GENOTOXIC EFFECTS OF BISTRATENE-A ON HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTES

Bistratene A, a toxin isolated from the colonial ascidian Lissoclinum bistratum causes a decrease in mitotic index and retardation of lympho cyte proliferation kinetics when it is added at 48 h to 72-h human lym phocyte cultures. In the same cultures, the incidence of sister chroma tid exchanges was not altered by this compound. We also observed an in crease in the number of polyploid cells in the cultures, and alteratio ns of the beta-tubulin organization by immunocytochemistry with an ant ibody against beta-tubulin. Bistratene A induces DNA damage in a dose- dependent fashion in leukocytes, as measured by the alkaline single ce ll gel electrophoresis assay. These results show that bistratene A int erferes with microtubule assembly, is cytotoxic and cytostatic, and th at it causes DNA damage.