Dietary factors affecting the urinary mutagenicity assay system. I. Detection of mutagenic activity in human urine following a fried beef meal

Studies have been conducted to determine whether the mutagens in fried beef ingested by human subjects are excreted in the urine. Urine samples were collected from individuals on liquid or regular diets before and after a fried beef meal. The mutagenic activity of the samples was tested in the Ames Salmonella/microsome assay system. The results showed that in individuals on liquid diets, most of the urinary mutagenic activity is recovered within 2-6 h after consuming a fried beef meal. In one individual tested, mutagenic activity was found in urine samples obtained 6-15 h after the fried beef meal. No mutagenic activity was detected in any of the urine samples obtained 15-24 h following the meal. In individuals on a regular diet, however, mutagenic activity was frequently observed in urine samples obtained 16-24 h following the fried beef meal, although the mutagenic activity was not as great as that in the preceding 16 h. It appears that the mutagenic agents generated by the frying of beef are ingested, absorbed, and excreted by the human body in biologically detectable quantities. These results suggest that subjects should abstain from fried beef at least one day prior to and during urine mutagenicity screening.

Induction of sister chromatid exchanges by coal dust and tobacco snuff extracts in human peripheral lymphocytes

The organic solvent extracts of sub-bituminous coal dust and tobacco snuff, both together and separately, were tested for the induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in human peripheral lymphocytes. The results indicate that these extracts induced SCEs, and that when tested together synergistically induced SCEs in two of three donors. Studies with the organic solvent extracts of all five ranks of coal indicate that the extracts of bituminous, lignite, and peat, but not anthracite, induced SCEs. Similar experiments conducted with water extracts show that bituminous, lignite, and peat, but not sub-bituminous extracts, induced SCEs, and that anthracite was equivocal. To determine whether individuals differed in their SCE responses to coal dust extracts, lymphocytes from five donors were tested with organic solvent extracts of bituminous and sub-bituminous coal. An analysis of variance indicates that the SCE response was significantly influenced by the donor (p less than 0.0001) and each of the two coal extracts (p less than 0.0001). From studies of workers occupationally exposed to coal dust, it is known that inhaled coal dust is cleared from the lungs by mucociliary action and introduced into the stomach by swallowing. Coal dust, or coal dust plus snuff, may be responsible for the increased frequency of gastric cancer observed in coal miners. The findings presented here suggest that coal dust, with or without tobacco snuff, may play a role in the elevated incidence of gastric cancer in coal miners. Because water extracts of some ranks of coal induced SCEs, there exists the possibility of adverse environmental effects due to coal leachates.

Induction of sister-chromatid exchanges and chromosome aberrations in human peripheral lymphocytes by 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenone

The genotoxicity of 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenone (TNF) was investigated using the sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosome aberration assay systems with human peripheral lymphocytes. The SCE frequency increased from the control value of 9.45 to 27.80 (mean of 50 cells scored from each of two donors) after the lymphocytes were treated with the highest dose of TNF (3.0 microgram/ml). The results of the chromosome aberration experiment show that TNF induced more than a 4-fold increase in aberrations in each donor. The results, which indicate that TNF is clastogenic, add further evidence that this compound is potentially genotoxic to exposed populations.

Detection of sister-chromatid exchanges in human peripheral lymphocytes induced by ethylene dibromide vapor

A method using sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) for genotoxic testing of gaseous compounds is described. Human peripheral lymphocyte cultures previously stimulated with phytohemagglutinin were placed in sterile dialysis tubing and then put in an enclosed flask containing additional culture media. Air, with or without ethylene dibromide (EDB), was bubbled through the flask for up to 8 h. The cultures were harvested 75 h after culture initiation, and second-division cells were scored for induction of SCEs according to established procedures. The SCE frequency was approximately doubled in cultures treated with EDB. A similar experiment with air alone resulted in only slight increases in SCEs. The results indicate that this system is potentially useful for detecting genotoxicity of gases and vapors and may be useful for the detection of genotoxic agents in occupational settings.

Genotoxic activity of nitrosated coal dust extract in mammalian systems

The genotoxicity of coal dust extract nitrosated by NaNO2 was investigated because of an elevated incidence of gastric cancer in coal miners. Human peripheral lymphocytes were used to determine the frequency of sister chromatic exchanges (SCE) and chromosome aberrations. Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells were also used to measure SCEs. The mouse lymphoma forward mutation assay comprised the final in vitro system, while the micronucleus test on mouse bone marrow cells was used as an in vivo assay. The SCE frequency in human lymphocytes increased from 9.2 per cell in untreated cultures to 31.6 per cell in cultures treated with 10.0 microliter/ml of nitrosated coal dust extract (NCDE) (P less than .0001). Chromosome aberrations were tested during two phases of the cell cycle; the results indicate that NCDE causes an increase in aberrations in each cell phase tested. The SCE frequency in the CHO system increased from 9.0 per cell in untreated cultures to 18.0 per cell in cultures treated with 3.3 microliter NCDE per ml of medium (P less than .001). In the mouse lymphoma system, the background mutation frequency was tripled at 2.0 microliter NCDE per ml of medium. NCDE was not found to be active in the murine micronucleus assay. No consistent increase in genetic activity was observed with nonnitrosated coal dust extract alone or with NaNO2 alone. Metabolic activation greatly reduced or eliminated genetic activity. These results indicate that nitrosated coal dust extract is genetically active in in vitro mammalian systems without metabolic activation. These findings suggest that the nitrosation of ingested coal dust may be responsible for the elevated incidence of gastric cancer in coal miners.

Preservative activity in diluted corticosteroid creams

The preservative efficacy of both 'Betnovate' and 'Synalar' creams diluted 1:1 with 'Unguentum Merck' was investigated. Each formulation was challenged with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at an initial inoculum level of approximately 1 X 10(6) viable organisms per gram of cream. All formulations tested were found to be effectively preserved against the organisms used and no viable bacteria were detected 7 days after inoculation.

Mutagenicity of tetramic mycotoxin cyclopiazonic acid

Cyclopiazonic acid was shown to be mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 in the presence of metabolic activation. The activity of cyclopiazonic acid in the presence of aflatoxin B1 was studied in complete factorial experiments with strain TA98. Both mycotoxins produced significant mutagenic activity and in combination. The activity in combination appeared to be additive rather than synergistic. The specific activity of cyclopiazonic acid was estimated to be approximately 140 revertants per mu mol in strain TA98.