A single subdermal injection of CdCl2 or Pb(CH3COO)(2) results, togeth
er with remarkable changes in the blood cell pattern, in increased DNA
-protein cross-links in mouse leukocytes in 24 h; after 15 days the DN
A-protein cross-linking returned to the initial level. In contrast, af
ter injection of ZnSO4 a high level of DNA-protein cross-links is reta
ined during the whole observation period (15 days). In the studied ran
ge of doses the formation of DNA-protein cross-links is proportional t
o the logarithm of the dose.