The effects of intravenous anesthetics on mouse embryonic fibroblast viability and proliferation

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the cytotoxic and antiproliferating effects of intravenous anesthetics on an mouse fibroblast in vitro cell culture system. The cells were exposed to the usual clinical plasma concentration of intravenous anesthetics, i.e., midazolam (0.15 μg/ml), propofol (2 μg/ml), remifentanil (2 μg/ml), thiopental (10 μg/ml), for 4, 8, or 24 h. Cell proliferation (n = 6 for each) under intravenous anesthetics was analyzed using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Cytotoxicity (n = 6 for each) of intravenous anesthetics was investigated using a LIVE/DEAD viability assay kit. Intravenous anesthetic exposure time did not affect the proliferation rate of mouse fibroblasts. The cytotoxicity of intravenous anesthetics did not differ in accordance with exposure time. Our results showed that intravenous anesthetics may not affect mouse fibroblast proliferation and viability.