Alterations in the prooxidant and antioxidant status of human leukemic T-lymphocyte MOLT4 cells treated with potassium chromate

Abstract

The involvement of reactive oxygen species in chromate-induced genotoxicity has been postulated. Because intracellular antioxidants help in eliminating the reactive species of oxygen, we have investigated both the prooxidant and antioxidant status of human leukemic T-lymphocyte MOLT4 cells exposed to nontoxic levels of chromium(VI) in culture. The cells treated with 0 →200 μM potassium chromate in a salts/glucose medium for 2 h were found to contain significantly lower levels of both small molecular weight and macromolecular antioxidants. In particular, the levels of glutathione and ascorbate were found to decrease with increased doses of chromate exposure in a dose-dependent manner. As little as 10 μM chromate was found to decrease these small molecular weight antioxidants significantly (p2O₂ accumulation in cells exposed to chromium(VI). These results indicate that chromate-induced genotoxicity may be due, at least in part, to decreased levels of intracellular antioxidants in conjunction with an increased production of the reactive oxygen species.