skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Critical effective methods to detect genotoxic carcinogens and neoplasm-promoting agents

Abstract

Neoplasia in fish can result from contamination of waters with carcinogens and promoters. Cancer in fish, therefore, is a possible indicator of cancer risk to man and serves as a guide to the need for preventative approaches involving improved means of waste disposal and environmental hygiene. Moreover, cancer in fish indicates that this important food source may be contaminated. Detection of genotoxic carcinogens to which fish are exposed can be achieved quickly and efficiently by carefully selected batteries of complementary in vitro and in vivo bioassays. One such battery consists of the Ames test, a reverse mutation assay in prokaryotic Salmonella typhimurium, and the Williams test, involving DNA repair in freshly explanted metabolically highly competent liver cells from diverse species, including humans. Determination of DNA-carcinogen adducts by varied techniques, including {sup 32}P-postlabeling, as well as DNA breakage, mammalian cell mutagenicity, chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchange, or cell transformation represent additional approaches, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. More research is needed on systems to apprehend neoplasm promoters, but tests to determine interruption of intercellular communications through gap junctions appear promising. Other approaches rely on measurement of enzymes such as ornithine decarboxylase and protein kinase C. Approaches to the definitionmore » of risk to fish or humans require characterization of the genotoxic or nongenotoxic properties of a chemical, relative potency data obtained in select, limited rodent bioassays, and knowledge of prevailing environmental concentrations of specific carcinogens.« less

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. American Health Foundation, Valhalla, NY (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5074179
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 90; Journal ID: ISSN 0091-6765
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; CARCINOGENESIS; RISK ASSESSMENT; CARCINOGENS; BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS; DNA ADDUCTS; RADIOASSAY; BIOASSAY; CARCINOGEN SCREENING; CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS; FISHES; MUTAGEN SCREENING; NEOPLASMS; ONCOGENIC TRANSFORMATIONS; PHOSPHORUS 32; SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGES; TUMOR PROMOTERS; ADDUCTS; ANIMALS; AQUATIC ORGANISMS; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; CELL TRANSFORMATIONS; DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; DISEASES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; MUTATIONS; NUCLEI; ODD-ODD NUCLEI; PATHOGENESIS; PHOSPHORUS ISOTOPES; PROMOTERS; RADIOISOTOPES; SCREENING; VERTEBRATES; 560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology

Citation Formats

Weisburger, J H, and Williams, G M. Critical effective methods to detect genotoxic carcinogens and neoplasm-promoting agents. United States: N. p., 1991. Web. doi:10.2307/3430855.
Weisburger, J H, & Williams, G M. Critical effective methods to detect genotoxic carcinogens and neoplasm-promoting agents. United States. https://doi.org/10.2307/3430855
Weisburger, J H, and Williams, G M. 1991. "Critical effective methods to detect genotoxic carcinogens and neoplasm-promoting agents". United States. https://doi.org/10.2307/3430855.
@article{osti_5074179,
title = {Critical effective methods to detect genotoxic carcinogens and neoplasm-promoting agents},
author = {Weisburger, J H and Williams, G M},
abstractNote = {Neoplasia in fish can result from contamination of waters with carcinogens and promoters. Cancer in fish, therefore, is a possible indicator of cancer risk to man and serves as a guide to the need for preventative approaches involving improved means of waste disposal and environmental hygiene. Moreover, cancer in fish indicates that this important food source may be contaminated. Detection of genotoxic carcinogens to which fish are exposed can be achieved quickly and efficiently by carefully selected batteries of complementary in vitro and in vivo bioassays. One such battery consists of the Ames test, a reverse mutation assay in prokaryotic Salmonella typhimurium, and the Williams test, involving DNA repair in freshly explanted metabolically highly competent liver cells from diverse species, including humans. Determination of DNA-carcinogen adducts by varied techniques, including {sup 32}P-postlabeling, as well as DNA breakage, mammalian cell mutagenicity, chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchange, or cell transformation represent additional approaches, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. More research is needed on systems to apprehend neoplasm promoters, but tests to determine interruption of intercellular communications through gap junctions appear promising. Other approaches rely on measurement of enzymes such as ornithine decarboxylase and protein kinase C. Approaches to the definition of risk to fish or humans require characterization of the genotoxic or nongenotoxic properties of a chemical, relative potency data obtained in select, limited rodent bioassays, and knowledge of prevailing environmental concentrations of specific carcinogens.},
doi = {10.2307/3430855},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5074179}, journal = {Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States)},
issn = {0091-6765},
number = ,
volume = 90,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991}
}