CLASTOGENIC EFFECTS OF N-NITROSODIMETHYLAMINE AND DINITROSOGLYCOLURILE IN MURINE BONE-MARROW CELLS AND COW LYMPHOCYTES

The clastogenic effects of N-nitrosodimethylamine (N-DMA) and dinitros oglycolurile (DNSGU) were studied in the bone marrow of mice and in pe ripheral blood lymphocytes of cows. None of the tested compounds showe d significant enhancement of chromosome aberrations at doses 1/2 LD(50 ) and 1/10 LD(50) in murine bone marrow cells. Treatment of cow periph eral blood lymphocytes with N-DMA at concentration of 6 x 10(-5) mol/l (or 12 x 10(-5) mol/l for DNSGU) produced statistically significant i ncrease of chromosomal breaks. The clastogenic effect was also observe d in cultures treated with DNSGU at the highest tested concentration ( 12 x 10(-4) mol/l), but the exposure to N-DMA at parallel concentratio n had a toxic effect. At the lowest doses of N-DMA and DNSGU (6 x 10(- 6) and 12 x 10(-6) mol/l, respectively) no clastogenic effect was obta ined.