Evaluation of the potential genotoxicity of chromium picolinate in mammalian cells in vivo and in vitro

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology Vol. 45; no. 7; pp. 1097 - 1106
• Main Authors: Andersson, Maria A., Petersson Grawé, Kierstin V., Karlsson, Oskar M., Abramsson-Zetterberg, Lilianne A.G., Hellman, Björn E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2007; New York, NY Elsevier Science
• Subjects: animal models; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; bone marrow cells; Cell Count; Cell Line, Tumor; cell lines; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; chromium; Chromium picolinate; Comet Assay; dietary supplements; Dietary Supplements - toxicity; DNA Damage; DNA fragmentation; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Erythrocytes - drug effects; Erythrocytes - pathology; FARMACI; flow cytometry; Flow-cytometric micronucleus test; genotoxicity; hepatocytes; Hepatocytes - drug effects; Hepatocytes - pathology; Humans; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Leukemia L5178; lymphocytes; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - pathology; lymphoma; Male; Medical sciences; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective - chemically induced; Micronucleus Tests; Mouse and human lymphocytes; Mouse bone marrow cells; Mouse hepatocytes; Mouse lymphoma cells; Mutagenicity Tests; Mutagens - toxicity; nutrient intake; PHARMACY; Picolinic Acids - toxicity; toxicity testing; Toxicology; NQNO; PBS; DMSO; PSGP; i.p; Mouse bone marrow cells; HIFCS; Comet assay; Mouse and human lymphocytes; Chromium picolinate; Flow-cytometric micronucleus test; Mouse lymphoma cells; frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes; fMNPCE; HSSB; Mouse hepatocytes; RPMI; CrPic; Toxicity; Liver; Genotoxicity; Hepatocyte; Bone marrow; Tumor cell; Human; Evaluation; Micronucleus test; Digestive system; Rodentia; Heavy metal; In vivo; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Chromium; Lymphocyte
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2006.11.008

Chromium picolinate (CrPic) is a synthetic nutritional supplement primarily used for weight loss and muscle building. Recent studies have indicated that CrPic might be genotoxic and these findings together with the wide-spread consumer use, have increased the concern about its safety. In the present study we investigated the potential genotoxicity of CrPic in mice given a single intraperitoneal injection (up to 3 mg/kg b.wt.) by evaluating the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (fMNPCE) in peripheral blood, and DNA damage in lymphocytes and hepatocytes. The fMNPCE was evaluated after 42 h and DNA damage after 16 h. Using the Comet assay DNA damage was also monitored in extended-term cultures of human lymphocytes and in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells that had been exposed for 3 h to 500 μM CrPic under different exposure conditions. A slight, but significant CrPic-induced increase in DNA damage ( P < 0.001) was observed in the human lymphocytes, but only when these cells were exposed in the absence of serum. In all other experiments CrPic was found to be without genotoxic effects, both in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest that a high concentration of CrPic might be DNA damaging, but only under non-physiological conditions.