Genotoxicity of tri- and hexavalent chromium compounds in vivo and their modes of action on DNA damage in vitro

Zhijia Fang; Min Zhao; Hong Zhen; Lifeng Chen; Ping Shi; Zhiwei Huang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103194

Genotoxicity of tri- and hexavalent chromium compounds in vivo and their modes of action on DNA damage in vitro

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 11;9(8):e103194. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103194. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Zhijia Fang¹, Min Zhao¹, Hong Zhen², Lifeng Chen², Ping Shi², Zhiwei Huang¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Chromium occurs mostly in tri- and hexavalent states in the environment. Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] compounds are extensively used in diverse industries, and trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] salts are used as micronutrients and dietary supplements. In the present work, we report that they both induce genetic mutations in yeast cells. They both also cause DNA damage in both yeast and Jurkat cells and the effect of Cr(III) is greater than that of Cr(VI). We further show that Cr(III) and Cr(VI) cause DNA damage through different mechanisms. Cr(VI) intercalates DNA and Cr(III) interferes base pair stacking. Based on our results, we conclude that Cr(III) can directly cause genotoxicity in vivo.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Buffers
Chromium / chemistry*
Chromium / toxicity*
DNA Cleavage / drug effects
DNA Damage*
DNA, Fungal / genetics
DNA, Fungal / metabolism
Dithiothreitol / pharmacology
Humans
Jurkat Cells
Mutagens / chemistry*
Mutagens / toxicity*
Mutation / drug effects
Saccharomyces cerevisiae / drug effects
Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
Temperature

Substances

Buffers
DNA, Fungal
Mutagens
Chromium
chromium hexavalent ion
Dithiothreitol

Grants and funding

This work was sponsored by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31100549, PS), Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars(PS, ZH), State Education Ministry and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2232014A3-03, ZH and 222201313010, PS), the National Special Fund for State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering (2060204, PS). The funders had a role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, and preparation of the manuscript.