DNA--Protein Cross-Links in Leukocytes of Mice Induced by Zn, Cd, and Pb

A. N. Osipov,¹ V. D. Sypin,¹ G. Ya. Kolomijtseva,^2,3 O. G. Polsky,¹ and A. N. Ilyinov¹

¹United Ecological-Technological and Research Center on Neutralization of Radioactive Waste and Environmental Protection (MosNPO Radon), 7-i Rostovskii Pereulok 2/14, Moscow, 119121 Russia; fax: (095) 248-19-41.

²Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899 Russia; fax: (095) 939-31-81.

³To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Submitted February 3, 1997.

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

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KEY WORDS: DNA--protein cross-links, leukocytes, zinc, cadmium, lead.

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