INFLUENCE OF BENZYLISOTHIOCYANATE AND 13-CIS-RETINOIC ACID ON MICRONUCLEUS FORMATION INDUCED BY BENZO[A]PYRENE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of benzylis othiocyanate (BIT) and 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA) upon the genotoxic po tential of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) to induce micronucleus formation in th e bone marrow of mice. Eighty-two male mice were divided into 10 group s. One group served as a negative control (olive oil intubation). Four groups received an oral intubation of various concentrations of BIT ( 15 to 120 mg/kg) and i.p. injections of BaP (185 mg/kg). Another four groups were treated identically, but received RA (20 to 150 mg/kg) in place of BIT. Finally, one group received only i.p. injection of BaP ( 185 mg/kg). The results showed that both BIT and RA significantly redu ced the frequency of micronucleus formation in the bone marrow of the BaP treated animals. BIT was found to be effective at all the tested c oncentrations. RA was effective only at three of the four tested conce ntrations (40, 75 and 150 mg/kg). These findings indicate that both BI T and RA may reduce the genotoxic effects of benzo[a]pyrene in mice un der the test conditions utilized.