[Effects of selenium on rat hepatocellular DNA damage induced by cadmium in vitro].

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to explore effects of selenium on rat hepatocellular DNA damage induced by cadmium in vitro. METHOD: Sodium selenite was added at concentrations of 8.75, 17.50 and 35.00 micromol/L respectively with cadmium chloride at the concentrations of 8.75, 17.50 and 35.00 micromol/L respectively and rat hepatocellular DNA damage was measured with single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). RESULTS: Sodium selenite at the concentration of 8.75 micromol/L inhibited DNA damage caused by cadmium chloride at the concentration of 8.75, 17.50 and 35.00 micromol/L in rat liver cells (P < 0.05). Although sodium selenite at 17.50 micromol/L inhibited DNA damage induced by cadmium chloride at 17.50 and 35.00 micromol/L, it did not inhibit DNA damage induced by cadmium chloride at 8.75 micromol/L. Sodium selenite at 35.00 micromol/L did not have antagonistic effects on DNA damage induced by cadmium chloride at 8.75, 17.50 and 35.00 micromol/L. In addition, sodium selenite at 8.75 micromol/L had the best antagonistic effect while cadmium chloride at 8.75 micromol/L, but the antagonistic effect of sodium selenite at 17.50 micromol/L was better than 8.75 micromol/L while cadmium chloride at 17.50 and 35.00 micromol/L. CONCLUSION: The antagonistic effect of selenium on rat hepatocellular DNA damage induced by cadmium related to the concentrations of selenium and also to the concentration ratio between selenium and cadmium.