Spectroscopic and biological activity studies of the chromium-binding peptide EEEEGDD.

While trivalent chromium has been shown at high doses to have pharmacological effects improving insulin resistance in rodent models of insulin resistance, the mechanism of action of chromium at a molecular level is not known. The chromium-binding and transport agent low-molecular-weight chromium-binding substance (LMWCr) has been proposed to be the biologically active form of chromium. LMWCr has recently been shown to be comprised of a heptapeptide of the sequence EEEEDGG.

Chromium (VI) induces both bulky DNA adducts and oxidative DNA damage at adenines and guanines in the p53 gene of human lung cells.

Chromium (VI) [Cr(VI)], a ubiquitous environmental carcinogen, is generally believed to induce mainly mutagenic binary and ternary Cr(III)-deoxyguanosine (dG)-DNA adducts in human cells. However, both adenine (A) and guanine (G) mutations are found in the p53 gene in Cr exposure-related lung cancer. Using UvrABC nuclease and formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg), and ligation-mediated PCR methods, we mapped the distribution of bulky DNA adducts (BDA) and oxidative DNA damage (ODD) in the p53 gene in Cr(VI)-treated human lung cells.

Oxovanadium ions bind transfer RNA at multiple sites.

Oxovanadium compounds exert preventive effects against chemical carcinogenesis in animals and form complexes with DNA and RNA in vivo. This study was designed to examine the interaction of transfer RNA (tRNA) with VO(2+) and VO₃⁻ ions in aqueous solution at physiological pH, with constant a tRNA concentration of 12.5 mM and different vanadium/RNA (P) (P = phosphate) molar ratios (r) of 1:60 to 1:2.

Recognition and incision of Cr(III) ligand-conjugated DNA adducts by the nucleotide excision repair proteins UvrABC: importance of the Cr(III)-purine moiety in the enzymatic reaction.

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is an ubiquitous environmental contaminant and a well-known etiological agent of human lung cancer. Inside human cells, Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III), which can conjugate with amino acids, ascorbic acids, and glutathiones in the cytoplasm. Conjugated and unconjugated Cr(III) can enter the nucleus to form adducts with DNA and electrostatically interact with the phosphate group of DNA.

Sequence specificity of Cr(III)-DNA adduct formation in the p53 gene: NGG sequences are preferential adduct-forming sites.

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a known etiological factor in human lung cancer. Cr(VI) exposure-related lung cancer has a high mutation incidence in the p53 gene. Upon intake in human cells Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III), which is able to conjugate with amino acids and consequently form either binary Cr(III)-DNA or ternary Cr(III)-amino acid-DNA adducts.