The effect of zinc sulphate and zinc carnosine on genome stability and cytotoxicity in the WIL2-NS human lymphoblastoid cell line

Zinc (Zn) is an essential cofactor required by numerous enzymes that are essential for cell metabolism and the maintenance of DNA integrity. We investigated the effect of Zn deficiency or excess on genomic instability events and determined the optimal concentration of two Zn compounds that minimize DNA-damage events. The effects of Zn sulphate (ZnSO 4) and Zn carnosine (ZnC) on cell proliferation were investigated in the WIL2-NS human lymphoblastoid cell line. DNA damage was determined by the use of both the comet assay and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-Cyt) assay. Zn-deficient medium (0 μM) was produced using Chelex treatment, and the two Zn compounds (i.e. ZnSO 4 and ZnC) were tested at concentrations of 0.0, 0.4, 4.0, 16.0, 32.0 and 100.0 μM. Results from an MTT assay showed that cell growth and viability were decreased in Zn-depleted cells (0 μM) as well as at 32 μM and 100 μM for both Zn compounds ( P < 0.0001). DNA strand-breaks, as measured by the comet assay, were found to be increased in Zn-depleted cells compared with the other treatment groups ( P < 0.05). The CBMN-Cyt assay showed a significant increase in the frequency of both apoptotic and necrotic cells under Zn-deficient conditions ( P < 0.0001). Elevated frequencies of micronuclei (MNi), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and nuclear buds (NBuds) were induced in Zn-depleted cells ( P < 0.0001), whereas genome damage was reduced in supplemented cultures for both Zn compounds at 4 μM and 16 μM, possibly suggesting that these concentrations may be optimal for genome stability. The potential protective effect of ZnSO 4 and ZnC was also investigated following exposure to 1.0 Gy γ-radiation. Culture in medium containing these compounds at 4–32 μM prior to irradiation displayed significantly reduced frequencies of MNi, NPBs and NBuds compared with cells maintained in 0 μM medium ( P < 0.0001). Expression of γ-H2AX and 8-oxoguanine glycosylase measured by western blotting was increased in Zn-depleted cells. These results suggest that Zn plays important role in genomic stability and that the optimal Zn concentration-range for prevention of DNA damage and cytotoxicity in vitro lies between 4 and 16 μM.