Dietary chromium and nickel enhance UV-carcinogenesis in skin of hairless mice

• Published in: Toxicology and applied pharmacology Vol. 221; no. 3; pp. 329 - 338
• Main Authors: Uddin, Ahmed N., Burns, Fredric J., Rossman, Toby G., Chen, Haobin, Kluz, Thomas, Costa, Max
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 15.06.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Administration, Oral; Animals; ANTIOXIDANTS; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; CARCINOGENESIS; CARCINOGENS; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; CHROMATES; CHROMIUM; Chromium Compounds - administration & dosage; Chromium Compounds - metabolism; Chromium Compounds - toxicity; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; DRINKING WATER; Environmental Exposure; Female; IRRADIATION; Male; Medical sciences; Metals and various inorganic compounds; MICE; Mice, Hairless; NEOPLASMS; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced - etiology; NICKEL; Nickel - administration & dosage; Nickel - metabolism; Nickel - toxicity; NICKEL CHLORIDES; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; POTASSIUM; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents - administration & dosage; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents - metabolism; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents - toxicity; selenium; Sex Factors; SKIN; Skin - metabolism; Skin - pathology; Skin Neoplasms - etiology; Solar UV; Statistics, Nonparametric; Sunlight - adverse effects; Toxicology; Trace Elements - administration & dosage; Trace Elements - metabolism; Trace Elements - toxicity; Ultraviolet Rays - adverse effects; VITAMIN E; selenium; Vitamin E; Chromium; Skin; Mice; Nickel; Solar UV; Cancer; Nutrition; Rodentia; Oral administration; Malignant tumor; E-Vitamins; Carcinogenesis; Feeding; Heavy metal; Micronutrient; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Diet; Mouse; Animal; Selenium
• ISSN: 0041-008X; 1096-0333
• DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2007.03.030

The skin cancer enhancing effect of chromium (in male mice) and nickel in UVR-irradiated female Skh1 mice was investigated. The dietary vitamin E and selenomethionine were tested for prevention of chromium-enhanced skin carcinogenesis. The mice were exposed to UVR (1.0 kJ/m 2 3× weekly) for 26 weeks either alone, or combined with 2.5 or 5.0 ppm potassium chromate, or with 20, 100 or 500 ppm nickel chloride in drinking water. Vitamin E or selenomethionine was added to the lab chow for 29 weeks beginning 3 weeks before the start of UVR exposure. Both chromium and nickel significantly increased the UVR-induced skin cancer yield in mice. In male Skh1 mice, UVR alone induced 1.9 ± 0.4 cancers/mouse, and 2.5 or 5.0 ppm potassium chromate added to drinking water increased the yields to 5.9 ± 0.8 and 8.6 ± 0.9 cancers/mouse, respectively. In female Skh1 mice, UVR alone induced 1.7 ± 0.4 cancers/mouse, and the addition of 20, 100 or 500 ppm nickel chloride increased the yields to 2.8 ± 0.9, 5.6 ± 0.7 and 4.2 ± 1.0 cancers/mouse, respectively. Neither vitamin E nor selenomethionine reduced the cancer yield enhancement by chromium. These results confirm that chromium and nickel, while not good skin carcinogens per se, are enhancers of UVR-induced skin cancers in Skh1 mice. Data also suggest that the enhancement of UVR-induced skin cancers by chromate may not be oxidatively mediated since the antioxidant vitamin E as well as selenomethionine, found to prevent arsenite-enhanced skin carcinogenesis, failed to suppress enhancement by chromate.