Are short-term genetic tests useful for predicting carcinogenicity? A panel discussion revisited.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J M Gentile.
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Using specific inhibitors, a plant cell/microbe coincubation assay was employed to investigate biochemical mechanisms of plant activation. The biological endpoints of mutation induction, inhibition of mutagenicity and viability of the plant-activating system as well as viability of the microbiological indicator were simultaneously assayed from the same reaction tube. We investigated six inhibitors of monooxygenases and oxidases (diethyldithiocarbamate, methimazole, metyrapone, (+)-catechin, 7,8-benzoflavone and potassium cyanide). The activation of 2-aminofluorene by TX1 cells was mediated by an enzyme system(s) that was inhibited by microM amounts of diethyldithiocarbamate or 7,8-benzoflavone. (+)-Catechin (at low concentrations) or methimazole enhanced the activation of 2-aminofluorene while higher concentrations of (+)-catechin were inhibitory. These data indicate that a significant pathway of the plant activation of 2-aminofluorene is via a cytochrome P-448-type N-hydroxylase. The presence of a FAD-dependent monooxygenase was not detected.
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The preincubation and suspension procedures of the plant cell/microbe coincubation assay are described and the activation of 2-aminofluorene and m-phenylenediamine by cultured tobacco, cotton, carrot and maize cells is compared. The assay measures the plant activation of promutagens into genotoxins detected in Salmonella typhimurium as well as toxicity in plant and microbial cells. At concentrations of 2-aminofluorene 0-0.5 mumoles/reaction tube, the rank order of the efficiency of activation by plant cells was tobacco much greater than cotton greater than carrot. Cultured maize cells did not activate 2-aminofluorene. The tobacco cell activation of 2-aminofluorene was inhibited 50% by 750 microM diethyldithiocarbamate under conditions that did not affect the cell viability. Tobacco cells were also the most efficient plant cells in activating m-phenylenediamine (0-5 mumoles/reaction tube). The 'biological affinity' of m-phenylenediamine for the activation system in tobacco cells was approximately 100 microM.
In this study, we expanded the use of the genus Tradescantia to investigate the plant activation of promutagens and further refine the methodology of the plant cell/microbe coincubation assay. Liquid suspension cell cultures of Tradescantia clone 03 and Tradescantia clone 4430 were used to activate the promutagen m-phenylenediamine into a mutagenic compound which was detected by Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 in the plant cell/microbe coincubation assay. Optimum treatment parameters were established for both plant cell lines. Optimum was defined as the lowest concentration or shortest time period that provided consistently positive results and high rates of revertants. Preliminary experiments with both cell lines defined 2.5 mumoles m-phenylenediamine per plate as the optimum concentration to be used in the determination of the optimal coincubation period and the optimal concentration of plant cells. These experiments also determined the optimal physiological stage at which both clones should be used in the coincubation assay. Differences were found in the optimal of coincubation (1h for clone 03, 2 h for clone 4430) and growth stage (mid-log for clone 03, mid- to late-log for clone 4430). Similar activation responses were seen for both clones when the concentration of plant cells (mg/ml) was varied. Under optimized conditions, clone 03 cells demonstrated an approximately 10% higher activation response than clone 4430.
A water-soluble extract from maize plants exposed to 3 s-triazine herbicides (atrazine, simazine and cyanazine) has been shown to be mutagenic in strain TA100 of Salmonella. No mutagenic activity was observed in any control plant extracts using either water or a variety of organic solvents. Gel permeation studies of the extracts suggest that the mutagen(s) are small molecules (less than 1000 MW). HPLC fractionation suggests that the mutagens formed from each of the 3 herbicides are similar in polarity and water solubility, eluting in a 50/50 water:methanol fraction. Approximately 89% of 14C-labeled HPLC chromatographable metabolites of atrazine were also associated with this fraction, suggesting a close chemical link between a labeled but unidentified metabolite and the mutagenic activity.
Tobacco, cotton, and carrot plant cell suspension cultures activated the promutagen m-phenylenediamine into a mutagen as detected by Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 with the use of the plant cell/microbe coincubation assay. For each cell line, mid-log phase plant cells at a density of 100-150 mg/ml were coincubated for 1 hr with concentrations of m-phenylenediamine that ranged from 0.1 to 10 mumol per reaction tube in the preincubation test of the plant cell/microbe coincubation assay. Further experiments were conducted to optimize the activation response for each plant cell line. The density of plant cells in the reaction mixture, the time of coincubation of the reaction mixture, and the stage of the growth curve at which the plant cells were harvested for use in the reaction mixture all affected the response. Experiments that used the conditions determined as optimum for each plant cell line were then conducted. With each cell line, the optimized conditions enhanced the activation response that had been observed with the preliminary conditions. A ranking order based on the concentration-response curves indicated a relationship of tobacco cells much greater than carrot cells greater than cotton cells. Tobacco cells were able to activate m-phenylenediamine into a mutagen at concentrations of less than 10 nmol per plate when using TA98 as the genetic indicator organism. Finally, experiments to determine the type of genetic lesion induced by plant-activated m-phenylenediamine were conducted. By using five of the Ames strains, m-phenylenediamine was shown to be active in inducing revertants in strains TA1538 and TA98 following activation by tobacco cells under the optimized conditions. We conclude that m-phenylenediamine is activated by plant cells into a mutagen that primarily induces frameshift mutations.
We compared several phenylenediamines (4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine, NOP; 2-nitro-p-phenylenediamine, NPD; o-phenylenediamine, OPD; p-phenylenediamine, PPD; m-phenylenediamine, MPD) and aniline (ANL) for mutagenicity to Salmonella directly and following activation by plant and mammalian hepatic S9 using plate incorporation and preincubation protocols. In addition, we assayed each chemical for activation by intact plant cells using the plant cell/microbe coincubation protocol. At the concentrations tested, NOP, NPD, OPD, MPD and ANL were active in one or more assays. NPD, OPD and MPD were activated by mammalian hepatic S9 in one or more assay and each was activated by plant S9 or intact plant cells. ANL was mutagenic only in the presence of plant S9. PPD was not active under any of the test conditions.
We have studied the ability of two in vitro plant activation techniques to enhance the mutagenicity of 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NOP) and to activate 2-aminofluorene (2AF). Mutagenic activities of NOP and 2AF were both increased by plant S9 in the Salmonella plate-incorporation and preincubation assays. They were also increased during preincubation with intact plant cells. NOP mutagenic activity was enhanced to a similar extent by plant S9 and by intact plant cells in Salmonella assay, whereas 2AF was activated more extensively by the plant cells than by plant S9. NOP was not enhanced by mammalian hepatic S9 in any assay, whereas 2AF was activated by hepatic S9 under all conditions tested.
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The direct-acting mutagen 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NOP) was activated in vitro by pea or tobacco S-9 into a more potent mutagen in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98. NOP mutagenicity was not altered by Aroclor 1254-induced rat liver S-9. The plant S-9 activation of NOP was heat-sensitive but was not NADPH-dependent, did not involve superoxide radicals, and was not inhibited by CO. A direct relationship between plant peroxidase and NOP activation was established. Several purified peroxidases including horseradish peroxidase, chloroperoxidase, and lactoperoxidase also activated NOP. The perodoxidative process was not H2O2-dependent but was partially inhibited by a peroxidase inhibitor.
Schistosomiasis has long been associated with cancer. This association is most prevalent between Schistosoma hematobium and bladder cancer. Numerous theories have been proposed to explain the causal link between the parasite infestation and the ensuing neoplasia. One theory that has not received as much attention as others, however, is the role of genotoxins in the neoplastic process. Considering the substantial amount of supportive evidence for the cocarcinogenic effects of schistosomes, concern for the health effects resulting from exposure of infested individuals to either exogenous or endogenous genotoxins is certainly warranted.
Commercial and technical grades of 11 herbicides and 13 combinations of commercial grade herbicides were evaluated for their genotoxic properties with Salmonella typhimurium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae directly and following plant and animal activation, or with Zea mays. The herbicides were related by their use in commercial corn (maize) production. Commercial grade formulations of each herbicide and combination of herbicides were also evaluated in situ with the pollen waxy locus assay of Z. mays. Eradicane and bifenox were negative in all assays. Alachlor, propachlor, procyazine and SD50093 (a formulation of cyanazine plus atrazine) were positive in one assay. Cyanazine, dicamba and metolachlor were positive in 2 assays. Atrazine, simazine and butylate were tested only in situ. Atrazine and simazine were positive and butylate was negative. Of the combinations of herbicides evaluated with the 3 genetic assays, alachlor plus bifenox and procyazine plus metolachlor were positive in 1 assay and metolachlor plus atrazine was positive in 2 assays. Of the combinations of herbicides evaluated only in situ, butylate plus atrazine, eradicane plus atrazine, eradicane plus cyanazine and metolachlor plus cyanazine were positive while butylate plus cyanazine was negative.
Cultured tobacco plant cells activated 2-aminofluorene to an agent mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98. The plant activation of 2-aminofluorene is heat-inactivated and may not involve solely cytochrome P-450. The kinetics of activation demonstrated both time- and concentration-dependent responses.
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Commercial and technical grades of 10 insecticides were evaluated for genotoxicity with Salmonella typhimurium and Saccharomyces cerevisiae directly and following plant and animal activation. Field-grade formulations of each insecticide were also tested for mutations at the waxy (wx) locus in Zea mays in situ. Carbofuran, chloropyrifos, curacron, metham and phorate were negative in all assays. Ethoprop and terbufos were each positive in 1 assay, and chlordane, fonofos and heptachlor were each positive in 2 assays. Fonofos and terbufos were positive directly and following animal activation while chlordane and heptachlor were positive following both plant and animal activation. Chlordane, ethoprop, and heptachlor were positive in Z. mays.