Effect of Vanadium Compounds on Growth and Development

The mechanism of vanadium interaction with growth and differentiation pathways has been extensively studied [70], In tissue culture systems, vanadium has been shown to inhibit growth and, in some cases, modify DNA synthesis to block the G2-to-M transition. Cells blocked at M phase are susceptible to apoptosis, which can be stimulated by vanadium compounds. Vanadium compounds have also been shown to have mitotic effects stimulating growth, cell proliferation, or cell transformation. In some cases, vanadium compounds were able to promote cellular differentiation. Clearly, the addition of vanadium compounds would not have all of these 

Vanadate compound addition to Syrian hamster embryo cells initiated some steps in the pathway leading to neoplasmic progression [76], Perhaps, this is caused by the growth advantage conferred by vanadate to cells undergoing this transformation process. Vanadate addition to multiple cell lines increased phosphotyrosine levels and induced reversible transformation, defined as the development of cancer-associated uncontrolled growth, without causing increases in phosphoinositol turnover [77], 

Experiments on the proliferative effects of vanadium compounds are not always clear. Results on the effect of vanadium compound administration on erythropoiesis, or development of red blood cells, have been mixed. A recent report has shown that orthovanadate stimulated erythropoiesis by stimulating the maturation of red blood cell precursors [78], Peroxovanadate addition is reported to stimulate neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells [79], whereas vanadate causes growth inhibition in these cells [70], 

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