Fol. Biol. 2012, 58, 215-220
Testing Chemical Agents with the Cytokinesis-Block Micronucleus Cytome Assay
In order to evaluate the applicability of the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay in routine mutagenicity testing we investigated with this method different chemicals having different mechanisms of action: non-mutagens, direct-acting base-altering mutagens, direct-acting cross-linking mutagens, clastogens including a radiomimetic chemical, indirect-acting spindle poisons and indirect-acting enzyme inhibitors. We looked at the presence of micronuclei as biomarkers for either the loss of chromosome fragments (clastogen) or the loss of a whole chromosome (aneugen), nucleoplasmic bridges as biomarkers for complex rearrangements (e.g., dicentric chromosomes) and nuclear buds as biomarkers for gene amplification. The cytome assay proved to be a suitable tool to investigate genetic effects of environmental agents and to provide insight into their working mechanisms as all chemicals tested showed the expected response.
Keywords
C3A cells, genotoxicity, chemical mutagens, spindle poisons, clastogens, enzyme inhibitors.
References
Copyright
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
