In vivo micronucleus assays on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and its derivatives.

The potential for 2,4-D and seven of its salts and esters to induce cytogenetic abnormalities in mammalian cells in vivo was investigated in the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test. All the test materials were administered to male and female mice by oral gavage and the frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MN-PCE) in the bone marrow were determined at intervals of 24, 48 and 72 h following dosing. There were no significant increases in the incidence of MN-PCE in the treated mice at any of the bone marrow sampling times. These results are consistent with the reported lack of in vitro genetic toxicity for these materials in various in vitro genotoxicity assays as well as the absence of carcinogenic potential for 2,4-D in both mice and rats.     

Use of cryopreserved hepatocytes for unscheduled DNA synthesis assays

Hepatocytes were isolated from Fischer rats by perfusion and tested for unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) induction or cryopreserved for long-term storage at -196 degrees C. Thawed cells could be recovered at greater than 90% viabilities, and were cultured on fibronectin-coated coverslips. The cells attached and spread, and could be used for UDS assessment. Data were compared for fresh and frozen cells from the same animal. Results obtained for net nuclear grains and dose response were similar for the fresh and frozen cells, in response to the carcinogenic compounds methyl methanesulfonate and 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.     

X-ray dose-effect relationship on unscheduled DNA synthesis and spontaneous unscheduled DNA synthesis in mouse brain cells studied in vivo

Summary X-irradiation of the head of adult mice leads to DNA repair synthesis (unscheduled DNA synthesis, UDS) in non-proliferating cells of the brain as shown autoradiographically after injection of³H-thymidine and subsequent irradiation. The extent of UDS induced by one and the same X-ray dose varies between different cell types and also between different brain areas. Within the range of X-ray doses studied (2 to 100 Gy) a linear dose effect relationship was observed. No evidence of a saturation effect was found. The slopes of the regression lines for the dose effect relationship differ considerably for the different cell types. Two interesting correlations were found, if the present results were compared with other data in the literature: (i) There seems to be a correlation between the extent of UDS and radiosensitivity of the different cell types, the cells with low DNA repair synthetic rates being more radiosensitive. (ii) The extent of UDS of the different cell types correlates well with the extent of protein synthesis of the corresponding cell types. Apart from radiation induced UDS, spontaneous UDS was found to occur in sham-irradiated animals. The extent of spontaneous UDS also differs considerably between different cell types as well as between different brain areas. The increase of spontaneous UDS with increasing duration of immobilization of the animals during sham irradiation suggests a relationship between spontaneous UDS and stress.     

Effects of 2',3'-dideoxythymidine triphosphate on replicative DNA synthesis and unscheduled DNA synthesis in permeable mouse sarcoma cells

2',3'-Dideoxythymidine triphosphate differentially inhibited replicative DNA synthesis in permeable mouse ascites sarcoma cells and unscheduled DNA synthesis in bleomycin-treated permeable cells or in isolated rat liver nuclei. The mode of inhibition of 2',3'-dideoxythymidine triphosphate was competitive with respect to deoxythymidine triphosphate. 2',3'-Dideoxythymidine triphosphate inhibited replicative DNA synthesis with a Ki of 8 microM, whereas unscheduled DNA synthesis was more sensitive, the Ki being 0.5 microM. Referring to the differential sensitivity of DNA polymerases alpha and beta to 2',3'-dideoxythymidine triphosphate and to other related information reported previously, the present results suggested that DNA polymerase alpha is playing a major role in replicative DNA synthesis, and DNA polymerase beta in unscheduled DNA synthesis.     

Semiconservative and unscheduled DNA synthesis on mammalian cells and its modification by glyoxylic compounds

The interaction of glyoxal and four other glyoxylic compounds with semiconservative DNA synthesis and with unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by 25-G X-rays on TC-SV40 hamster cells has been studied. Both syntheses were evaluated by measuring the incorporation of [3H-methyl]-thymidine into the newly synthetized DNA. The unscheduled DNA synthesis amounts to 4% of semiconservative synthesis. The modification of both syntheses by the glyoxylic compounds was tested using the products at non-toxic concentrations for the cells. All the glyoxals inhibited semiconservative DNA synthesis and potentiated unscheduled DNA synthesis at rather similar levels. These effects have been compared with the radiosensitizing activity of these glyoxals in the same TC-SV40 cells and no relationship could be established.     

Evaluation of the genotoxicity of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and its derivatives in mammalian cell cultures.

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and its derivatives (collectively known as 2,4-D) are herbicides used to control a wide variety of broadleaf and woody plants. The genetic toxicity of an ester (2,4-D 2-butoxyethylester) and two salts (2,4-D isopropylamine and 2,4-D triisopropanolamine) was investigated in cultured mammalian cells. The end points used were the induction of chromosomal aberrations in primary cultures of rat lymphocytes and forward mutations at the HGPRT locus of Chinese hamster ovary cells. There was no evidence of genotoxicity for the test materials in the experimental systems used. These results were consistent with the general lack of genotoxic potential for 2,4-D in a number of other test systems.     

Evidences for the function of DNA polymerase-beta in unscheduled DNA synthesis.

The activities of DNA polymerase-alpha and -beta isolated from pig spleen were determined at different temperatures and in the presence of different concentrations of inhibitors. The results were compared with parallel estimations of replicative DNA synthesis and UV-induced repair synthesis in spleen cells. In respect to pCMB and aCTP, polymerase-alpha is more sensitive than polymerase-beta and similarly is replication more sensitive than repair. Repair synthesis and the activity of polymerase-beta decreases at temperatures higher than 40 degrees C whereas both replication and the activity of polymerase-alpha are greatly stimulated at elevated temperatures with optima of 45 degrees C (polymerase-alpha) and 41 degrees C (replication). The results favour the hypothesis that polymerase-beta is involved in repair synthesis.     

Stimulation of synthesis and translational activity of polyadenylated messenger RNA in wounded potato tubers by 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

Mechanical wounding of potato tubers induced a rapid synthesis of RNA in the wounded tissues. Both total and polyadenylated RNA increased with time after wounding. Treatment of wounded tissues with the synthetic hormone 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D, 10^?4 M) further stimulated their syntheses. The poly (A) ⁺RNA from hormone treated tissues was more active in in vitro protein synthesis. The in vitro translation of poly (A) ⁺RNA from both hormone treated and untreated tissues was inhibited by 7-methylguanosin-5′ phosphate, while 7-methylguanosine had no effect, suggesting that both poly (A) ⁺RNAs contained a blocked 5′-cap structure and that the cap structure was important for in vitro protein synthesis.     

Metabolism of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid and 2-methylphenoxyacetic acid by Alcaligenes eutrophus JMP 134

Of eleven substituted phenoxyacetic acids tested, only three (2,4-dichloro-, 4-chloro-2-methyl- and 2-methylphenoxyacetic acid) served as growth substrates for Alcaligenes eutrophus JMP 134. Whereas only one enzyme seems to be responsible for the initial cleavage of the ether bond, there was evidence for the presence of three different phenol hydroxylases in this strain. 3,5-Dichlorocatechol and 5-chloro-3-methylcatechol, metabolites of the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid, respectively, were exclusively metabolized via the ortho-cleavage pathway. 2-Methylphenoxyacetic acid-grown cells showed simultaneous induction of meta- and ortho-cleavage enzymes. Two catechol 1,2-dioxygenases responsible for ortho-cleavage of the intermediate catechols were partially purified and characterized. One of these enzymes converted 3,5-dichlorocatechol considerably faster than catechol or 3-chlorocatechol. A new enzyme for the cycloisomerisation of muconates was found, which exhibited high activity against the ring-cleavage products of 3,5-dichlorocatechol and 4-chlorocatechol, but low activities against 2-chloromuconate and muconate.Non-standard abbreviations MCPA 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid - 2MPA 2-methylphenoxyacetic acid - PA phenoxyacetic acid     

Inhibition of replicative DNA synthesis and induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis in permeable sarcoma cell by bleomycin.

Unscheduled DNA synthesis was induced by bleomycin in isolated rat liver nuclei and in permeable mouse ascites sarcoma cells. ATP significantly enhanced the bleomycin effect of inducing unscheduled DNA synthesis. Replicative DNA synthesis in permeable mouse ascites sarcoma cells was inhibited by bleomycin. The apparent inhibition or stimulation by bleomycin of in vitro DNA synthesis was thought to be determined by a balance between inhibited DNA replicase activity and induced unscheduled DNA synthesis.     

Scheduled and unscheduled DNA synthesis during development in conjugating Tetrahymena

Autoradiography has been used to confirm and to extend previous microspectrophotometric studies (Doerder and DeBault, 1975) on the timing of DNA synthesis during conjugation in Tetrahymena thermophila. The majority of DNA synthesis occurs at the expected periods preceding gamete formation and the two postzygotic divisions and during macronuclear development. DNA in new macronuclei is endoreplicated in an extremely discontinuous fashion. Under starvation conditions, the first endoreplication (2C to 4C) occurs immediately after the second postzygotic division when both new macronuclei and new micronuclei replicate. The second endoreplication (4C to 8C) does not occur until after separation of conjugants. If mating cells are kept under prolonged starvation conditions (20-24 hr), refeeding induces a partially synchronous division, after which an unexpectedly high percentage of cells incorporate tritiated thymidine into both macro- and micronuclei. Two previously undescribed periods of DNA synthesis were observed in the micronuclei of conjugating Tetrahymena. The first occurs during the early stages of meiotic prophase, before full crescent elongation. The second takes place in an extended period corresponding to macronuclear anlagen development, before conjugants have separated. CsCl gradient analyses indicate that, in micronuclear fractions, only main band DNA is being synthesized in both of these periods. However, in macronuclear fractions from both stages, a significant fraction (approximately 20%) of the DNA being synthesized has the buoyant density of ribosomal DNA. The finding that macro- and micronuclear DNA can be synthesized simultaneously in a single cell, both during conjugation and after refeeding starved exconjugants, raises interesting questions of how macro- or micronuclear-specific histones are targeted to the appropriate nuclei.