Induction of micronuclei and sister chromatid exchanges by polycyclic and N-heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cultured human lymphocytes

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/em.2850260204· OSTI ID:258494

Warshawsky, D; Livingston, G K; LaDow, K ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Cincinnati, OH (United States); and others

Many natural environments are contaminated with carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and N-heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NHAs) as complex mixtures of coal tar, petroleum, and shale oil. These potentially hazardous substances are prevalent at many former tar production and coal gasification sites. Three polycyclic [benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), benz(a)anthracene (BAA), and 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)] and two N-heterocyclic [7H-dibenzo(c,g)carbazole (DBC), and dibenz(a,j)acridine (DBA)] aromatic hydrocarbons were analyzed for cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on human lymphocytes. All of these polyaromatic compounds are normally present in the environment, except for DMBA. Lymphocytes from healthy donors were isolated from whole blood. The 5-ring polycyclic aromatic BaP consistently induced micronuclei in a linear dose-dependent manner with doses from 0.1-10.0 {mu}g/ml, whereas the 4-ring compounds (BAA and DMBA) had no effect on the induction of micronuclei above controls except at 5 and 10 {mu}g/ml. Of the two N-heterocyclic compounds DBC produced a significant increase in micronuclei in lymphocytes, but the dose response tended to plateau above 0.1 {mu}g/ml. DBA showed an effect on the frequency of micronuclei above controls only at high doses of 5 and 10 {mu}g/ml. The average background frequency of micronuclei for 7 lymphocyte donors averaged 3.1 per 1,000 stimulated cells, whereas the average frequency of micronuclei at 10 {mu}g/ml BaP was 36.8 per 1,000 stimulated cells. The lowest effective dose in 2 donors for BaP occurred at 0.1 {mu}g/ml. 61 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 258494
• Journal Information: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, Journal Name: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 26; ISSN 0893-6692; ISSN EMMUEG
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL TAR
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
LYMPHOCYTES
PETROLEUM
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SHALE OIL
SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGES
ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES