Effects of several compounds on the chromium uptake from surrounding medium by HeLa cells

Radiochromium uptake from surrounding by HeLa cells was examined, the results were as follows: 1) The chromium uptake by the cells after a certain period of incubation in Ca-Mg free phosphate buffered solution (PBS) with radiosodiumchromate (Na251CrO4) was higher than that in serum free Eagle's minimum essential medium with the same concentration of the radiochromate. 2) When the various amount of L-ascorbic acid was added to the above radiochromate containing PBS, the chromium uptake by the cells decreased with dependence on the concentration of the acid in the surrounding medium. However, when sodiumthiosulfate was added to the medium, no remarkable effect was found. 3) When cells were incubated in the radiochromic chloride (51CrCl3) containing medium with 6.5 μg/ml of sodium oxalate, sodium acetate or sodium nitrate, the chromium uptake by the cells increased in comparison with the control. Above results suggested that the chromium uptake by the HeLa cells from surrounding medium was affected by several chemicals and the uptake or binding capacity of chromium was closely related to the reported cytotoxicity of the chromium compounds. (auth.)