Boron compounds reduce vanadium tetraoxide genotoxicity in human lymphocytes

Vanadium has potential medical and pharmacological uses although it may also show genotoxic effects. Biological effects of boron are defined, but its interaction with vanadium is not known for therapeutic uses. The objective of present study was especially to determine whether boron compounds (boric acid and borax) conferred the protection against vanadium(IV) tetraoxide genotoxicity. After the application of vanadium (5, 10 and 20 mg/l) and boron compounds (5 and 10 mg/l), blood cultures were assessed by genetic endpoints and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). According to our results, vanadium(IV) tetraoxide induced a reduction in proliferation index (PI). Besides, the frequencies of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs), micronuclei (MN) rates and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in peripheral lymphocytes were significantly increased by vanadium(IV) tetraoxide (10 and 20 mg/l) compared to controls. On the other hand, boric acid and borax did not show cytotoxic and genotoxic effects at the concentrations tested. Moreover, these compounds elevated TAC in erythrocytes. The order of anti-genotoxicity efficacy against vanadium was boric acid and borax, respectively. In conclusion, boron compounds have been shown to protect vanadium-induced DNA damage in vitro for the first time.