Radiopacifiers do not induce genetic damage in murine fibroblasts: an in vitro study

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate whether several radiopacifiers are able to induce genetic damage in a laboratory cell culture study.

Methodology: Murine fibroblasts were exposed to barium sulphate, bismuth oxide or zirconium oxide, at final concentrations ranging from 10 to 1000 microg mL(-1) for 1 h at 37 degrees C. The negative control group was treated with a vehicle control [phosphate buffered solution (PBS)] for 1 h at 37 degrees C and the positive control group was treated with hydrogen peroxide (at 10 microM) for 5 min on ice. Genotoxicity data were assessed by the single-cell gel (comet) assay.

Results: All the tested compounds did not induce DNA breakage as depicted by the mean tail moment in all the concentrations analysed.

Conclusion: Exposure to the tested radiopacifiers may not be a factor that increases the level of DNA lesions in mammalian cells as detected by a single-cell gel (comet) assay.