Genotoxicity of platinum and palladium compounds in human and bacterial cells

Platinum and palladium belong to the group of platinum elements and thus share many chemical properties. Platinum coordination complexes are known to be carcinogenic and genotoxic in mammalian and bacterial cells. However, little is known about palladium genotoxicity. This study compares and evaluates the genotoxic potential of selected platinum and palladium metal salts in mammalian and bacterial cells using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus test (MNT) with human lymphocytes and the bacterial SOS chromotest. Carboplatin, cisplatin(II), transplantin(II), PtCl4(IV), and K2PtCl4(II) caused a significantly elevated genotoxicity in the MNT and the SOS chromotest. The platinum compounds PtCl2(II) and K2PtCl6(IV), and the divalent palladium salts PdCl2(II), K2PdCl4(II), Pd(NH3)2J2(II), Pd(NH3)4Cl2(II), and transpalladium(II) were not genotoxic in the MNT nor in the SOS chromotest. Therefore, evidence for palladium genotoxicity seems to be low in mammalian and bacterial cells.