Mutagenicity chromium

M. Branca, A. Dessi, H. Kozlowski, G. Micera, and M. V. Serra, In vitro interaction of mutagenic chromium(VI) with red blood cells, FEBS. Lett., 257 (1989) 52-54. 

The key to hexavalent chromium s mutagenicity and possible carcinogenicity is the abiHty of this oxidation state to penetrate the cell membrane. The Cr(VI) Species promotes DNA strand breaks and initiates DNA—DNA and DNA-protein cross-links both in cell cultures and in vivo (105,112,128—130). The mechanism of this genotoxic interaction may be the intercellular reduction of Cr(VI) in close proximity to the nuclear membrane. When in vitro reductions of hexavalent chromium are performed by glutathione, the formation of Cr(V) and glutathione thiyl radicals are observed, and these are beHeved to be responsible for the formation of the DNA cross-links (112). 

Under laboratory conditions, chromium is mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic to a wide variety of organisms, and Cr 6 has the greatest biological activity. However, information is lacking... 

At high environmental concentrations, chromium is a mutagen, teratogen, and carcinogen... 

Hatherill, J.R. 1981. A review of the mutagenicity of chromium. Drug Chem. Toxicol. 4 185-195. 

Nieboer, E. and S.L. Shaw. 1988. Mutagenic and other genotoxic effects of chromium compounds. Pages 399 441 in J.O. Nriagu and E. Nieboer (eds.). Chromium in the Natural and Human Environments. John Wiley, NY. 

The way in which the dominant reduction mechanism for chromate changes with the reaction conditions and how this is related to the toxicity of chromate is not as yet clear. As outlined above, the products of the reaction may depend on the mechanism of reduction and these, as yet, unidentified chromium complexes are probably the agents responsible for the mutagenicity of chromate. The substantial stability of the chromium(V) complexes and thiolate esters generated in the reaction of GSH with chromate suggests that if similar complexes were formed in vivo they would have time to reach many intracellular compartments and could hence be the crucial active intermediates in the toxicity of chromate. 

There is now much interest in the biology of chromium,1086"1088 which has been suggested to be involved not only in the action of insulin, but also in the activation of certain enzymes, and, possibly, the stabilization of nucleic acids. Chromium is also known to be carcinogenic and mutagenic at high concentrations, particularly as chromate. Chromate is reduced in rat liver microsomes to Crm and Crv. Crv is labile and may well be the carcinogenic form.1089... 

Bennicelli C, Camoirano A, Petruzzelli S, et al. 1983. High sensitivity of salmonella TA102 in detecting hexavalent chromium mutagenicity and its reversal by liver and lung preparations. Mutat Res 122 1-5. 

Beyersmann D, Koster A, Buttner B. 1985. Model reactions of chromium compounds with mammalian and bacterial cells. In MerianE, Fre RW, Hardi W, et al., eds. Carcinogenic and mutagenic metal compounds Environmental and analytical chemistry and biological effects. London, UK Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, 303-310. 

Blasiak J, Trzeciak A, Malecka-Panas E, et al. 1999. DNA damage and repair in human lymphocytes and gastric mucuosa cells exposed to chromium and curcumin. Teratogenesis Carcinog Mutagen 19 19-31. 

Braver ER, Infante P, Chu K. 1985. An analysis of lung cancer risk from exposure to hexavalent chromium. Teratog Carcinog Mutagen 5 365-378. 

Escobar P, Sicard DM, Alfonso E, et al. 1998. the comet assay and DNA damage in a human population exposed to chromium compounds. Environ Mol Mutagen 31(Suppl. 29) 72. 

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