Antigenotoxic properties of selenium: Studies in the wing spot test in drosophila

The genotoxic activity of three selenium compounds (sodium selenite, sodium selenate, and selenious acid) and the antigenotoxic effects of sodium sele nite in combination with the chromium compound potassium dichromate were st udied using the wing spot test of Drosophila melanogaster, This assay is ba sed on the principle that the toss of heterozygosity of suitable recessive markers, multiple wing hairs (mwh) and flare-3 (flr(3)), can lead to the fo rmation of mutant clones of larval cells, which are then expressed as spots on the wings of the adult flies. Pretreatment and chronic cotreatment was comparatively used for the antigenotoxicity study. From the results obtaine d, It was evident that all selenium compounds are unable to increase the fr equency of any of the three categories of spots recorded (small, large, and twin spots). Nevertheless, the antigenotoxic effects of sodium selenite we re clearly demonstrated, in both cotreatment and pretreatment by a complete suppression of those clones induced by potassium dichromate. Therefore, th e D. melanogaster wing spot test was revealed to be a good assay, not only for evaluating genotoxic activity but also for detecting antigenotoxic effe cts in vivo. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.