Sensitivity of different endpoints for in vitro measurement of genotoxicity of extractable organic matter associated with ambient airborne particles (PM10)

Sensitivity and correlations among three endpoints were evaluated to assess the genotoxic potential of organic complex mixtures in vitro. This study was focused on DNA adduct formation, DNA single strand break induction and tumour suppressor p53 protein up-regulation produced by extractable organic matter (EOM) absorbed on respirable particulate matter PM₁₀ (particulate matter < 10 μm) collected in three European cities (Prague, Sofia, Košice) during winter and summer period. To compare the sensitivity of particular endpoints for in vitro measurement of complex mixture genotoxicity, the metabolically competent human hepatoma cell line Hep G2 was treated with equivalent EOM concentration of 50 μg/ml. Cell exposure to EOMs resulted in significant DNA adduct formation and DNA strand break induction, however, a lack of protein p53 up-regulation over the steady-state level was found. While the maximum of DNA strand breaks was determined after 2 h cell exposure to EOMs, 24 h treatment interval was optimal for DNA adduct determination.

No substantial location- and season-related differences in EOM genotoxicity were detected using DNA strand break assessment. In agreement with these results no significant variation in DNA adduct levels were found in relation to the locality and season except for the monitoring site in Prague. The Prague EOM sample collected during summer period produced nearly three-fold lower DNA adduct level in comparison to the winter EOM sample.

Comparable results were obtained when the ambient air genotoxicity, based on the concentration of carcinogenic PAHs in cubic meter of air (ng c-PAHs/m³), was elicited using either DNA adduct or strand break determination. In general, at least six-fold higher genotoxicity of the winter air in comparison to the summer air was estimated by each particular endpoint. Moreover, the genotoxic potential of winter air revealed by DNA adduct assessment and DNA strand break measurement increased in the same order: Košice  Prague < Sofia.

Based on these data we suppose that two endpoints DNA breakage and DNA adduction are sensitive in vitro biomarkers for estimation of genotoxic activity of organic complex mixture associated with airborne particles. On the other hand, the measurement of protein p53 up-regulation manifested some limitations; therefore it cannot be used as a reliable endpoint for in vitro genotoxicity assessment.     

Genotoxicity of environmental air pollution in three European cities: Prague, Kosice and Sofia

The genotoxic potential of extractable organic matter (EOM) associated with the respirable particulate matter (PM <10 microm) of atmospheric pollution has been determined in three European cities--Prague (Czech Republic, two monitoring sites, Libus and Smíchov), Kosice (Slovak Republic) and Sofia (Bulgaria) using the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (the comet assay). The EOM samples were extracted by dichloromethane from ambient airborne particles collected daily (24 h intervals) during 3-month sampling periods in winter and summer seasons. The human metabolically competent cell line Hep G2 was used as a test system and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a known carcinogen, was applied as a positive control (internal standard) in each electrophoretic run. Two-hour exposure of Hep G2 cells to equivalent EOM concentrations ranging from 5 to 150 microg EOM/ml resulted in a linear dose-dependent increase of DNA migration (r > 0.9, P < 0.01). A less significant dose-response (r = 0.61) was only induced by the EOM sample from the locality Prague-Libus (PRG-LB) in the winter. Generally, a 1.5 to four-fold increase of DNA strand breaks over the background control level was determined in EOM-exposed cells. In order to compare the genotoxic potential of individual EOMs, a mathematical model was used to correct the 'real' data. No substantial location- or season-related differences were found in EOM genotoxicity (EOM microg/ml), except for the EOM sample from Sofia, collected in the summer. This EOM sample induced a nearly two-fold lower level of DNA damage in comparison with other EOMs. On the other hand, clear statistically significant location- and season-related differences (P < 0.001) in ambient air genotoxicity were determined when the EOM quantity per cubic meter of air (microg/m3) was taken into account. In that case, the genotoxicity of winter air pollution was six- to 10-fold higher in comparison with summer air. The air pollution genotoxicity in individual localities rose during the winter season in the order: PRG-LB < Kosice < Prague-Smíchov (PRG-SM) < Sofia, while during the summer season the highest ambient air genotoxicity was revealed in the locality Prague-Smíchov and approximately equal air pollution genotoxicity was determined among localities Prague-Libus, Kosice and Sofia (PRG-LB approximately Kosice approximately Sofia < PRG-SM). The greatest overall air pollution genotoxicity was determined in the locality Sofia during the winter season. In a time course study to evaluate the kinetics of DNA strand break rejoining it was shown that the level of DNA strand breaks in EOM-exposed cells has returned to near the background level within 24 h after the treatment.     

In vitro genotoxicity of PAH mixtures and organic extract from urban air particles part II: human cell lines

Principal aims of this study were at first, to find a relevant human derived cell line to investigate the genotoxic potential of PAH-containing complex mixtures and second, to use this cell system for the analysis of DNA adduct forming activity of organic compounds bound onto PM10 particles. Particles were collected by high volume air samplers during summer and winter periods in three European cities (Prague, Kosice, and Sofia), representing different levels of air pollution. The genotoxic potential of extractable organic matter (EOM) was compared with the genotoxic potential of individual carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (c-PAHs) as well as their artificial mixtures. Metabolically competent human hepatoma HepG2 cells, confluent cultures of human diploid lung fibroblasts (HEL), and the human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 were used as models. DNA adducts were analyzed by ³²P-postlabeling. The total DNA adduct levels induced in HepG2 cells after exposure to EOMs were higher than in HEL cells treated under the same conditions (15–190 versus 2–15 adducts/10⁸ nucleotides, in HepG2 and HEL cells, respectively). THP-1 cells exhibited the lowest DNA adduct forming activity induced by EOMs (1.5–3.7 adducts/10⁸ nucleotides). A direct correlation between total DNA adduct levels and c-PAH content in EOM was found for all EOMs in HepG2 cells incubated with 50 μg EOM/ml (R = 0.88; p = 0.0192). This correlation was even slightly stronger when B[a]P content in EOMs and B[a]P-like adduct spots were analyzed (R = 0.90; p = 0.016). As THP-1 cells possess a limited metabolic capacity for most c-PAHs to form DNA reactive intermediates and are also more susceptible to toxic effects of PAHs and various EOM components, this cell line seemed to be an inappropriate system for genotoxicity studies of PAH-containing complex mixtures. The seasonal variability of genotoxic potential of extracts was stronger than variability among the three localities studied. In HepG2 cells, the highest DNA adduct levels were induced by EOM collected in Prague in the winter period, followed by Sofia and Kosice. However, in the summer sampling period, the order was quite opposite: Kosice > Sofia > Prague. When the EOM content per m³ of air was taken into consideration in order to compare real exposures of humans to genotoxic compounds in all three localities, extracts from respirable dust particles collected in Sofia exhibited the highest genotoxicity regardless of the sampling period. The results indicate that most of DNA adducts detected in cells incubated with EOMs have their origin in low concentrations of c-PAHs representing 0.03–0.17% of EOM total mass. Finally, our results suggest that HepG2 cells have a metabolic capacity for PAHs similar to human hepatocytes and represent therefore the best in vitro model for investigating the genotoxic potential of complex mixtures containing PAHs among the three cell lines tested in this study.     

In vitro genotoxicity of PAH mixtures and organic extract from urban air particles part I: acellular assay

Acellular assay of calf thymus DNA ± rat liver microsomal S9 fraction coupled with ³²P-postlabelling was used to study the genotoxic potential of organic compounds bound onto PM10 particles collected in three European cities—Prague (CZ), Kosice (SK) and Sofia (BG) during summer and winter periods. B[a]P alone induced DNA adduct levels ranging from 4.8 to 768 adducts/10⁸ nucleotides in the concentration dependent manner. However, a mixture of 8 c-PAHs with equimolar doses of B[a]P induced 3.7–757 adducts/10⁸ nucleotides, thus suggesting the inhibition of DNA adduct forming activity by interaction among various PAHs. Comparison of DNA adduct levels induced by various EOMs indicates higher variability among seasons than among localities. DNA adduct levels for Prague collection site varied from 19 to 166 adducts/10⁸ nucleotides, for Kosice from 22 to 85 and for Sofia from 6 to 144 adducts/10⁸ nucleotides. Bioactivation with S9 microsomal fraction caused 2- to 7-fold increase in DNA adduct levels compared to −S9 samples, suggesting a crucial role of indirectly acting genotoxic EOM components, such as PAHs. We have demonstrated for the first time a significant positive correlation between B[a]P content in EOMs and total DNA adduct levels detected in the EOM treated samples (R = 0.83; p = 0.04). These results suggest that B[a]P content in EOM is an important factor for the total genotoxic potential of EOM and/or B[a]P is a good indicator of the presence of other genotoxic compounds causing DNA adducts. Even stronger correlation between the content of genotoxic compounds in EOMs and total DNA adduct levels detected (R = 0.94; p = 0.005) was found when eight c-PAHs were taken into the consideration. Our findings support a hypothesis that a relatively limited number of EOM components is responsible for a major part of its genotoxicity detectable as DNA adducts by ³²P-postlabelling.     

Assessment of oxidative DNA damage formation by organic complex mixtures from airborne particles PM10

The free radical generating activity of airborne particulate matter (PM₁₀) has been proposed as a primary mechanism in biological activity of ambient air pollution. In an effort to determine the impact of the complex mixtures of extractable organic matter (EOM) from airborne particles on oxidative damage to DNA, the level of 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), the most prevalent and stable oxidative lesion, was measured in the human metabolically competent cell line Hep G2. Cultured cells were exposed to equivalent EOM concentrations (5–150 μg/ml) and oxidative DNA damage was analyzed using a modified single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), which involves the incubation of whole cell DNA with repair specific DNA endonuclease, which cleaves oxidized DNA at the sites of 8-oxodG. EOMs were extracted from PM₁₀ collected daily (24 h intervals) in three European cities: Prague (Czech Republic, two monitoring sites, Libuš and Smíchov), Košice (Slovak Republic) and Sofia (Bulgaria) during 3-month sampling periods in the winter and summer seasons. No substantial time- and dose-dependent increase of oxidative DNA lesions was detected in EOM-treated cells with the exception of the EOM collected at the monitoring site Košice, summer sampling. In this case, 2 h cell exposure to EOM resulted in a slight but significant increase of oxidative DNA damage at three from total of six concentrations. The mean 8-oxodG values at these concentrations ranged from 15.3 to 26.1 per 10⁶ nucleotides with a value 3.5 per 10⁶ nucleotides in untreated cells. B[a]P, the positive control, induced a variable but insignificant increase of oxidative DNA damage in Hep G2 cell (approximately 1.6-fold increase over control value).Based on these data we believe that EOM samples extracted from airborne particle PM₁₀ play probably only a marginal role in oxidative stress generation and oxidative lesion formation to DNA. However, adsorbed organic compounds can undergo various interactions (additive or synergistic) with other PM components or physical factors (UV-A radiation) and in this way they might enhance/multiply the adverse health effects of air pollution.     

Temporal variation in the genotoxic potential of urban air particulate matter

The main aim of this study was to compare the genotoxic potential of organic extracts from urban air particles collected in three different sampling periods in the center of Prague (Czech Republic). For this purpose, we analyzed the DNA adduct forming activity of extractable organic matter (EOM) from urban air particles <10 microm (PM10) in the human hepatoma cell line HepG2. DNA adducts were analyzed by (32)P-postlabelling with nuclease P1 enrichment. PM10 concentrations were 36.9 microg/m(3), 62.6mug/m(3) and 39.0 microg/m(3), in summer 2000, winter 2001 and winter 2005, respectively. The corresponding EOM contents were 5.0 microg/m(3) (13.9% of PM10), 14.9 microg/m(3) (23.8%) and 6.7 microg/m(3) (17.2%). The total DNA adduct levels induced by 10 microg EOM/ml were 4.7, 19.5 and 37.2 adducts/10(8) nucleotides in summer 2000, winter 2001 and winter 2005, respectively. However, when the EOM quantities per cubic meter of air were taken into consideration, the summer sample exhibited a 10-fold lower genotoxicity than did those of winter, while the difference between the winter samples was not significant: 23.4 in summer 2000, 291 in winter 2001 and 249 in winter 2005 (in relative units). Although the PM10 concentration in air and the EOM content in particles in winter 2005 were significantly lower than in winter 2001, the genotoxic potential of the ambient air in these samples was almost equal. There were significant positive correlations between the B[a]P and c-PAH content in EOM from various sampling periods and the total DNA adduct levels detected in the EOM-treated samples. These findings support the hypothesis that the B[a]P and c-PAH content in EOM is the most important factor that determines its genotoxic potential. Thus, estimating the genotoxic potential of the ambient air and predicting health risk should be based mainly on the c-PAH concentration and the biological activity of the extracts, while the mass of particles and the EOM content do not seem to be crucial determinants of ambient air genotoxicity.     

Nucleotide Excision Repair Is Not Induced in Human Embryonic Lung Fibroblasts Treated with Environmental Pollutants

The cellular response to genotoxic treatment depends on the cell line used. Although tumor cell lines are widely used for genotoxicity tests, the interpretation of the results may be potentially hampered by changes in cellular processes caused by malignant transformation. In our study we used normal human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HEL12469 cells) and tested their response to treatment with benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and extractable organic matter (EOM) from ambient air particles <2.5 µm (PM2.5) collected in two Czech cities differing in levels and sources of air pollution. We analyzed multiple endpoints associated with exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including the levels of bulky DNA adducts and the nucleotide excision repair (NER) response [expression of XPE, XPC and XPA genes on the level of mRNA and proteins, unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS)]. EOMs were collected in the winter and summer of 2011 in two Czech cities with different levels and sources of air pollution. The effects of the studied compounds were analyzed in the presence (+S9) and absence (–S9) of the rat liver microsomal S9 fraction. The levels of bulky DNA adducts were highest after treatment with B[a]P, followed by winter EOMs; their induction by summer EOMs was weak. The induction of both mRNA and protein expression was observed, with the most pronounced effects after treatment with B[a]P (–S9); the response induced by EOMs from both cities and seasons was substantially weaker. The expression of DNA repair genes was not accompanied by the induction of UDS activity. In summary, our results indicate that the tested compounds induced low levels of DNA damage and affected the expression of NER genes; however, nucleotide excision repair was not induced.     

Biological activities of organic compounds adsorbed onto ambient air particles: comparison between the cities of Teplice and Prague during the summer and winter seasons 2000-2001

The capital of the Czech Republic, Prague, appears today to be one of the most polluted residential areas in the country, whereas air pollution in the Northern Bohemia region (the former "Black Triangle Region") has substantially decreased during the last decade, especially with respect to the gaseous pollutant SO(2). This study evaluated the biological activities of complex mixtures of organic compounds adsorbed onto ambient air particles (PM10) collected during the summer and winter seasons of 2000-2001 at three monitoring sites--Teplice (TP), Prague-Smíchov (PRG-SM) (city centre) and Prague-Libus (PRG-LB) (suburban area). The following short-term in vitro assays with strikingly different endpoints were used: a bacterial mutagenicity test using the Salmonella typhimurium tester strain TA98 and YG1041, an acellular assay (CT DNA) combined with 32P-postlabelling to evaluate DNA adduct-forming potency and the chick embryotoxicity screening test (CHEST). The results of the mutagenicity test with the YG1041 strain, the acellular genotoxicity (DNA adducts) and the embryotoxicity tests responded to the amount of eight carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) analysed in the EOM (dichloromethane extractable organic matter) samples tested. Nevertheless, the biological effects of the EOM did not differ between locations. The highest biological activity of the ambient air in terms of organic compounds associated with particles (per unit volume of air) was seen in the Prague city centre during both summer and winter seasons. At this location, B[a]P concentration ranged from 0.1 to 8.9 ng/m(3) (mean 0.3 and 3.6 ng/m(3) for summer and winter seasons, respectively), 13 PAHs ranged from 11 to 343 ng/m(3) (mean 52 and 160 ng/m(3) for summer and winter seasons, respectively). Generally, using in vitro tests, higher ambient air activity was found in the winter season as compared with the summer season at all three monitoring sites (TA98 +S9, approximately 4-fold; YG1041 -S9, approximately 5-fold; YG1041 +S9, approximately 8-fold; CT DNA +S9, approximately 10-fold; CHEST, approximately 10-fold; B[a]P, carcinogenic PAHs and total PAHs analysed, more than 10-fold). The different proportions of individual PAHs found in the summer and winter samples suggested traffic as a major emission source in the summer and, additionally, residential heating in the winter season at all three monitoring sites. The DNA adduct patterns resulting from the in vitro acellular assay also demonstrated similar major emission sources at all three locations. The study shows that particle-bound carcinogenic-PAH concentrations may be taken as an index for the biologically active (mutagenic, genotoxic, embryotoxic) components in air particulate samples. Therefore, high-quality monitoring data of carcinogenic PAHs may be useful for epidemiological studies of the impact of air pollution on the health of the population and for helping decision makers to improve our environment.     

Genotoxicity of urban air pollutants in the Czech Republic. Part II. DNA adduct formation in mammalian cells by extractable organic matter

The study was aimed at determining the genotoxic potential of extractable organic matter (EOM) from ambient air particles PM10 (<10 micrometer) using mammalian cells in culture as test system. Air samples were collected in the course of summer and winter periods in two regions of the Czech Republic representing low and high levels of air pollution, the districts of industrial Teplice and rural Prachatice, respectively. EOM was fractionated by acid-base partitioning and silica gel column chromatography. Aliquots of fractions were incubated with cultured hepatocytes derived from male rats or Chinese hamster lung V79NH cells expressing nitroreductase activity but virtually no cytochrome P450 activity. DNA adduct levels were analyzed by 32P-postlabeling using butanol extraction for adduct enrichment. In hepatocytes, crude extracts caused the formation of substantial amounts of DNA reactive material being detectable in a broad diagonal radioactive zone (DRZ) in the chromatograms. Highest DNA adduct levels were found in the aromatic fractions and slightly polar fractions which contain most of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitro-substituted PAH (nitro-PAH), respectively, comprising 75-90% of total adducts. This partitioning was independent of the sampling period and locality. In agreement with the higher average ambient air concentrations of PAH in the winter than the summer, 3-4-fold higher DNA adduct levels were detected in extracts sampled in the winter. Calculated on the basis of EOM/m(3), DNA adduct levels of samples collected in winter period were 10-fold higher than those collected in the summer period and 2-fold higher in Teplice than in Prachatice. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin decreased DNA binding by 50-75%. In contrast to the findings in hepatocytes, in V79NH cells about 80% of the DNA adducts were caused by material in the slightly polar fractions appearing as distinct spots in the radiochromatograms. Seasonal variation of DNA adducts in V79NH cells was greater than variation between localities. Our results suggest that PAH as well as nitro-PAH are the main contributors to the genotoxicity of EOM derived from both industrial and rural areas. The results, furthermore, indicate that analysis of DNA adducts in mammalian cells in culture offers a suitable method for monitoring the genotoxicity of complex mixtures of environmental chemicals.     

The carcinogenic potential of extractable organic matter from urban airborne particles in Shanghai,China

The genotoxicity of extractable organic matter (EOM) from airborne particles in Shanghai has been determined using short-term bioassays. EOM samples were investigated using cell morphological transformation and two-stage model of mouse skin tumorigenicity assays to detect their carcinogenic activity. DNA adducts were detected using the 32P-postlabeling technique. The results showed that EOMs induced cell morphological transformation and played a role in tumor-initiating carcinogenesis. The EOMs of airborne particles from different districts of Shanghai had similar carcinogenic activity except the result of sample E (at downtown of Shanghai) was relatively high. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fraction makes a major contribution to carcinogenic activity according to the results of cell morphological transformation assay. DNA adducts were also detected in skin, liver, and kidney of mouse after treatment with EOMs. It is suggested that the urban airborne particles in Shanghai, which show carcinogenic potential and genotoxic activity in our bioassays, may be responsible for the increased incidence of lung cancer in Shanghai in last few years.     

Assessment of oxidative DNA damage formation by organic complex mixtures from airborne particles PM(10)

The free radical generating activity of airborne particulate matter (PM₁₀) has been proposed as a primary mechanism in biological activity of ambient air pollution. In an effort to determine the impact of the complex mixtures of extractable organic matter (EOM) from airborne particles on oxidative damage to DNA, the level of 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), the most prevalent and stable oxidative lesion, was measured in the human metabolically competent cell line Hep G2. Cultured cells were exposed to equivalent EOM concentrations (5–150 μg/ml) and oxidative DNA damage was analyzed using a modified single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), which involves the incubation of whole cell DNA with repair specific DNA endonuclease, which cleaves oxidized DNA at the sites of 8-oxodG. EOMs were extracted from PM₁₀ collected daily (24 h intervals) in three European cities: Prague (Czech Republic, two monitoring sites, Libuš and Smíchov), Košice (Slovak Republic) and Sofia (Bulgaria) during 3-month sampling periods in the winter and summer seasons. No substantial time- and dose-dependent increase of oxidative DNA lesions was detected in EOM-treated cells with the exception of the EOM collected at the monitoring site Košice, summer sampling. In this case, 2 h cell exposure to EOM resulted in a slight but significant increase of oxidative DNA damage at three from total of six concentrations. The mean 8-oxodG values at these concentrations ranged from 15.3 to 26.1 per 10⁶ nucleotides with a value 3.5 per 10⁶ nucleotides in untreated cells. B[a]P, the positive control, induced a variable but insignificant increase of oxidative DNA damage in Hep G2 cell (approximately 1.6-fold increase over control value).

Based on these data we believe that EOM samples extracted from airborne particle PM₁₀ play probably only a marginal role in oxidative stress generation and oxidative lesion formation to DNA. However, adsorbed organic compounds can undergo various interactions (additive or synergistic) with other PM components or physical factors (UV-A radiation) and in this way they might enhance/multiply the adverse health effects of air pollution.     

Effects of environmental air pollution on endogenous oxidative DNA damage in humans

Epidemiological studies conducted in metropolitan areas have demonstrated that exposure to environmental air pollution is associated with increases in mortality. Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (c-PAHs) are the major source of genotoxic activities of organic mixtures associated with respirable particulate matter, which is a constituent of environmental air pollution. In this study,we wanted to evaluate the relationship between exposure to these genotoxic compounds present in the air and endogenous oxidative DNA damage in three different human populations exposed to varying levels of environmental air pollution. As measures of oxidative DNA damage we have determined 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and cyclic pyrimidopurinone N-1,N² malondialdehyde-2′-deoxyguanosine (M₁dG) by the immunoslot blot assay from lymphocyte DNA of participating individuals. The level of endogenous oxidative DNA damage was significantly increased in individuals exposed to environmental air pollution compared to unexposed individuals from Kosice (8-oxodG adducts) and Sofia (M₁dG adducts). However, there was no significant difference in the level of endogenous oxidative DNA and exposure to environmental air pollution in individuals from Prague (8-oxodG and M₁dG adducts) and Kosice (M₁dG adducts). The average level of M₁dG adducts was significantly lower in unexposed and exposed individuals from Kosice compared to those from Prague and Sofia. The average level of 8-oxodG adducts was significantly higher in unexposed and exposed individuals from Kosice compared to those from Prague. A significant increasing trend according to the interaction of c-PAHs exposure and smoking status was observed in levels of 8-oxodG adducts in individuals from Kosice. However, no other relationship was observed for M₁dG and 8-oxodG adduct levels with regard to the smoking status and c-PAH exposure status of the individuals. The conclusion that can be made from this study is that environmental air pollution may alter the endogenous oxidative DNA damage levels in humans but the effect appears to be related to the country where the individuals reside. Genetic polymorphisms of the genes involved in metabolism and detoxification and also differences in the DNA repair capacity and antioxidant status of the individuals could be possible explanations for the variation observed in the level of endogenous oxidative DNA damage for the different populations.     

Tests for genotoxicity and mutagenicity of furan and its metabolite cis-2-butene-1,4-dial in L5178Y tk mouse lymphoma cells

Furan is found in various food items and is cytotoxic and carcinogenic in the liver of rats and mice. Metabolism of furan includes the formation of an unsaturated dialdehyde, cis-2-butene-1,4-dial (BDA). In view of the multifunctional electrophilic reactivity of BDA, adduct formation with protein and DNA may explain some of the toxic effects. Short-term tests for genotoxicity of furan in mammalian cells are inconclusive, little is known for BDA. We investigated BDA generated by hydrolysis of 2,5-diacetoxy-2,5-dihydrofuran for genotoxicity in L5178Y tk^+/− mouse lymphoma cells using standard procedures for the comet assay, the micronucleus test, and the mouse lymphoma thymidine kinase gene mutation assay, using 4-h incubation periods. Cytotoxicity was remarkable: cell viability at concentrations ≥50 μM was reduced to <50%. In the dose range up to 25 μM, viability was >90%. Measures of comet-tail length and thymidine–kinase mutant frequency were increased 1.6- and 2.4-fold above control, respectively. Analysis of three fully independent replicates with a linear mixed-effects model showed a highly significant increase with concentration for both endpoints. Compared to methyl methanesulfonate used as a positive control, BDA was of similar potency with respect to genotoxicity, but it was much more cytotoxic. Furan added to cell cultures at doses that resulted in time-averaged effective concentrations of up to 3100 μM was neither cytotoxic nor genotoxic. A potential cross-linking activity of BDA was investigated by checking whether gamma radiation-induced DNA migration in the comet assay could be reduced by pre-treatment with BDA. In contrast to the effect of the positive control glutaraldehyde, BDA treatment did not reduce the comet tail length. On the contrary, an increase was observed at ≥100 μM BDA, which was attributable to early apoptotic cells. Although BDA was found to be a relatively potent genotoxic agent in terms of the concentration necessary to double the background measures, cytotoxicity strongly limited the concentration range that produced interpretable results. This may explain some of the inconclusive results and indicates that non-genotoxic effects must be taken into account in the discussion of the modes of toxic and carcinogenic action of furan.     

Specific plant DNA adducts as molecular biomarkers of genotoxic atmospheric environments

The general purpose of this study was to determine whether the formation of DNA addition products ('adducts') in plants could be a valuable biomarker of genotoxic air pollution. Plants from several species were exposed to ambient atmosphere at urban and suburban sites representative of different environmental conditions. The levels of NO2 and of the quantitatively major genotoxic air pollutants benzene, toluene, and xylene were monitored in parallel with plant exposure. DNA adducts were measured in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), rye-grass (Lolium perenne), and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) seedlings by means of the [32P]-postlabeling method. Whereas, no correlation was found between the levels of the major genotoxic air pollutants and the total amounts of DNA adducts, individual analyses revealed site-specific and plant species-specific adduct responses, both at the qualitative and quantitative level. Among these, the amount of a specific rye-grass DNA adduct (rgs1) correlated with benzene/toluene/xylene levels above a threshold. For further characterization, rye-grass seedlings were treated in controlled conditions with benzene, toluene, xylene or their derivatives. On the other hand, in vitro DNA adduct formation assays were developed involving benzene, toluene, xylene, or their derivatives, and plant microsomes or purified peroxidase. Although in some cases, these approaches produced specific adduct responses, they failed to generate the rgs1 DNA adduct, which appeared to be characteristic for on-site test-plant exposure. Our studies have thus identified an interesting candidate for further analysis of environmental biomarkers of genotoxicity.     

甲醛对DNA损伤的彗星实验研究

甲醛是一种遗传毒性物质。国内外学者的大量研究证实,甲醛可以引起DNA-DNA、DNA-蛋白质分子交联,但对于甲醛是否能够引起DNA分子的断裂,学界却存在分歧。本实验以颊黏膜细胞作为实验材料,通过彗星实验对甲醛的遗传毒性——尤其是DNA分子断裂作用进行了系统的研究。结果显示甲醛在较低浓度(5μmol／L,7,5μmol／L,10μmol／L)时具有断裂作用,在较高浓度(15μmol／L,30μmol／L,50μmol／L)时则具有交联作用。根据本实验的结果,本文还首次论证了甲醛断裂作用的断裂峰值(7．5μmol／L)。     

Genotoxicity of the volatile anaesthetic desflurane in human lymphocytes in vitro, established by comet assay

The aim of the present study was to estimate the genotoxicity of desflurane, applied as a volatile anaesthetic. The potential genotoxicity was determined by the comet assay as the extent of DNA fragmentation in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro. The comet assay detects DNA strand breaks induced directly by genotoxic agents as well as DNA fragmentation due to cell death. Another anaesthetic, halothane, already proved to be a genotoxic agent, was used as a positive control. Both analysed drugs were capable of increasing DNA migration in a dose-dependent manner under experimental conditions applied. The results of the study demonstrated that the genotoxicity of desflurane was comparable with that of halothane. However, considering the pharmacodynamics of both drugs, the genotoxic activity of desflurane may be connected with a less harmful effect on the exposed patients or medical staff.     

Reinvestigation of in vivo genotoxicity studies in man. I. No induction of DNA strand breaks in peripheral lymphocytes after metronidazole therapy

Although a rodent carcinogen, metronidazole is widely used in humans for the treatment of infections with anaerobic organisms. Metronidazole is mutagenic for microorganisms, but has a mainly negative data base for mammals and humans. Therefore, metronidazole is generally considered as a non-genotoxic carcinogen. Only the results of two human in vivo studies would allow the classification of metronidazole as genotoxic carcinogen: (1) the induction of DNA strand breaks; and (2) the induction of chromosome aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes after metronidazole therapy. Because the classification of metronidazole as genotoxic carcinogen would imply enormous consequences with respect to its application, both studies were reinvestigated very thoroughly. The present report describes the reinvestigation of the induction of DNA strand breaks after metronidazole therapy. Each two probes of lymphocytes of metronidazole-treated patients (3×500 to 3×750 mg/day for 5–8 days) were examined separately for the appearance of DNA strand breaks before and after treatment. In total, 400 nuclei were examined per patient. Immediately before the first, and 30 min to 2 h after the last application, 2×10 ml blood per patient was sampled, transported to the laboratory at 15–20°C to make DNA repair more difficult, and examined within the next 4–7 h for DNA strand breaks. At the same time, the individual metronidazole blood plasma levels were measured. In contrast to the published reports, no induction of DNA strand breaks after metronidazole therapy could be observed in the present study. As the applied doses (15 750 mg vs. 4800 mg) and the plasma level (up to 25 μg/ml vs. not measured) of metronidazole were much higher than in the published study, the relevance of the clearly negative result is obvious. As induction of DNA strand breaks is a frequent prerequisite for genotoxicity, metronidazole should be considered as a non-genotoxic carcinogen, and not as a genotoxic carcinogen.     

Genotoxic activity of extractable organic matter from urban airborne particles in Shanghai, China

The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of air pollution on the population in Shanghai. The genotoxicity of extractable organic matter (EOM) from the air particles was investigated by the means of the Salmonella plate incorporation assay, rat hepatocyte unscheduled DNA repair assay, and mice micronuclei test. The airborne particles were collected in 13 locations during the summer of 1992 and winter of 1993. The crude extracts were fractionated by acid-base partitioning into acid, base and neutral fractions. The neutral fractions were further fractionated by resin-silica gel column chromatography into three subfractions. The induction of revertants with the crude extracts was higher in winter samples than in summer samples. Both indirect-acting and direct-acting mutagenicity were observed. The mutagenicity was detected with TA98, but was not detected with TA100. The mutagenic activity was the greatest in the acid, aromatic and polar fractions from summer samples. The fractions from the winter samples did not show clear differences. There was no substantial location-related variance in the mutagenic potencies of EOM, but substantial location- or time-related variances in the mutagenic potencies of the airborne particles per cubic meter air were found. While rat hepatocyte unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) assay revealed genotoxicity for all the samples, there was no big variance in the genotoxicity of the fractions. The mouse micronuclei test showed results similar to the UDS assay. The difference of locality did not have statistical significance.     

Contribution of apoptosis to responses in the comet assay

Apoptosis, a physiological process of selected cell deletion, leads to DNA fragmentation in typical segments of 180 base pairs. DNA strand breaks are also an effect induced by genotoxic compounds. The aim of this study was to compare these two types of damaging potentials by a known genotoxic substance and an apoptosis-inducing agent in HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells. The cells were incubated for 24h with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), a potent DNA damage-inducing agent, staurosporine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C and apoptosis-inducing agent, and hydrogen peroxide, a source of reactive oxygen species. Apoptosis was measured with the Annexin V affinity assay which detects the translocation of phosphatidylserine (PS) from the inner to the outer leaflet of the cytoplasmic membrane, an early event in the apoptotic process. DNA damage as an end point of genotoxicity was detected by single cell microgel electrophoresis, also called "comet assay". The results show that apoptosis does not necessarily need to correlate or coincide with DNA damage observed with genotoxic substances in the comet assay. The representative apoptosis-inducing agent (staurosporine) did not induce strand breaks in the tested concentrations (0.5 and 1.0microM); genotoxic doses of the strand break inducing agent MNNG did not induce apoptosis. Therefore, the comet assay can be used as a specific test for detecting genotoxicity, and the results are not necessarily confounded by concomittant processes leading to apoptosis.     

IPCS guidelines for the monitoring of genotoxic effects of carcinogens in humans. International Programme on Chemical Safety

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide concise guidance on the planning, performing and interpretation of studies to monitor groups or individuals exposed to genotoxic agents. Most human carcinogens are genotoxic but not all genotoxic agents have been shown to be carcinogenic in humans. Although the main interest in these studies is due to the association of genotoxicity with carcinogenicity, there is also an inherent interest in monitoring human genotoxicity independently of cancer as an endpoint.The most often studied genotoxicity endpoints have been selected for inclusion in this document and they are structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations assessed using cytogenetic methods (classical chromosomal aberration analysis (CA), fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH), micronuclei (MN)); DNA damage (adducts, strand breaks, crosslinking, alkali-labile sites) assessed using bio-chemical/electrophoretic assays or sister chromatid exchanges (SCE); protein adducts; and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) mutations. The document does not consider germ cells or gene mutation assays other than HPRT or markers of oxidative stress, which have been applied on a more limited scale.