T-2 toxin effect on cultured myocardial cells

Beat rate, contractility and viability of cultured myocardial cells perfused with solutions containing various concentrations of T-2 toxin were studied. While doses below 50 μg ml had no immediate effect, those above 250 μg ml decreased beat rate and amplitude. After 10-30 min of perfusion most cells stopped beating and did not restart after withdrawal of toxin. Nevertheless, most cells remained viable as judged by morphology and trypan blue exclusion. A 24-h exposure to doses of 5 or 2.5 μg ml of toxin decreased the beat rate and inotropic responses of the myocytes. After 48 h cell death ensued. Thus T-2 toxin has some direct toxicity to myocardial cells but the lethal dose seems too high to make this the cause of cardiovascular failure.