Effect of bacterial concentration on reversions induced in Salmonella typhimurium TA1538 by N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene

Genetic toxicity of 2-acetylaminofluorene, 2-aminofluorene and some of their metabolites and model metabolites

2-Acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene are among the most intensively studied of all chemical mutagens and carcinogens. Fundamental research findings concerning the metabolism of 2-acetylaminofluorene to electrophilic derivatives, the interaction of these derivatives with DNA, and the carcinogenic and mutagenic responses that are associated with the resulting DNA damage have formed the foundation upon which much of genetic toxicity testing is based. The parent compounds and their proximate and ultimate mutagenic and carcinogenic derivatives have been evaluated in a variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic assays for mutagenesis and DNA damage. The reactive derivatives are active in virtually all systems, while 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene are active in most systems that provide adequate metabolic activation. Knowledge of the structures of the DNA adducts formed by 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene, the effects of the adducts on DNA conformation and synthesis, adduct distribution in tissues, cells and DNA, and adduct repair have been used to develop hypotheses to understand the genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of these compounds. Molecular analysis of mutations produced in cell-free, bacterial, in vitro mammalian, and intact animal systems have recently been used to extend these hypotheses.

Modulation of the mutagenic response in prokaryotes

Short-term tests investigating genetic end-points in prokaryotes have been extensively used worldwide not only for risk assessment purposes but also for evaluating the modulation of the mutagenic response. In spite of some intrinsic limitations, such as the lack of cell compartmentalization or the need for an exogenous metabolic system working extracellularly, experimental systems in bacteria can provide useful preliminary indications and some information on the mechanisms involved. In the large majority of studies the putative modulator is mixed with a known mutagen and then assayed in target bacteria, with suitable controls. However, under natural conditions exposure of target cells to modulators may either precede, co-exist with, or follow exposure to mutagens. Therefore, a variety of methodological variations, involving pre-treatment, co-treatment, or post-treatment of bacteria with the putative modulator, have been designed. Application of these procedures showed that the effects of modulators can be completely upset, from inhibition to enhancement, or vice versa, by changing the experimental conditions. Use of methodological variations may provide more complete information on the spectrum of possible effects in bacteria as well as a better insight into modulation mechanisms. Several examples illustrating the flexibility of the Salmonella test in this field of research are available. On the other hand, the widespread use of these relatively simple techniques, yet requiring skillfulness and experience, may lead to some misuse or oversimplifications. A rather common inadequacy is to use excessive amounts of test mutagens, or to express the results in terms of revertants/survivors, rather than revertants/plate. In fact, in the Salmonella test the number of revertants is rather unrelated to the initial number of plated bacteria, provided a normal background lawn of bacterial growth is formed. Thus, a 50% killing of bacteria will not appreciably influence the number of revertants/plate, but expressed as revertants/survivors the effect will look twice as large.

Reduced mutant yield at high doses in the Salmonella/activation assay: the cause is not always toxicity

In the Salmonella/activation assay developed by Ames et al [1973, 1975] toxicity is not measured, though it is recognized by the loss of a cloudy appearance on the plate. One approach to the measurement of toxicity is described here and uses a microscope-linked automated colony counter to estimate the number of microcolonies formed by histidine auxotrophs that stop growing after the depletion of histidine. This technique was used to evaluate the effect of toxicity on the revertant count for 16 mutagens, most of which were chosen because, from previous experience, their dose-response curves manifested a maximum at an intermediate dose tested. One of the sixteen, 2-nitrofluorene, was not toxic up to the maximum dose tested. The relationship between mutation and toxicity for the remaining fifteen allowed them to be grouped into two categories: (1) compounds that induced decreases in survival at the same dose at which the number of mutants decreased, and (2) compounds that induced toxicity, but survival was reduced at dose levels higher than those required to reduce the number of mutants. Possible explanations for this reduction of mutant counts occurring with little apparent concomitant increase in toxicity are examined. These results may be significant for attempts to estimate mutagenic potency and, to a lesser extent, construct mathematical models of the Ames test.