Evaluation of treatment for acute hexavalent chromium poisoning in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells with 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS).

Objectives

Chelating agents have been utilized in clinical settings to counteract various heavy metal poisonings, although there are currently no established medical guidelines supporting the use of the chelating agent 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS) for treating acute hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) poisoning.

Methods

Since systemic acute Cr(VI) poisoning has been associated with nephrotoxicity in clinical cases, this study utilized the immortalized human renal epithelial cell line HK-2 and primary proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTEC) as in vitro models to explore potential treatments.

Results

In the HK-2 cell model, cell viability dropped below 50% after exposure to 10 μmol/L Cr(VI) for 32 hours. Both simultaneous administration of 10 μmol/L Cr(VI) with 100 or 300 μg/mL DMPS and delayed treatment with DMPS after two hours effectively reduced Cr(VI)-induced cell death. Furthermore, in the RPTEC cell model, DMPS treatments ranging from 300 to 1000 μg/mL demonstrated significant protective effects on cell viability against Cr(VI) toxicity, mirroring the results observed in the HK-2 model. In contrast, meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid, another chelating agent, did not exhibit protective effects on HK-2 cells.

Conclusions

These findings support DMPS as a promising antidote for acute Cr(VI) poisoning in kidney cells and provide valuable insights for potential clinical applications.