Serum deprivation enhanced ethanol-induced toxic responses in A549, lung carcinoma cells

Aim: The current study explores the toxic consequences of ethanol on human lung carcinoma cell, A549 in serum-deprived condition. Methodology: Human lung carcinoma cells, A549, were cultured in complete and serum-deprived medium for 6 hr. Subsequently, they were exposed to 50 mM and 100 mM concentrations of ethanol. Cytotoxicity studies linked with cell viability, oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest and micronuclei formation were performed using various toxicological parameters, namely MTT assay, DCFDA based ROS generation, cell cycle analysis and micronuclei formation assay. The cytotoxicity of ethanol in complete and serum deprived medium were compared at similar doses and time duration. Results: The metabolic viability assay demonstrated that 50 mM and 100 mM concentration of ethanol did not induce significant levels of cytotoxic alteration in A549 lung carcinoma cells in complete medium. However, in serum-deprived conditions, 50 mM and 100 mM ethanol concentration significantly altered cell viability. Further, exposure of 50 mM and 100 mM concentration of ethanol enhanced reactive oxygen species levels in A549 cells more significantly in serum-deprived conditions than in complete medium. In addition to cytotoxicity and oxidative stress, 50 mM and 100 mM ethanol also arrested the cells at G0 phase more significantly in serum deprived conditions compared to complete medium. Interpretation: Both 50 mM and 100 mM ethanol concentration enhanced the cell cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species, cell cycle arrest and micronuclei formation more severely in serum-deprived medium than in complete medium (containing 10% FBS) under similar treatment conditions.