Protective Effect of Zinc on Cadmium Induced DNA Damage in Lymphocytes

Objective To study the protective effect of zinc on cadmium induced DNA damage in lymphocytes.Methods Mice were injected intraperitoneally with water solution of zinc sulfate by different dose(1.25,2.50,(5.00 mg/kg))and cadmium chloride(2.50 mg/kg)simultaneously.After exposing 24 h and 48 h,the peripheral blood and thymus were obtained and the single cell gel eletrophoresis(SCGE)was used to study the protective effect of different doses of zinc on cadmium-induced DNA damage in mouse peripheral lymphocytes and thymus lymphocytes.Results The average length of DNA migration of cadmium group was significantly higher than that of control group(P0.05).Varied dose of zinc and cadmium exposed simultaneously for(24 h) or(48 h),the average length of DNA migration of peripheral lymphocytes and thymus lymphocytes decreased significantly compared to cadmium group(P0.05).Conclusions The results suggest that zinc has a protective effect on cadmium induced DNA damage in lymphocytes.