Dependence of the sister-chromatid exchange-inducing abilities of inorganic selenium compounds on the valence state of selenium

Abstract

Inorganic selenium (Se) compounds having Se of different valence states were tested for their abilities to induce sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in human whole blood cultures. The Se compounds tested (and their Se valence states) were: sodium selenide (Se 2−), selenium dioxide (Se 4+), selenium (Se 0), sodium selenate (Se 6+), and sodium selenite (Se 4+). Human whole blood cultures were exposed to concentrations of these compounds ranging from 1.12 × 10 −6–8.00 × 10 −5 M for the final 18 h of the 96-h incubation period. Only sodium selenate failed to induce SCEs at high concentrations. Of the 4 SCE-inducing Se compounds studied selenium was the most potent inducer of SCEs, and sodium selenite was the least effective SCE-inducing agent. The SCE-inducing abilities of the Se compounds in decreasing order of their effectiveness were: selenium > selenium dioxide > sodium selenide > sodium selenite > sodium selenate.