Toxic effects of hexane derivatives on cultured rat Schwann cells

The cytotoxic effects of the following five hexane-related compounds were examined on Schwann cell DNA synthesis: 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD), 2-hexanol (2-OH), 2-hexanone (MnBK), 2,5-dimethylfuran (DF) and gamma-valerolactone (VL). Schwann cells were isolated from the sciatic nerves of neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured. [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation into Schwann cell nuclei was measured by scintillation spectrometry and autoradiography when hexane derivatives were added to the culture medium. All of the hexane-related compounds suppressed [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation in a concentration-dependent manner. DF was the most cytotoxic for the inhibition of Schwann cell DNA synthesis among the compounds. The finding suggests that DF-mediated cytotoxicity should be taken into account as a possible additional mechanism of hexane intoxication, especially in the impairment of mitotic cells.