Studies on the genotoxicity of chromium: from the test tube to the cell

A critical review of the relevance of in vitro chemical studies to Cr-induc ed cancers is given. In particular, the nature of the most likely reductant s. the species that stabilise intermediates and the mechanisms of DNA damag e and damage to transcription proteins are discussed. It is concluded that the major damaging species responsible for the genotoxicity include Cr(V), Cr(IV) and/or reactive organic intermediates, These studies on the chemistr y are also related to spectroscopic and other studies on mammalian cells. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.