Permeability, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity of Cr(III) complexes and some Cr(V) analogues in V79 Chinese hamster lung cells.

The permeabilities and genotoxicities of the Cr(III) complexes [Cr(en)3]3+, mer-[Cr(glygly)2]-, cis-[Cr(phen)2(OH2)2]3+, and trans-[Cr(salen)(OH2)2]+ and the Cr(V) analogues of cis-[Cr(phen)2(OH2)2]3+ and trans-[Cr(salen)(OH2)2]+ [en being 1,2-ethanediamine, glygly being glycylglycine, phen being 1,10-phenanthroline, and salen being N,N‘-ethylenebis(salicylideneiminato)] have been studied in V79 Chinese hamster lung cells. Following exposure of ∼106 cells to 0.4 mM Cr(III) for 4 h, the Cr uptake by single cells was less than 10-14 g/cell (as determined by GFAAS analysis and as confirmed by PIXE analysis where the Cr concentration was below the limit of detection). Importantly, the Cr(V) analogue of cis-[Cr(phen)2(OH2)2] was significantly more permeable than the Cr(III) complex. The cytotoxicity of the Cr(III) complexes increased in the following order:  mer-[Cr(glygly)2]- < [Cr(en)3]3+ ∼ cis-[Cr(phen)2(OH2)2]3+ < trans-[Cr(salen)(OH2)2]+. No genotoxic effects were observed following exposure to mer-[Cr(gl...