title: Vanadate induces DNA strand breaks in cultured human fibroblasts at doses relevant to occupational exposure.
abstract: To study possible genotoxic effects of occupational exposure to vanadium pentoxide, we determined DNA strand breaks (with alkaline comet assay), 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and the frequency of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in whole blood leukocytes or lymphocytes of 49 male workers employed in a vanadium factory in comparison to 12 non-exposed controls. In addition, vanadate has been tested in vitro to induce DNA strand breaks in whole blood cells, isolated lymphocytes and cultured human fibroblasts of healthy donors at concentrations comparable to the observed levels of vanadium in vivo. To investigate the impact of vanadate on the repair of damaged DNA, co-exposure to UV or bleomycin was used in fibroblasts, and DNA migration in the alkaline and neutral comet assay was determined. Although, exposed workers showed a significant vanadium uptake (serum: median 5.38microg/l, range 2.18-46.35microg/l) no increase in cytogenetic effects or oxidative DNA damage in leukocytes could be demonstrated. This was consistent with the observation that in vitro exposure of whole blood leukocytes and lymphocytes to vanadate caused no significant changes in DNA strand breaks below concentrations of 1microM (50microg/l). In contrast, vanadate clearly induced DNA fragmentation in cultured fibroblasts at relevant concentrations. Combined exposure of fibroblasts to vanadate/UV or vanadate/bleomycin resulted in non-repairable DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) as seen in the neutral comet assay. We conclude that exposure of human fibroblasts to vanadate effectively causes DNA strand breaks, and co-exposure of cells to other genotoxic agents may result in persistent DNA damage.
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational Medicine, University Hospital/AKH, University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Austria. sabine.ivancsits@akh-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ivancsits
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilger
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Diem
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.forename: Hugo W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Rüdiger
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000328:Adult; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D020552:Comet Assay; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D017968:Vanadium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D017968:Vanadium Compounds; D001761:Bleomycin; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D004247:DNA; C066075:vanadium pentoxide; D003849:Deoxyguanosine