Squalene inhibits sodium arsenite-induced sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei in Chinese hamster ovary-K1 cells.

Arsenic, widely distributed throughout our environment, is a well-established human carcinogen. We report here that squalene, a natural fish oil, is a potential agent in the reduction of sodium arsenite-induced sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronuclei in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells. Squalene dose-dependently inhibited sodium arsenite-induced SCE. At the highest concentration (160 microM), squalene reduced the SCE frequency from 8.85 to 6.47 SCEs per cell which is very close to the background level (5.82 SCEs per cell). Sodium arsenite dose-dependently induces micronuclei in CHO-K1 cells, and squalene at 80 microM significantly inhibits arsenite-induced micronuclei. However, squalene did not eliminate the killing effects of arsenite on the cells and only slightly decreased intracellular accumulation of arsenic.