The relationship between sister chromatid exchange, chromosome aberration and gene mutation induction by several reactive polycyclic hydrocarbon metabolites in cultured mammalian cells

Analysis of mutations in tumor and normal adjacent tissue via fluorescence detection

Inflammation is a major risk factor for many types of cancer, including colorectal. There are two fundamentally different mechanisms by which inflammation can contribute to carcinogenesis. First, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) can damage DNA to cause mutations that initiate cancer. Second, inflammatory cytokines and chemokines promote proliferation, migration, and invasion. Although it is known that inflammation-associated RONS can be mutagenic, the extent to which they induce mutations in intestinal stem cells has been little explored. Furthermore, it is now widely accepted that cancer is caused by successive rounds of clonal expansion with associated de novo mutations that further promote tumor development. As such, we aimed to understand the extent to which inflammation promotes clonal expansion in normal and tumor tissue. Using an engineered mouse model that is prone to cancer and within which mutant cells fluoresce, here we have explored the impact of inflammation on de novo mutagenesis and clonal expansion in normal and tumor tissue. While inflammation is strongly associated with susceptibility to cancer and a concomitant increase in the overall proportion of mutant cells in the tissue, we did not observe an increase in mutations in normal adjacent tissue. These results are consistent with opportunities for de novo mutations and clonal expansion during tumor growth, and they suggest protective mechanisms that suppress the risk of inflammation-induced accumulation of mutant cells in normal tissue.

Cytotoxicity and Mutagenicity of Narrowband UVB to Mammalian Cells

Phototherapy using narrowband ultraviolet-B (NB-UVB) has been shown to be more effective than conventional broadband UVB (BB-UVB) in treating a variety of skin diseases. To assess the difference in carcinogenic potential between NB-UVB and BB-UVB, we investigated the cytotoxicity via colony formation assay, genotoxicity via sister chromatid exchange (SCE) assay, mutagenicity via hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) mutation assay, as well as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) formation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and their NER mutant cells. The radiation dose required to reduce survival to 10% (D₁₀ value) demonstrated BB-UVB was 10 times more cytotoxic than NB-UVB, and revealed that NB-UVB also induces DNA damage repaired by nucleotide excision repair. We also found that BB-UVB more efficiently induced SCEs and HPRT mutations per absorbed energy dosage (J/m²) than NB-UVB. However, SCE and HPRT mutation frequencies were observed to rise in noncytotoxic dosages of NB-UVB exposure. BB-UVB and NB-UVB both produced a significant increase in CPD formation and ROS formation (p < 0.05); however, higher dosages were required for NB-UVB. These results suggest that NB-UVB is less cytotoxic and genotoxic than BB-UVB, but can still produce genotoxic effects even at noncytotoxic doses.

Rosa26-GFP direct repeat (RaDR-GFP) mice reveal tissue- and age-dependence of homologous recombination in mammals in vivo

Homologous recombination (HR) is critical for the repair of double strand breaks and broken replication forks. Although HR is mostly error free, inherent or environmental conditions that either suppress or induce HR cause genomic instability. Despite its importance in carcinogenesis, due to limitations in our ability to detect HR in vivo, little is known about HR in mammalian tissues. Here, we describe a mouse model in which a direct repeat HR substrate is targeted to the ubiquitously expressed Rosa26 locus. In the Rosa26Direct Repeat-GFP (RaDR-GFP) mice, HR between two truncated EGFP expression cassettes can yield a fluorescent signal. In-house image analysis software provides a rapid method for quantifying recombination events within intact tissues, and the frequency of recombinant cells can be evaluated by flow cytometry. A comparison among 11 tissues shows that the frequency of recombinant cells varies by more than two orders of magnitude among tissues, wherein HR in the brain is the lowest. Additionally, de novo recombination events accumulate with age in the colon, showing that this mouse model can be used to study the impact of chronic exposures on genomic stability. Exposure to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, an alkylating agent similar to the cancer chemotherapeutic temozolomide, shows that the colon, liver and pancreas are susceptible to DNA damage-induced HR. Finally, histological analysis of the underlying cell types reveals that pancreatic acinar cells and liver hepatocytes undergo HR and also that HR can be specifically detected in colonic somatic stem cells. Taken together, the RaDR-GFP mouse model provides new understanding of how tissue and age impact susceptibility to HR, and enables future studies of genetic, environmental and physiological factors that modulate HR in mammals.

Cancer is a disease of the genome, caused by accumulated genetic changes, such as point mutations and large-scale sequence rearrangements. Homologous recombination (HR) is a critical DNA repair pathway. While generally accurate, HR between misaligned sequences or between homologous chromosomes can lead to insertions, deletions, and loss of heterozygosity, all of which are known to promote cancer. Indeed, most cancers harbor sequence changes caused by HR, and genetic and environmental conditions that induce or suppress HR are often carcinogenic. To enable studies of HR in vivo, we created the Rosa26 Direct Repeat-Green Fluorescent Protein (RaDR-GFP) mice that carry an integrated transgenic recombination reporter targeted to the ubiquitously expressed Rosa26 locus. Being able to detect recombinant cells by fluorescence reveals that the frequency of recombination is highly variable among tissues. Furthermore, new recombination events accumulate over time, which contributes to our understanding of why our risk for cancer increases with age. This mouse model provides new understanding of this important DNA repair pathway in vivo, and also enables future studies of genetic, environmental and physiological factors that impact the risk of HR-induced sequence rearrangements in vivo.

Sister-chromatid exchange: second report of the Gene-Tox Program

This paper reviews the ability of a number of chemicals to induce sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs). The SCE data for animal cells in vivo and in vitro, and human cells in vitro are presented in 6 tables according to their relative effectiveness. A seventh table summarizes what is known about the effects of specific chemicals on SCEs for humans exposed in vivo. The data support the concept that SCEs provide a useful indication of exposure, although the mechanism and biological significance of SCE formation still remain to be elucidated.

Malignant transformation of human fibroblast cell strain MSU-1.1 by (+-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha,10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo [a]pyrene

Treatment of MSU-1.1 cells, a near-diploid, karyotypically stable, infinite life-span human fibroblast strain, with (+-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha,10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene induced focus formation. Eight independent foci were isolated and the cell strains developed from them were examined for characteristics of malignant cells. Each grew to a higher density in medium containing 1% serum than did the MSU-1.1 cells. Three of the eight grew rapidly in serum-free medium without added growth factors, formed colonies in agarose with diameters of greater than or equal to 120 microns at a frequency of 5-19%, exhibited loss of genetic material, and, when injected into athymic mice, formed sarcomas that reached 6 mm in diameter within 2-3 wk. One produced high-grade sarcomas (progressively growing, invasive tumors exhibiting high mitotic activity); the other two produced low-grade sarcomas (tumors with a lower degree of mitotic activity) that developed focal areas of high-grade malignant cells if left in the animals for greater than 4 wk. A fourth cell strain formed high-grade sarcomas only after 2.5-3 mo, but the tumor-derived cells analyzed showed the same growth properties as the three malignant cell strains described above, exhibited loss of genetic material, and, when reinjected into athymic mice, produced high-grade sarcomas with a short latency period.

Induction of chromosome damage by benzo[a]pyrene, 2-aminofluorene and cyclophosphamide in the root cells of Vicia faba

The induction of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and chromosome aberrations (CAs) by benzo[a]pyrene (BP), 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) and cyclophosphamide (CP) in the root cells of Vicia faba was examined. BP and 2-AF induced CAs, but not SCEs. CP induced both SCEs and CAs.

Benzo[alpha]pyrene diol epoxide I binds to DNA at replication forks

The distribution of lesions in DNA caused by (+/-)-7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha,10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo [alpha]pyrene (B[alpha]P diol epoxide-I) was studied in synchronized C3H/10T1/2 cells treated in S phase. Sites of carcinogen modification of DNA were identified by polyclonal rabbit antibodies elicited against DNA modified with B[alpha]P diol epoxide-I in vitro. This antigenic DNA contained trans-(7R)-N2-[10-(7 beta,8 alpha,9 alpha-trihydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[alpha]pyrene)-yl]- deoxyguanosine; other adducts were not detected by liquid chromatography. In this study, DNA replication forks with antibodies bound to B[alpha]P diol epoxide-I adducts were detected by electron microscopy. The frequency of replication forks containing carcinogen adducts associated with the fork junction was found to be 8-fold higher than expected for an average distribution. The proportion of replication forks that were apparently blocked at the site of the DNA damage increased when replication was allowed to occur after carcinogen exposure. These results support the conclusions that the fork junction is particularly vulnerable to adduction by B[alpha]P diol epoxide-I and that B[alpha]P diol epoxide-I adducts block the displacement of replication forks during DNA synthesis in intact cells.

Induction of sister-chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations in hematopoietic tissue of a marine fish following in vivo exposure to genotoxic carcinogens

The development of procedures to assess genetic damage in fish exposed in situ to point sources of aquatic pollution can be expected to contribute to the evaluation of the role of genotoxic contaminants in epizootic neoplasia in fish populations. To this end methods have been developed for assessing the in vivo induction of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in tissues of a marine teleost, the oyster toadfish, which may be applicable to other species. An alternative to the solid tissue and squash techniques for metaphase preparation permits the resolution of more than 100 SCEs/metaphase in toadfish kidney cells, which have moderately large chromosomes (0.122 pg DNA/chromosome). The bleeding of toadfish which have been injected with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) and the subsequent use of hematopoietic tissue (kidney) for cytogenetic analysis was shown to increase the metaphase yield and provide a more predictable production of second-division metaphases required for SCE analysis. With these methods linear dose-dependent increases in chromatid-type exchange CAs and SCEs were obtained with i.p. exposure to ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and cyclophosphamide (CP). The doses required to double the observed control SCE frequencies (least effective doses) were 170 mg/kg for EMS and 7.4 mg/kg for CP. which are comparable to those reported for rodent bone marrow assays. A BrdUrd-sensitive site for chromatid breakage was observed on a pair of apparently homologous acrocentric chromosomes for the toadfish.

Cytochrome P-450 metabolic activity in embryonic and extraembryonic tissue lineages of mouse embryos

Mouse morulae, blastocysts, and embryonic and extraembryonic tissue layers were examined for benzo[a]-pyrene metabolism by cytochrome P-450, using the sister chromatid exchange assay. Benzo[a]pyrene exposure in vitro increased sister chromatid exchanges in blastocysts of all genetically responsive mice examined [BALB/cDub, C3H/AnfCum, and outbred Dub:(ICR) strains] but not blastocysts of the nonresponsive AKR/J strain. Benzo[a]pyrene treatment of responsive 7 1/2- and 8 1/2-day (postimplantation-stage) embryos, either intact or as separate tissue layers, increased sister chromatid exchanges in tissues of both embryonic and extraembryonic lineages--i.e., in the embryo proper, in isolated embryonic ectoderm, and in yolk sac, chorion, extraembryonic ectoderm, and extraembryonic endoderm layers. These results indicate that cytochrome P-450 is active in most or all tissues of the early mammalian embryo. It could metabolize xenobiotic molecules reaching the conceptus near the onset of morphogenesis and organogenesis, or it could have another as yet undefined role in normal development.

The relationship between the levels of DNA-hydrocarbon adducts and the formation of sister-chromatid exchanges in Chinese hamster ovary cells treated with derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The frequencies of the induction of sister-chromatid exchanges and the levels of deoxyribonucleoside-hydrocarbon adducts formed in Chinese hamster ovary cells that had been treated with either dihydrodiols or a diol-epoxide derived from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were determined. Up to 6-fold increases in the incidence of these exchanges were observed when the cells were treated either with the dihydrodiols, trans-3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxy-7-methylbenz[alpha]anthracene, trans-7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo[alpha]pyrene or the diol-epoxide, (+/-)-r-7, t-8-dihydroxy-t-9,10-oxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[alpha]pyrene but when the cells were transferred to media free of these compounds, there were rapid reductions in the frequency of these exchanges. When the exchanges were induced by the diol-epoxide, the decreases in frequency were paralleled by decreases in the levels of deoxyribonucleoside-diol-epoxide adducts that were present in hydrolysates of DNA isolated from the cells. There thus appears to be a close relationship between the frequency of sister-chromatid exchanges and the levels of deoxyribonucleoside-diol-epoxide adduct formation.

The contribution of DNA single-strand breaks to the formation of chromosome aberrations and SCEs

The induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) with bleomycin (BLM), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), short-wave ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation, and long-wave UV-irradiation was investigated in V79 cells with BrdUrd-substituted DNA. The application of a Neurospora endonuclease (NE) which specifically cleaves single-stranded DNA after these treatments showed that DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) are induced by these agents. The SSBs are converted to double-strand breaks (DSBs) by NE and become visible as CAs on metaphase chromosomes. H2O2 and both types of UV-irradiation also led to an induction of CAs and SCEs, whereas BLM only induced aberrations. Cysteine (Cys) reduced the frequency of the induced SSB-dependent CAs in all treatments, but had no influence on the SCE frequencies after BLM and H2O2 treatment and had only a slight effect on the UV-induced SCEs. The results confirm the opinion that directly induced SSBs can contribute to the induction of CAs in cells with BrdUrd-substituted DNA, but that these SSBs are not efficiently converted to SCEs. The more recent conceptions regarding the mechanism of SCE are in accordance with these findings and the conclusions derived therefrom.

The induction of SCE with relation to specific base methylation of DNA in Chinese hamster cells by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and dimethylsulfate

The relationship between the formation of alkylated purines in DNA and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) induction has been studied. Both exponentially growing and density-inhibited Chinese hamster (V79) cultures were treated with various doses of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) or dimethylsulfate (DMS). The colony-forming ability and induced frequencies of SCEs were assayed. Following the exposure of density-inhibited cells to radiolabeled methylating agents these phenomena were related to the levels of 7-methylguanine (7-meGua), 0(6)-methylguanine (0(6)-meGua) and 3-methyladenine (3-meAde) in the DNA. At equitoxic doses MNU and DMS induced similar frequencies of SCEs. Since, at equitoxic doses MNU produces about 20 times more 0(6)-meGua in V79-cell DNA than does DMS, this indicates that the formation of this adduct in DNA is not critical for the induction of SCEs by these alkylating agents. Dimethylsulfate-induced SCEs may be mediated via the production of both 3-meAde and 7-meGua in the DNA; these 2 methylated purines may also be responsible for MNU-induced SCE. No one specific methylated purine was identified, therefore, as being solely accountable for the formation of SCEs. The repair of lesions in the DNA of nonreplicating V79 cells lead to a reduction in the SCE frequency on their subsequent release from the density-inhibited state. This suggests that excision repair is not responsible for the formation of SCEs.

Induction of mutations and sister-chromatid exchanges in Chinese hamster ovary cells by ethylating agents

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were exposed to [3H]ethyl nitrosourea (ENU) or [3H]ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and the following DNA ethylation products were quantitated: 3- and 7-ethyladenine, O2-ethylcytosine, 3-, 7- and O6-ethylguanine, O2- and O4-ethyldeoxythymidine and the representative ethylated phosphodiester, deoxythymidylyl (3'-5')ethyl-deoxythymidine. When mutations at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus induced by these same treatments were compared with the observed ethylation products, mutations were found to correlate best with 3- and O6-ethylguanine. EMS induced approximately twice as many sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) as ENU at doses yielding equal mutation frequencies. When SCEs were indirectly compared with DNA ethylation products, 3-ethyladenine and ethylated phosphodiesters related best to SCE formation. Because mutation and SCE induction appear, at least in part, to be related to different DNA adducts, SCE induction by simple ethylating agents may not be a quantitative indicator of potentially mutagenic DNA damage.

Sister-chromatid exchange and chromosomal aberration induction in cultured Chinese hamster cells by the monomethylbenz[a]anthracenes

The ability of the 12 monomethylbenz[a]anthracene isomers, following their metabolism by using the cell-mediated activation system, to induce 8-azaguanine-resistant mutants, sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and chromosomal aberrations has been measured. Both the mutagenic potency and the ability of the monomethylbenz[a]anthracenes to induce SCEs correlated with their carcinogenic activity. None of the monomethylbenz[a]anthracenes were particularly clastogenic.

Cytogenetic effects of shale-derived oils in murine bone marrow

The cytogenetic effects of exposure of mice to shale-derived oils by either skin painting or intraperitoneal injection were examined. Skin painting with 40 mg crude oil every other day for five weeks had no effect on the frequency of chromosomal aberrations observed in the bone marrow. Three daily intraperitoneal injections of 0.5-2.0 ml/kg per day of a crude shale oil from an aboveground retort induced a dose-related increase in the frequency of aberrations observed. A hydrotreated sample of this oil produced a similar pattern of aberration induction, but at lower frequencies. Crude shale oil from a modified in situ retort induced the highest frequency of chromosomal aberrations at the 0.5 ml/kg dose; lower frequencies were induced at the 1.0 ml and 2.0 ml/kg doses. Of the three shale oils tested, only the crude oil from the aboveground retort induced increased frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges and only at doses that also induced structural aberrations. These studies indicate that structural aberration analysis is a more sensitive test than sister chromatid exchange analysis for the type of DNA damage induced by shale-derived oils in murine bone marrow cells.

Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and structural chromosome aberration in mutagenicity testing

Data from previous studies published on the induction by mutagens of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and structural chromosome damage were compared qualitatively and quantitatively. Although a good correlation between the incidence of both cytogenetic phenomena has been pointed out in many previous publications, about 30% of the agents for which comparable data were available yielded non-corresponding qualitative results concerning both indicator effects. However, even in groups with good qualitative agreement distinct quantitative differences indicated different molecular mechanisms of the formation of SCEs and breaks. Additional information supporting the importance of these differences for the validity of both indicator systems has been derived from the results obtained using strong clastogens exhibiting a low or no SCE-inducing activity and vice versa, from special observations on chromosomal breakage syndromes, and from studies on the action of known co- and anti-clastogens on SCE-induction by chemical mutagens. As a result, it has been suggested that the SCE-technique should be considered as a valuable additional method for cytogenetic mutagenicity testing, which, however, is not adequate to replace the classical methods of analysis of structural chromosome damage.

The effect of non-phorbol promoters as compared with phorbol myristate acetate on sister chromatid exchange induction in cultured Chinese hamster cells

The effect of 5 unrelated chemicals with different promoting potencies on sister chromatid exchange (SCE) induction in V79 cells was investigated. Two powerful promoters--12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and anthralin; a moderate promoter--iodoacetic acid (IAA); two weak promoters--ethyl phenylpropiolate (EPP) and cantharidin--all induced similar and low numbers of SCE. These results do not support the hypothesis that enhanced mitotic recombination is responsible for tumour promotion.

The induction of sister-chromatid exchanges in Chinese hamster ovary cells by some epoxides and phenolic derivatives of benzo[a]pyrene

The induction of sister-chromatid exchanges in Chinese hamster ovary cells by in vivo treatment with a number of epoxy and phenolic derivatives of the carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbon, benzo[a]pyrene, has been investigated. Of the 3 vicinal diol-epoxides tested the anti-isomer of the bay-region 7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide was the most active since, when tested at a 10-fold lower concentration, it induced the same number of sister-chromatid exchanges as the corresponding syn-isomer. The anti-isomer of the non-bay-region 9,10-dihydrodiol-7,8-epoxide was much less active than either of the bay-region diolepoxides and its activity was comparable with those of the 2 simple oxides tested, the K-region 4,5- and the non-K-region 7,8-oxides, of benzo[a]pyrene. The 2 phenols tested, 3- and 4-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene, were only slightly active in inducing sister-chromatid exchanges.