Cytotoxic and clastogenic effects of soluble and insoluble compounds containing hexavalent and trivalent chromium.

Cr(III) and Cr(VI) compounds of varying solubilities have been tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit cell growth and nucleic acid and protein syntheses in BHK cells, to induce alterations in the mitotic cycle in HEp cells, and to increase the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in CHO cells. All Cr(VI) compounds, and particularly those containing soluble Cr(VI), such as potassium dichromate and zinc yellow, differentially inhibit macromolecular syntheses in BKH cells, that of DNA being always the most affected. Among Cr(III) compounds, which generally have very low cytotoxicity, chromite is particularly active, and inhibits cell growth and DNA synthesis even more than the poorly soluble Cr(VI) compounds. Preincubation in growth medium, with or without metabolizing cell cultures, solubilizes considerable amounts of Cr(VI) from zinc yellow and chromite, but significant amounts are also obtained from the most insoluble Cr(VI) pigments. When BHK cells are treated with such preincubated solutions, reduction of soluble Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by cell metabolites is seen with all Cr(VI) compounds, accompanied by decreased cytotoxicity. The same differences between Cr(VI) and Cr(III) compounds apply to the cytotoxic effects on mitosis of HEp cells and the clastogenic effects on CHO cells. The activity of chromite, the only Cr(III) pigment capable of significantly increasing the frequency of SCE, is due to contamination with soluble Cr(VI). In contrast to the very low cytotoxicity of Cr(III), much higher chromium levels are detected in the cells incubated with soluble Cr(III) than with the same concentrations of soluble Cr(VI). 50% and 75% of chromium accumulated in the cells during treatments with Cr(VI) and Cr(III) respectively remains firmly bound to the cells, even when they are incubated for up to 48 h in normal growth medium. Chromium accumulated in the cells after treatment with Cr(III) is most probably bound to the cell membrane, whereas some of the Cr(VI) is transported through the cell membrane and reduced in the cell nucleus. The results of the present investigation are in agreement with those obtained with the same Cr(VI) and Cr(III) compounds in mutagenicity assays in bacteria and carcinogenicity tests in rodents. A re-evaluation of the mechanisms of chromium carcinogenisis is proposed

Cytotoxic and clastogenic effects of soluble chromium compounds on mammalian cell cultures.

The inhibition of cell growth, the reduction of cell survival and the induction of chromosome aberrations and of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) have been determined in cultured hamster cell lines (BHK and CHO) treated with 11 water-soluble compounds of hexavalent and trivalent chromium. All Cr6+ compounds inhibit growth of BHK cells and reduce survival of CHO cells to levels comparable to those obtained only after exposure to 100--1000 times higher Cr3+ concentrations. The cytotoxicity curves obtained with the different Cr6+ compounds are almost overlapping, whereas marked differences of activity are noticeable among Cr3+ compounds. Giant cells are obtained after exposure to Cr6+ and Cr3+ compounds, as shown by the rise of DNA and RNA per cell, and are due to the blockage of the cell cycle without sudden inhibition of macromolecular syntheses. Both Cr6+ and Cr3+ compounds are able to induce chromosome aberrations, whereas Cr3+ is absolutely incapable of inducing SCE, only Cr6+ being active. The frequency of chromosome aberrations is increased about 10-fold after exposure to 1.0 micrograms/ml Cr6+, whereas it is only doubled after treatment with up to 150 micrograms/ml Cr3+. On the other hand, in spite of the sensitivity of CHO cells to the induction of SCE by mitomycin C, the frequency of SCE hardly doubles after exposure to Cr6+ compounds. The present data confirm that Cr6+ compounds are characterized by a marked cytotoxicity and clastogenic action on mammalian cell cultures and show that Cr3+ compounds, though cytotoxic only at extremely high concentrations and not increasing the frequency of SCE, are not completely without cytogenetic effect, as they are able to induce chromosome aberrations

Effect of Type of Birth, Breed of Sire and Postweaning Nutrition on Growth of Ewe Lambs. I. Growth Parameters

A research project was initiated in the fall of 1970 to evaluate the effect of breed of sire, level of postweaning nutrition, age at first breeding and type of birth on subsequent reproductive performance of the ewe. Data from the growth phase of lambs produced in this study from 1971 through 1975 are presented in this report

Effect of Breed of Sire, Level of Postweaning Nutrition and Type of Birth on Ewe Growth and Lambing Performance at 12, 24 and 36 Months of Age

A research project was designed and initiated in the fall of 1970 to evaluate the effect of breed of sire, level of pre- and postweaning nutrition, age at first breeding and type of birth on subsequent reproductive performance of the eww. The growth of the ewe, wool production and lambing performance data of the ewes at 12, 24, and 36 months of age will be reported in this paper

Cytotoxic Effects of Hexavalent and Trivalent Chromium on Mammalian Cells In Vitro

The cytotoxic effects of hexavalent (k2Cr2O7) and trivalent (CrCl3) chromium compounds have been studied in cultured hamster fibroblasts (BHK line) and human epithelial-like cells (HEp line)

Effect of Type of Birth, Breed of Sire and Postweaning Nutrition on Ewe Lambs. II. Production at 12 Months Age

The practice of breeding ewes to lamb at 12 months of age has not been widely accepted by commercial operators, even though previous research has indicated that it can be done successfully in some management systems. One reason for this might be that long-term effects on lifetime productivity have not been evaluated. This paper summarizes production performance during the first year of a lifetime study currently in progress. Data from 382 Suffolk Targhee and Targhee ewes born in 1971-1975 and developed under two different nutritional levels are included in this report. Subsequent lifetime production for these ewes will be reported when available

Induction of Parturition in Beef Cattle With Dexamethasone

In recent years many reports have shown that synthetic glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone (DXMS) and flumethasone will induce parturition in cattle when injected intramuscularly during various stages of gestation. A study was conducted at South Dakota State University to determine, under field conditions, the effectiveness of DXMS coupled with estradiol on the precision of parturition induction, the incidence of retained placentas and subsequent reproductive performance of beef cows

Dynamics and hysteresis in square lattice artificial spin-ice

Dynamical effects under geometrical frustration are considered in a model for artificial spin ice on a square lattice in two dimensions. Each island of the spin ice has a three-component Heisenberg-like dipole moment subject to shape anisotropies that influence its direction. The model has real dynamics, including rotation of the magnetic degrees of freedom, going beyond the Ising-type models of spin ice. The dynamics is studied using a Langevin equation solved via a second order Heun algorithm. Thermodynamic properties such as the specific heat are presented for different couplings. A peak in specific heat is related to a type of melting-like phase transition present in the model. Hysteresis in an applied magnetic field is calculated for model parameters where the system is able to reach thermodynamic equilibrium.Comment: Revised versio

Hantavirus infection in children in Argentina.

Clinical hantavirus infection was diagnosed in five Argentine children ages 5 to 11 years by immunoglobulin M (IgM)- capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using Sin Nombre virus (SNV) antigens. Death in three of the children was associated with absence of detectable IgG to SNV antigens. An additional two cases in healthy children were studied: one, a breast-fed 15-month-old whose mother died of suspected hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) 8 months previously, had hantavirus IgG (> 1:6400); a second, whose mother survived HPS during month three of pregnancy, apparently had maternal antibodies no longer detectable 1 year after birth