The cytotoxicity of aflatoxin (AF) was estimated in vitro by using monolayer cell lines. This study was conducted to assess the usefulness of using African green monkey kidney(Vero) cell line and Human epithelial (HEp-2) cell line for demonstrating the toxicity of AFBI and for detecting the potential effect of ascorbic acid in modulating cytotoxicity. Vero cell and HEp-2 cell lines were incubated with different concentrations of AFBI and with the toxin of 14 A flay:4s strains in absence and presence of ascorbic acid and toxic changes in the cells were observed and recorded.. It was observed that exposure of Vero cell and FTEp-2 cell lines to AFB1 produced dose dependent increase in cytotoxicity between 0.312-5.0 ughnl. The concentration of AFBI 1.25 ug/ml was the lowest toxin concentration that can produced cytotoxic effect, no cell toxicity difference was detecting between Vero cell and HEp-2 cell at the levels of 2.5 and 5 of APB! concentration while other levels of concentration show that Vero cell toxicity was higher rather than HEp-2 cells, the ratio 4:3 was recorded at 0.625 and 1.25 concentrations. The study shows that there is no statistical significant difference between Vero cell and HEp-2 cell lines regarding toxicity (p > 0.05). Cytotoxicity on Vero cell and liEp-2 cell lines was suppressed by addition of ascorbic acid at concentration 100 ug/ ml and concentration dependent increase in the cytotoxicity between 100-5 ug/ml was recorded .The cytotoxic suppression was statistically significant on Vero cell line while it was non - significant on LEEp-2 cell line . This study concluded that both cell lines could be effective in vitro models for evaluating AF toxicity. Ascorbic acid was more effectively protect Vero cell culture line from AF toxicity .So, addition of vitamin C to food has been proposed as a protective strategy against aflatoxicosis. |
