Dependence of the sister-chromatid exchange-inducing abilities of inorganic selenium compounds on the valence state of selenium.
Inorganic selenium (Se) compounds having Se of different valence states were tested for their abilities to induce sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in human whole blood cultures. The Se compounds tested (and their Se valence states) were: sodium selenide (Se(2-)), selenium dioxide (Se(4+)), selenium (Se(0)), sodium selenate (Se(6+)), and sodium selenite (Se(4+)). Human whole blood cultures were exposed to concentrations of these compounds ranging from 1.12 X 10(-6)-8.00 X 10(-5) M for the final 18 h of the 96-h incubation period. Only sodium selenate failed to induce SCEs at high concentrations. Of the 4 SCE-inducing Se compounds studied selenium was the most potent inducer of SCEs, and sodium selenite was the least effective SCE-inducing agent. The SCE-inducing abilities of the Se compounds in decreasing order of their effectiveness were: selenium > selenium dioxide > solium selenide > sodium selenite > sodium selenate.