Epithelial and fibroblast cell lines cultured from the transgenic BigBlue (TM) rat: an in vitro mutagenesis assay

We have isolated, cultured, and immortalised three new BigBlue(TM) transgen ic rat cell lines for the study of mutation induction in vitro. The two epi thelial cell lines, from the mammary gland and oral cavity, were designated BBR/ME and BBR/OE, respectively, and the third is a mammary fibroblast lin e designated BBR/MFib. We have characterised these cell lines with respect to chromosome number and the expression of some cell-specific antigens. The clonogenic survival and cII transgene mutation induction responses of thes e three cell lines to N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) treatment were determined . Both epithelial cell lines were much more sensitive to ENU toxicity than was the fibroblast cell line. However, all cell lines showed similar ENU do se-dependent increases in mutant frequency. We hope that cell lines such as these will extend the power of the BigBlue(TM) assay to in vitro studies. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.