PROD activities were dose-dependently increased to different degrees in Fa32, as was EROD in Hep G2, but no PROD activity was observed in these cells. The GSH content was not altered after 1 h treatment, and was approximately doubled after 24 h. GST activity was increased in Fa32 cells but not in Hep G2. A comparable cytotoxicity was observed for the investigated chloroacetanilides in both the rat and the human cell lines. Different interactions with xenobiotic-metabolizing phase I and II enzymes were observed, and GSH showed a protective effect against the acetanilides in both cell lines.