title: Induction of micronuclei by zinc in human leukocytes: a study using cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay.
abstract: In the present study, we report the results of the capability of zinc chloride for the induction of micronuclei in cultured human leukocytes using cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. Two concentrations of zinc chloride (1.5 x 10(-4) M and 3.0 x 10(-4) M) were used to evaluate the potential of this zinc salt to induce micronucleus formation. This effect was compared with positive (mitomycin C treated) and negative controls (no salt added). Our results show a significant (p < or = 0.001) increase of micronucleated cytokinesis-blocked cells (MNCBs) in zinc-chloride-treated cells compared to the negative control. Induction of MNCBs was not in a dose-dependent manner for zinc chloride concentrations tested. This report is the first to describe the efficiency of cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay to evaluate the genotoxic effects of zinc salt.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Vivekananda Institute of Medical Sciences, Calcutta, India.
authors.forename: Madhumita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santra
authors.forename: Swapan Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Geeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Talukder
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002712:Chlorides / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000187:drug effects*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C016837:zinc chloride