Abstract
Chromim picolinate (CrPic) is used as a nutritional supplement to enhance insulin sensitivity, improve glucose blood levels and reduce weight. Despite its supposed safety, there have been conflicting reports over its potential cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in selected cell types.
Chromium picolinate is mostly administered orally and after its absorption in digestive system it acts in blood stream. Cells in digestive tract are therefore repeatedly exposed to this chemical and until now no study has addressed biological outcomes of such interactions.
The purpose of this work was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of exposure of normal colonic fibroblasts to CrPic over period of several weeks. Our results indicate that CrPic has weak genotoxic as well as epigenetic effects on colonic fibroblasts.
Furthermore, in thus exposed fibroblasts p38- dependent stress signalig is activated with resulting cell cycle disturbances, induced senescence and cellular degeneration bearing features of apoptosis and autophagic cell death. Specific pharmacological inhibition of these processes confirmed multivariate cellular stress response to CrPic and suggested that this chemical may potentially endanger cell populations in digestive system over longer-term use.