M. Dusinska et D. Slamenova, CYTOTOXICITY VERSUS TRANSFORMING ACTIVITY IN CHEMICALLY EXPOSED SYRIAN-HAMSTER EMBRYO CELLS, Neoplasma, 41(3), 1994, pp. 145-149
A series of experiments was conducted to determine the dose response r
elationship with respect to both cytotoxicity and morphological transf
ormation in Syrian hamster embryo cells exposed to different chemicals
. The effects of the following model chemical carcinogen/mutagens were
investigated: 3-methyl cholanthrene (3-MC), benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), N
-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitroso-guanidine (MNNG), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MN
U), the noncarcinogenic weak mutagen methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and
nonmutagenic pesticides Supercypermethrin EC, VUCHT 524, and Dual. Th
e results showed that all carcinogen/mutagens, i.e. 3-MC, B(a)P, MNNG,
and MNU increased the number of morphological transformations on the
maximum level at concentrations < TD50-TD70 (TD = toxic dose) and rema
ined more or less on the same level at higher concentrations. Similar
effect was observed in embryo cells treated with nonmutagenic Supercyp
ermethrin EC. Very low concentrations of nonmutagenic pesticide VUCHT
524 stimulated proliferation of cells and at the same time induced the
maximum level of morphological transformations. MMS and Dual did not
induce morphological transformation of embryo cells at all. Induction
of morphological transformation in embryo cells is evidently independe
nt of the activity of a chemical to induce gene mutations and seems to
be a valuable assay for studying the carcinogenic effects of lower do
ses of suspicious chemicals.