FORMATION OF OCHRATOXIN-A METABOLITES AND DNA-ADDUCTS IN MONKEY KIDNEY-CELLS

Monkey kidney cells (named Vero cells) were incubated with increasing doses of ochratoxin A (10-100 mu M). The inhibiting concentration 50% (IC50) on protein synthesis was about 14 mu M in the presence of 5% fe tal calf serum and 37 mu M in the presence of 10% fetal calf serum. So me metabolites of ochratoxin A, including the chlorinated dihydroisoco umarin moiety of OTA (OT alpha), 4-[S]-hydroxy-OTA and 4-[R]-hydroxy-O TA were detected by HPLC in the mixture of cell homogenate after a 24 h incubation with 10 and 25 mu M Of OTA. Using the P-32-postlabelling method, several DNA-adducts, similar to those formed in mouse kidney a fter OTA treatment, were detected in monkey kidney cells. Thus, Vero c ells are suitable for genotoxic cytotoxic studies in relation to the m etabolism of nephrotoxic xenobiotics such as OTA.