Evaluation of the cytotoxic effects of zinc on Raji cell line by florescent technique

Background: Zinc has important effects on the human health, especially on the structural and functional activities of immune system. This study was carried out to examine the in vitro cytotoxic effects of Zinc on the Raji cell line. Materials and methods: The cell line was exposed to different concentrations of Zinc followed by incubation (37◦C, 5% Co2) at various time points (12 to 72 hrs). Viability and proliferation of Raji cells were then evaluated with florescent (10µl Ethidium-Bromide and Acridine-Orange) staining. Data were analyzed by SPSS (Dunnet and Variance Analysis tests). Results: There was not a significant difference in the response of the Raji cells to different amount of zinc up to 100µM at different incubation time points. At higher concentrations (200-500µM) of Zinc, viability diminished significantly at 12, 24 and more hrs of incubation time when compared to the controls (p<0.05). Conclusion: We conclude that Zn has dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on Raji cells and probably could be used for immune-modulation.