Inhibition and stimulation of enzymatic activities of human fibroblasts by corrosion products and metal salts

Fibroblasts from normal human skin were cultured for a period of 21 days in the absence or in the presence of metal ions. The effects of stainless steel (SS) corrosion products were compared to the effects of iron, chromium and nickel ions used either separately (Fe, Cr, or Ni solutions) or combined (Fe+Cr+Ni solution). At several periods of time (4, 7, 14 and 21 days) the cell cultures were analysed for the following parameters: (a) metal ion accumulation by atomic absorption spectrometry; (b) cell morphology and viability by the neutral red assay; (c) cell proliferation by DNA assessment, and enzyme activity by both (d) MTT reduction and (e) acid phosphatase activity. Results showed that SS-corrosion products and the corresponding metal ions combined at the same concentrations, Fe+Cr+Ni solution, had opposite effects on fibroblast cultures. In fact, SS-corrosion products caused no apparent effects on cell morphology nor on cell proliferation whereas Fe+Cr+Ni solution stimulated both neutral red uptake and cell proliferation. The enzymatic assays showed that SS-corrosion products caused inhibition of both MTT reduction and acid phosphatase activity in contrast to Fe+Cr+Ni solution which stimulated their activity. Furthermore, in all biological parameters studied, a strong association was observed between the effects of Fe+Cr+Ni solution and Cr alone, suggesting that Cr was the metal ion mostly involved in the stimulatory effects of the combined solution.