Clastogenic Effects of Ferrous Sulfate on Human Lymphocyte Chromosomes In Vitro

摘要

Iron is essential for normal cellular functions. However, iron has the potential to cause significant oxidative damage leading to mutagenesis. The aim of this study was to generate and evaluate genotoxic data for iron induced free radicals using in vitro chromosomal aberration assay in human lymphocyte culture. Iron's toxicity is largely based on its ability to catalyze the generation of radicals, which attack and damage cellular macromolecules and promote cell death and tissue injury. Iron sulfate is a common chemical element that is present in foods and beverages and that is used to treat iron deficiency anemia. Despite this, in humans, several alterations have been related to high Fe intake, especially neurodegenerative diseases; it can also cause genotoxic damage. This study examined the effect of FeSO_4·7H_2O on chromosomes in human lymphocyte culture. FeSO_4·7H_2O was added to peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures in vitro at three different concentrations: 1.5, 3.0 and 5μg/ml at 24, 48 and 72 hr of duration. Result shows that this drug induces moderate increase in the frequency of gaps, breaks, exchanges, dicentrics and rings in the chromatid and chromosome type aberrations with the increase in the concentrations of FeSO_4·7H_2O. Therefore it can be concluded that FeSO_4·7H_2O has moderate clastogenic effect on human chromosomes in vitro.