Characterization of a protein-based filtering cartridge for the removal of atrazine-induced effects on living cultured cells.

Chronic exposure to atrazine (ATR) raises concerns about adverse effects on reproductive functions, we tested our previously validated filtering device, the OBP-based filter, onto a biological model constituted of cultured swine granulosa cells treated for 48 h with media conditioned with 0.1 or 10 µM ATR evaluating cell viability and steroidogenesis. The tested atrazine concentrations did not change granulosa cell viability and no filtering effects was observed following treatments with media prepared with differently filtered water. As for steroidogenesis, treatment of water with OBP -based filter containing 10 µM atrazine completely suppressed the stimulatory effect of 10 µM atrazine on progesterone production as well as the inhibitory effect of 0.1 µM ATR on estradiol-17β production by granulosa cells. Our data demonstrate that the impairment of steroidogenesis induced by ATR is effectively removed after water filtration in the experimental device thus suggesting potential use in biotechnological applications on living cells and/or organisms.