Benzene ; toxicity ; Carcinogens ; toxicity ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Leukemia ; chemically induced ; genetics

Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; DNA Damage ; Female ; Humans ; Micronucleus Tests ; Nursing Staff, Hospital ; Occupational Exposure

Adult ; Arsenic ; pharmacology ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged

Benzene and toluene have been widely employed as industrial solvents in Korea. However, they have recently been identified as cytogenetic toxic agents. This study is to observe the cytogenetic toxicities of benzene and toluene singularly and combined. The following concentrations of solvents were administered twice intraperitoneally to Sprague-Dawley rats: low concentration (11mg/Kg benzene and 108.75mg/Kg toluene), middle concentration (220mg/Kg benzene and (217.5mg/Kg toluene), and high concentration (440mg/Kg benzene and 435mg/Kg toluene). A low concentration represents the short term exposure limit of industrial workers. To examine the cytogenetic effects of the above solvents, the micronucleus test and the metaphase analysis were conducted followed by a statistical analysis based on non-parametric methods such as the Kruskal-Wallis multi sample test and the distribution free multiple comparison test A low concentration of benzene did not produce significant changes, however the two higher concentration of benzene showed clear signs of cytogenetic toxicities of bone marrow cells (i.e., the micronucleus occurrence rate and the chromosomal aberration rate were increased and the polychromatic erythrocyte percentage was decreased). While a low concentration of toluene produced no significant changes, the two higher concentrations of toluene showed similar signs of cytogenetic toxicities to bone marrow cells but to a somewhat lesser degree than benzene. When benzene and toluene were administered simultaneously at the two higher concentrations in order to observe their combined effects, all three signs of cytogenetic toxicities of bone marrow cells were decreased to a greater degree than the administration of benzene only. However, there were no significant reduction in the cytogenetic toxicities when benzene and toluene were simultaneously administered at low concentration. The above results showed that higher concentration of benzene and toluene displayed cytogenetic toxicities but showed competitive inhibition when they were administered simultaneously. However, there were no significant changes at low concentrations.
Animal ; Benzene/toxicity* ; Bone Marrow/pathology* ; Chromosome Aberrations/chemically induced* ; Chromosome Disorders ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Strains ; Toluene/toxicity*

OBJECTIVESTo observe the effects of chlorotriptolide (T4) and triptonide (T7) on the chromosome aberration and micronuclei rates of bone marrow cell in male SD rats.

METHODSAntifertility doses of T4[80 micrograms/(kg.d)] or T7[317 micrograms/(kg.d)] were given to male rats per OS for 10 weeks. Bone marrow slides were then prepared and compared with the controls.

RESULTSThe chromosome aberration and micronuclei rates were not significantly different from those of the controls (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe results were in accordance with our previous reports about the effects of T4 and T7 on the chromosome aberration and micronuclei rates of rat spermatogenic cells. At the antifertility doses, T4 and T7 did not show a mutagenic effect.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Epoxy Compounds ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; genetics ; Male ; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective ; drug effects ; Phenanthrenes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate their genotoxic risk in nurses occupationally exposed to antineoplastic drugs with chromosomal aberration test and cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test.

METHODSSixteen nurses in the exposure group were selected from the oncology department of the same hospital, with an average length of exposure of 5.5 years and daily making 8.25 chemotherapeutic preparations in average. The controls were students from a nursing school. Peripheral blood from both groups was cultured at 37 degrees C for 48 h and 72 h, respectively, and then slides were prepared for conventional chromosomal aberration test and CBMN test. One hundred blood cells in metaphase and 1 000 binuclear lymphocytes in each sample were observed under microscope.

RESULTSThe results showed that the mean chromosomal aberration rate in the exposure group was (6.38 +/- 3.30)%, significantly higher than that in the controls (1.25 +/- 0.93)% (P < 0.01). And, the mean micronucleated cell rate in the exposure group was (15.06 +/- 5.30) per thousand, very significantly higher than that in the controls (4.56 +/- 1.67) per thousand (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe investigation indicated that chromosome damage rate in the nurses from oncology department was higher than that in the controls, which may be related to their occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; Female ; Humans ; Micronucleus Tests ; Mutagens ; adverse effects ; Nurses ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the genetic abnormalities of fetuses with congenital heart diseases (CHD), and to provide guidance for the management of pregnancy and genetic counseling.

METHODSEighty-one fetuses with CHD detected by fetal echocardiography were analyzed by karyotyping after amniocentesis, cordocentesis or chorionic sampling. Then 22q11.2 deletion/duplication was detected by a competitive fluorescent multiplex short tandem repeat assay in 47 CHD fetuses without chromosomal abnormalities. With fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using LSI dual color DNA probe, the deletion/duplication status was confirmed.

RESULTSThirty-four of 81 CHD fetuses had chromosomal anomalies, and 1 of the 47 CHD fetuses without chromosomal anomalies had duplication at chromosome 22q11. The incidence of aneuploidy associated CHD was 43.2%. The rate of chromosomal anomalies is higher in the cases associated with extra-cardiac anomalies than in that with isolated CHD (64.5% versus 28.0%). In the 35 fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities, 19 (54.3%) were trisomy 18.

CONCLUSIONChromosomal abnormalities occurred in 43.2% of CHD cases and trisomy 18 is the most common aneuploidy. The likelihood of chromosomal anomaly increases when there is extracardiac involvement. Testing for the 22q11.2 microdeletion/duplication is recommended in all CHD fetuses without chromosomal anomalies. It is important for the further management of pregnancy and genetic counseling.

Adult ; Amniocentesis ; methods ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; classification ; Female ; Fetal Development ; genetics ; Gestational Age ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; diagnostic imaging ; genetics ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Pregnancy ; Trisomy ; physiopathology ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal

OBJECTIVEIt aims to study potential genotoxicity of almond skins.

METHODSA bacterial reverse mutation assay was performed on S. typhimurium strains TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102, and TA1535 in the absence or presence of S-9 mixture at a dose range of 312.5 to 5 000 μg/plate. A micronucleus test and a mammalian bone marrow chromosome aberration tests were performed in Swiss Albino (CD-1) mice at doses of 625, 1 250, and 2 500 mg/kg bw used.

RESULTSAlmond skins exerted no mutagenic activity in various bacterial strains of Salmonella typhimurium in either the absence or the presence of metabolic activation at all doses tested. Various doses of almond skins did not affect the proportions of immature to total erythrocytes, the number of micronuclei in the immature erythrocytes, or the number of structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations of Swiss albino mice.

CONCLUSIONAlmond skins are not genotoxic under the conditions of the in vitro bacterial reverse mutation assay and two in vivo tests - micronucleus test and mammalian bone marrow chromosome aberration test, which supports the safety of almond skins for dietary consumption.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Micronucleus Tests ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Salmonella typhimurium ; drug effects ; Seeds ; chemistry

The toxicity of acrylamide was evaluated through mutagenicity of Salmonella, chromosome aberration of Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts, micronucleus formation in mice and reproductive toxicity in rats. Based on Ames test, acrylamide showed mutagenic potency for strains TA98 and TA100. Moreover, both chromosomal aberration assay and micronucleus assay indicated that acrylamide might have genotoxic potency; the chromosomal aberration frequencies were observed to be proportional to acrylamide concentrations of 5-50 mM, and acrylamide significantly increased micronuclei in peripheral blood cells of mice at doses of higher than 72.5 mg/kg. Male rats were treated with acrylamide at doses of 0, 5, 15, 30, 45, or 60 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days, and the toxicity of acrylamide was observed. In the group treated with the highest dose of acrylamide (60 mg/kg/day), the loss of body weight and reduced testis weight were observed. Also the epididymides weights were reduced significantly in all the groups treated with acrylamide. The number of sperms in cauda epididymidis decreased significantly in an acrylamide dose-dependent manner. Rats treated with 60 mg/kg/day of acrylamide showed several histopathological lesions in the seminiferous tubules. There were thickening and multiple layering of the tubular endothelium, and the formation of many multinucleated giant cells in seminiferous tubules. Taken together, acrylamide not only causes the genotoxicity of eukaryotic cells and mice but also shows the toxicological effects on reproductive system in male rats.
Acrylamide/*toxicity ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Carcinogens/*toxicity ; Chromosome Aberrations/chemically induced ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Epididymis/*drug effects/pathology ; Histocytochemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Micronucleus Tests ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Organ Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminiferous Tubules/*drug effects/pathology ; Sperm Count

OBJECTIVETo determine the interaction between 2450-MHz microwaves (MW) radiation and mitomycin C (MMC).

METHODSThe synergistic genotoxic effects of low-intensity 2450-MHz microwave and MMC on human lymphocytes were studied using single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay (comet assay) and cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) test in vitro. The whole blood cells from a male donor and a female donor were either only exposed to 2450-MHz microwaves (5.0 mW/cm2) for 2 h or only exposed to MMC (0.0125 microgram/mL, 0.025 microgram/mL and 0.1 microgram/mL) for 24 h; and the samples were exposed to MMC for 24 h after exposure to MW for 2 h.

RESULTSIn the comet assay, the comet lengths (29.1 microns and 25.9 microns) of MW were not significantly longer than those (26.3 microns and 24.1 microns) of controls (P > 0.05). The comet lengths (57.4 microns, 68.9 microns, 91.4 microns, 150.6 microns, 71.7 microns, 100.1 microns, 145.1 microns) of 4 MMC groups were significantly longer than those of controls (P < 0.01). The comet lengths (59.1 microns, 92.3 microns, 124.5 microns, 182.7 microns and 57.4 microns, 85.5 microns, 137.5 microns, 178.3 microns) of 4 MW plus MMC groups were significantly longer than those of controls too (P < 0.01). The comet lengths of MW plus MMC groups were significantly longer than those of the corresponding MMC doses (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) when the doses of MMC were > or = 0.025 microgram/mL. In the CBMN, the micronucleated cell (MNC) rates of MW were 5@1000 and 6@1000, which showed no difference compared with those (4@1000 and 4@1000) of controls (P > 0.05). The MNC rates of 4 MMC groups were 8@1000, 9@1000, 14@1000, 23@1000 and 8@1000, 8@1000, 16@1000, 30@1000 respectively. When the doses of MMC were > or = 0.05 microgram/mL, MNC rates of MMC were higher than those of controls (P < 0.05). MNC rates of 4 MW plus MMC groups were 12@1000, 13@1000, 20@1000, 32@1000 and 8@1000, 9@1000, 23@1000, 40@1000. When the doses of MMC were > or = 0.05 microgram/mL, MNC rates of MW plus MMC groups were much higher than those of controls (P < 0.01). MNC rates of 4 MW plus MMC groups were not significantly higher than those of the corresponding MMC doses.

CONCLUSIONThe low-intensity 2450-MHz microwave radiation can not induce DNA and chromosome damage, but can increase DNA damage effect induced by MMC in comet assay.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; adverse effects ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Micronucleus Tests ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Mitomycin ; adverse effects ; Mutagenicity Tests