Arsenic (As) is a global contaminant of terrestrial and aquatic environments posing concern for environmental and human health. The effects of subacute concentrations of arsenic trioxide (As-III) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V)) were examined using Crandell Rees feline kidney (CRFK), human hepatocellular carcinoma (PLC/PRF/5), and epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC). Whole monolayer with suffering cells (confluence 100%, pyknosis and refractive cells; value scale=2) led to identification of subacute As concentrations for the three cell lines. The selected As-III concentrations were 1.33 mu M for CRFK and 33.37 mu M for PLC/PRF/5 and EPC, at 48hr time point. The selected DMA(V) concentrations were 0.67mM for PLC/PRF/5, 1.33mM for CRFK, and 2.67mM for EPC for 48hr. Unlike the As-III test, the three cell lines did not exhibit marked susceptibility to DMA(V)-mediated toxicity. Several oxidative stress biomarker levels, directly or indirectly associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) elimination including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidases, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, glyoxalase I, glyoxalase II, and total glutathione, were determined in the three cell lines at 24 and 48hr. Antioxidant responses in metal-treated cells were significantly altered compared to controls, suggesting a perturbation of redox state. The weakening of antioxidant pathway in either healthy or tumoral cells was greater using As-III than DMA(V). Differences in level of several oxidative stress biomarkers suggest that the oxidative stress mechanism induced by As-III is distinctly different from DMA(V). Multifaceted mechanisms of action underlying ROS generation in tumor and nontumor cells versus As-III and DMA(V) exposure are thus involved. Since As-mediated toxicity is quite complex, more data regarding both oxidant-enhancement and oxidant-lowering strategies may be useful to improve knowledge regarding the influence of As on human and animal cells.