Liposomes and MTT cell viability assay: an incompatible affair

Fabrizio Angius; Alice Floris

doi:10.1016/j.tiv.2014.11.009

Liposomes and MTT cell viability assay: an incompatible affair

Toxicol In Vitro. 2015 Mar;29(2):314-9. doi: 10.1016/j.tiv.2014.11.009. Epub 2014 Dec 3.

Authors

Fabrizio Angius¹, Alice Floris²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: fangius@unica.it.
² Department of Life and Environment Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy.

PMID: 25481524
DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2014.11.009

Abstract

The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay is commonly used to evaluate the cytotoxicity potential of drugs vehicled by liposomes. However, liposome delivering drugs could produce inconsistent values of MTT absorbance. On the basis of previous experiments demonstrating the MTT affinity for lipid droplets, this paper aims to show that empty-liposomes interfere, per se, on MTT assay due to its lipidic nature. This brings into question the use of MTT testing cytotoxicity when liposomes are involved in delivering drugs.

Keywords: Cell viability; Drugs; Liposomes; MTT assay.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biological Assay
Cell Survival / drug effects
Formazans / metabolism
HeLa Cells
Humans
Liposomes / pharmacology*
Tetrazolium Salts / metabolism
Tetrazolium Salts / pharmacology*
Thiazoles / pharmacology*

Substances

Formazans
Liposomes
Tetrazolium Salts
Thiazoles
MTT formazan
thiazolyl blue