ACTIVATION OF CELLULAR ONCOGENES IN HUMAN-DIPLOID CELL STRAIN (KMB-13) CELLS BY SCOOTER EXHAUST PARTICULATE MATTER EMISSIONS

Scooter exhaust particulate matter emissions were found to be mutageni c and to induce potential carcinogenicity. To further explore the mech anisms of mutagenicity and potential carcinogenicity of scooter exhaus t particulate matter emissions, immunohistochemistry assays were carri ed out to detect the expression of some oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in human diploid cell strain (KMB-13) cells, which were morphol ogically transformed by the organic extracts of scooter exhaust partic ulate matter emissions. An ABC diagnostic kit was used to investigate the expression of c-myc, p21, p53, and p16 proteins in the transformed cells. The c-myc and p21 proteins showed marked positive staining com pared to control. The data suggest that the mutagenicity and potential carcinogenicity of the scooter exhaust particulate matter emissions c orrelate with the activation of some cellular oncogenes.