Metyrapone an inhibitor of cytochrome oxidases does not affect viability in a neuroblastoma cell model of bilirubin toxicity

摘要

BackgroundUnconjugated hyperbilirubinemia may cause brain damage in infants, and globally remains a source of neonatal morbidity and mortality. A significant inter-individual variability in vulnerability to bilirubin toxicity remains largely unexplained. An enzyme located in mitochondria oxidizes bilirubin. We hypothesized that inhibiting bilirubin oxidation in human neuronal cell cultures exposed to bilirubin would increase cell death.