Model-Based Statistical Procedures for the Analysis of in Vitro Mutagenesis Assays

Quantitative approaches for assessing chromosome loss in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: general methods for analyzing downturns in dose response

Statistical methods are considered for analysis of data arising from a mitotic chromosome loss assay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain D61.M. The methods make use of reproducibility trial data from the assay (presented herein) and previous data, which suggest a unimodal, 'umbrella-patterned' dose response. Computer simulations are employed to illustrate the operating characteristics of the umbrella response methods. These methods are generally applicable to any toxicity assay that exhibits a downturn in dose response. Experimental design considerations are also discussed. These include applications of 2-stage sampling rules to first gauge the dose window of peak response, then test if the response deviates significantly from untreated levels.

A statistical model to estimate variance in long term-low dose mutation assays: testing of the model in a human lymphoblastoid mutation assay

Long term-low dose mutation assays offer a means to study the genetic effects of environmental mutagens at concentrations relevant to human exposure. These assays involve continuous induction of mutants, serial dilution of cultures and sampling to determine the mutant fraction as a function of time and mutagen concentration. An arithmetic model for the expected variance among identically treated cultures is presented. This model provides means to calculate a predicted variance of the mutant fractions and mutation rates in typical long term-low dose experiments. We have calculated the expected variances of the mutant fraction with this model and compared them to the observed variances among 4 independent experiments in which human lymphoblastoid cells were treated for 5, 10, 15 and 20 days with a non-toxic concentration of the mutagen 4-aminobiphenyl. Mutations at the HPRT locus were measured by determining the 6-thioguanine-resistant mutant fraction. The expected and observed variances of the mutant fractions are in close agreement. This model is adequate to predict the variance of the mutant fraction and should be useful in experimental design and objective evaluation of long term-low dose mutation assays.