Abstract

The protective effect of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) against the cytogenetic toxicity of heavy metals was investigated on human whole-blood cultures in relation to induction of sister chromatid exchange(SCE) in secondary metaphase chromosome. Methlmercury chloride (CH3HgCl), cadmium chloride (CdCl2), Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), and sodium selenite caused to the typically dose-dependent increase in sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) by the concentrations ranging from 0.3 micro M to 10 micro M. However, the inductions of sister chromatid exchanges by methymercury chloride or cadmium chloride were inhibited by the simultaneous addition of sodium selenite 1.2 micro M. The frequencies of SCE were decreased to the level of control in the molar ratios as 2 : 1, 1 : 1, 1 : 2, and 1 : 4 of selenium selenite vs. methylmercury chloride, and as 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 of selenium selenite vs. cadmium chloride, while the frequencies of SCE induced by potassium dichromate were not changed by the addition of sodium selenite in culture condition. Mitotic indices were decreased in the higher concentrations of chemicals and not significantly changed by the simultaneous addition of sodium selenite to the culture condition containing each chemicals.

• Keywords: selenium;sister chromatid exchange;heavy metals