LONG-LASTING PERSISTENCE OF ELEVATED SISTER-CHROMATID EXCHANGE FREQUENCIES INDUCED BY PERINATAL BENZO(A)PYRENE TREATMENT IN RAT BONE-MARROWCELLS

In this work the possibility that a mutagenic factor acting in utero o r in the perinatal period might lead to elevated mutagenic rates in bo ne-marrow cells after a considerable period of time was examined. An a romatic hydrocarbon, benzo(a)pyrene was used as the test substance. Be nzo(a)pyrene treatments resulted in significantly higher sister-chroma tid exchange (SCE)-frequencies in both fetal and neonatal groups in bo th sexes, even four months after exposure. In a second experiment we e xamined whether mutagenic exposure suffered in utero could make the in dividual more susceptible to mutagenic effects in adulthood. Prelimina ry results indicate that such a possibility could exist.