Toluene, cell disruption

Toluene did not enhance morphological transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells by the SA7 adenovirus or, as reported in an abstract, disruption of gap-junctional intercellular communication in Chinese hamster V79 cells (Awogi et al., 1986). 

Surfactants disrupt the cell wall by solubilizing the lipids in the wall. Sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), sodium sulfonate, Triton X-100, and sodium taurocholate are examples of the surfactants often employed in the laboratory. Alkali treatment disrupts the cell walls in a number of ways including the saponification of lipids. Alkali treatment is inexpensive and effective, but it is so harsh that it may denature the protein products. Organic solvents such as toluene can also rupture the cell wall by penetrating the cell wall lipids, swelling the wall. When red blood cells or a number of other animal cells are dumped into pure water, the cells can swell and burst due to the osmotic flow of water into the cells. 

Central nervous system (CNS) depression caused by acute inhalation exposure to volatile aliphatic and aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons is generally thought to occur when the lipophilic parent hydrocarbon dissolves in nerve cell membranes and disrupts the function of membrane proteins by disrupting their lipid environment or by directly altering protein conformation. Oxidative metabolism of CNS-depressing hydrocarbons reduces their lipophilicity and represents a process that counteracts CNS-depression toxicity. More detailed information on this mechanism of toxicity can be found in ATSDR profiles on toluene (ATSDR 1994), ethylbenzene (ATSDR 1999a), and xylene (ATSDR 1995d). 

Cell lysis or autolysis Osmotic disruption of cell membrane under high osmotic pressure (usually 20% sucrose) or detergent. Autolysis (e.g. yeast) is generally carried out in the presence of toluene. 

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