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The detection and assessment of the aneugenic potential of environmental chemicals: the European Community Aneuploidy Project.

Within the framework of its' Environment Research and Development Programme, the European Communities (EC) Directorate General (DG) XII has supported a research project aimed at developing and validating assay systems for the detection and evaluation of chemicals capable of inducing numerical chromosome changes such as aneuploidy and polyploidy. A range of test chemicals were selected, which include a core set comprising; colchicine, econazole nitrate, chloral hydrate, hydroquinone, diazepam, thiabendazole, cadmium chloride, thimerosol, pyrimethamine and vinblastine sulphate. These test chemicals were used to evaluate the ability of test systems ranging from tubulin polymerisation, fungal cultures, cultured mammalian cells and intact rodents to detect chemical aneugens and to assess the significance of such activity to exposed human populations.

Aneuploidy↗

In vivo studies on chemically induced aneuploidy in mouse somatic and germinal cells.

Within the context of a coordinated program to study aneuploidy induction sponsored by the European Community, nine chemicals were tested in mouse bone marrow and spermatocytes after intraperitoneal injection. In somatic cells, cell progression delay, hyperploidy, polyploidy induction and induction of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte (MnPCE) were studied. In germ cells hyperploidy induction was evaluated. The chemicals selected were: colchicine (COL), econazole (EZ), hydroquinone (HQ), thiabendazole (TB), diazepam (DZ), chloral hydrate (CH), cadmium chloride (CD), pyrimethamine (PY) and thimerosal (TM). Using literature data on c-mitotic effects in bone marrow as a reference, the same doses were tested in somatic and germ cells in order to compare the effects induced. Bone marrow cells were sampled 18 or 24 h after treatment. Germ cells were sampled 6, 8 or 18 h after treatment. Effects of COL and HQ in bone marrow have been reported elsewhere. Somatic effects were induced by CH (hyperploidy and cell cycle lengthening), TB (MnPCEs and cell cycle lengthening) and by PY (MnPCEs). EZ, DZ, CD and TM did not induce any kind of somatic effects. An increase in the incidence of hyperploid spermatocytes was induced by COL, at three dose levels, and by one dose of HQ and TB. All the other chemicals did not induce germinal aneuploidy at any dose or time tested. The hyperploidy control frequency ranged between 0.4 and 1.0% in somatic cells and from 0.3 to 0.9% in germ cells. In both somatic and germ cells, the maximum yield of induced hyperploidy did not exceed 3.5%. The time period of target cell sensitivity is probably restricted and this, associated with the heterogeneity and the asynchrony of cellular maturation processes, may account for our data. Under these circumstances, the negative data should be interpreted with some caution, particularly in germ cells, where additional indicators of chemical-cell interaction and cell cycle effects were not provided by standardized approaches. The possibility of increasing the size of analyzed cell samples could be considered in the light of automatic scoring procedures.

Aneuploidy↗

Hyperthermic induction of premature chromosome condensation in human lymphocytes.

Hyperthermic induction of chromosomal aberrations was examined in human lymphocytes. For this purpose, whole blood cultures were exposed to an elevated temperature (43 degrees C) at the 46th h of culture initiation, followed by 24 h of recovery. Detailed chromosomal analysis showed significantly higher levels of aberrations as compared to control cultures of the same individuals. These aberrations include breaks, gaps of both chromosome and chromatid type, aneuploidy and high levels of polyploidy. The interesting observation was the occurrence of S-phase premature chromosome condensation (PCC). The S-phase PCC observed here could be due to asynchronous nuclei induced by hyperthermia. A possible interpretation for the occurrence of asynchronous nuclei leading to the induction of S-phase PCC is discussed.

Cells, Cultured↗

The mutagenic properties of DNA minor-groove binding ligands.

This review summarises mutagenesis-related research on the major classes of DNA minor groove binding ligands. These compounds can bind to DNA covalently or non-covalently, and span a range of DNA sequence selectivities. Many of the non-covalent binders show effects on topoisomerase enzymes in mammalian cells, with the bisbenzimidazoles being the most active. Mutagenic effects consistent with topoisomerase inhibition are observed in vitro. Many of these compounds induce aneuploidy and polyploidy, properties which may also contribute to carcinogenic processes. Similarly, uvrA trapping by some minor groove binders may alter mutagenetic processes by inhibiting efficient repair. Distamycin has been shown to enhance the mutagenicity of ethidium bromide in bacteria by an undetermined mechanism. However, the inhibitory effects of minor groove binders on human DNA repair systems have not yet been reported. Hoechst 33258 and distamycin cause chromosome decondensation in both mouse and human cells particularly at heterochromatic regions which are rich in AT content. Various minor groove binders have been shown to induce fragile sites in cultured lymphocytes from susceptible individuals, which may have a propensity to develop particular cancers. Investigation of the relationship between fragile site inducing drugs and chromosomal rearrangements in fragile site carriers has not been investigated but may yield interesting results. Some DNA alkylating minor groove binders can generate lesions extremely toxic to mammalian cells (e.g., CC-1065 and analogues), and induce a range of DNA sequence changes in vivo, both at the site of covalent bonding as well as at surrounding sequences. This may be typical of alkylating minor groove binders which have a binding site size of several base pairs, and which stabilise helical structure. Minor groove binders have effects on gene expression in vitro by inhibiting the sequence selective binding of various transcription factors to DNA. These effects may result in expression or repression of downstream genes also. This class of ligand thus offers the possibility of mutations targeted to specific genes or genomic regions. It will be interesting to determine whether such examples of targeted mutagenesis, as has already been observed with CC-1065 and adozelesin, will result in an enhanced or in a lowered capacity to promote neoplastic disease. However it should be noted that pentamidine, a minor groove binder used in the treatment of AIDS-related PCP, has thus far shown no mutagenic effects in nuclear DNA and only a weak effect in mitochondrial DNA of yeast. These results suggest that minor groove binding does not necessarily lead to mutagenesis.

Animals↗

The biology of tetraploid hydatidiform moles: histopathology, cytogenetics, and flow cytometry.

We identified three cases of tetraploid hydatidiform moles (HM). A complete hydatidiform mole (CM) had a 92,XXXX karyotype. The two partial hydatidiform moles (PM) had karyotypes of 69,XXY/90,XXXY,-11,-13 and 92,XXYY, respectively. Study of chromosomal heteromorphisms in the 92,XXYY PM revealed two maternal and two paternal haploid sets. Flow cytometric analysis of nuclear DNA content from fresh placental tissue from the 69,XXY/90,XXXY,-11,-13 PM demonstrated distinct peaks in the triploid and tetraploid regions and an octaploid G2/M peak. Flow cytometric analysis of paraffin-embedded, fixed tissue was diagnostic of tetraploidy in the 92,XXXX CM and consistent with tetraploidy in the 92,XXYY PM. All three patients achieved spontaneous remission of elevated gonadotropin levels. These three cases of tetraploid HM do not fit into the usual patterns of diploid CM and triploid PM. We conclude that flow cytometric analysis of nuclear DNA may be used to identify polyploidy in fresh and paraffin-embedded, fixed placental tissues. Categorization of all molar placentas on the basis of ploidy presents rare opportunities to study the biology and natural history of gestational trophoblastic disease in tetraploid HM.

Adult↗

DNA cytometry in postirradiation cervical-vaginal smears.

Benign radiation change (BRC) in cervical-vaginal smears may be difficult to distinguish from postirradiation dysplasia (PRD) or recurrent cervical carcinoma. The utility of DNA analysis in postirradiation smears was evaluated retrospectively in 71 patients. Representative Papanicolaou smears were restained with a Feulgen method and 100 to 250 cells were analyzed for DNA content using the CAS 200 image analysis system. Thirty-three control irradiated patients had negative smears with a minimum 3-year follow-up. Thirty controls (91%) had diploid histograms with a mean coefficient of variation of 8.2% and an average of 6.8% of cells in S and G2/M phase. Three control patients had atypical nondiagnostic histograms. Twenty-three patients had abnormal smears and subsequent local recurrence; 21 (91%) had abnormal histograms, with seven showing polyploidy and 14 showing aneuploidy. The remaining 15 patients had abnormal smears diagnosed as PRD but no evidence of recurrent carcinoma. Five were polyploid, six were aneuploid, one was diploid, and three were atypical but nondiagnostic. Interactive DNA cytometry is useful in differentiating BRC from PRD and recurrent cancer. Aneuploidy is rarely, if ever, seen in negative smears with BRC. However, BRC may be associated with broad diploid peaks and increased proliferating cells. An abnormal histogram can be seen with PRD and does not always correlate with recurrent disease.

Adult↗

Isolation of the neu/HER-2 stimulatory ligand: a 44 kd glycoprotein that induces differentiation of mammary tumor cells.

The neu/HER-2 proto-oncogene (also called erbB-2) encodes a transmembrane glycoprotein related to the epidermal growth factor receptor. We have purified to homogeneity a 44 kd glycoprotein from the medium of ras-transformed cells that stimulates phosphorylation of the Neu protein and retains activity after elution from the polyacrylamide gel. The protein is active at picomolar concentrations and displays a novel N-terminal sequence. Cross-linking experiments with radiolabeled p44 result in specific labeling of Neu, indicating that p44 is a ligand for Neu or a related receptor. The purified protein induces phenotypic differentiation of cultured human breast cancer cells, including altered morphology and synthesis of milk components. This is accompanied by an increase in nuclear area, inhibition of cell growth (probably by cell cycle arrest at the late S or the G2/M phases), and induction of DNA polyploidy. We propose the name Neu differentiation factor (NDF) for p44.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Evolution escapes rugged fitness landscapes by gene or genome doubling: the blessing of higher dimensionality.

Evolution on rugged landscapes ceases when a local maximum is attained. This poses the problem of how evolution could approach or attain a global maximum, especially for large genomes for which quasispecies are ineffective. I show how increasing the dimensionality of the landscape, which occurs every time there is a gene or higher order duplication (up to polyploidy), may solve this problem. Epistasis or complementarity between the duplicated genes provides an all uphill pathway towards the global maximum. The evolution of hemoglobin and other dimeric and tetrameric proteins provides a testable case, since fitness is readily defined.

Animals↗

Current topic: confined placental mosaicism and intrauterine fetal development.

Chromosomal mosaicism is the presence of two or more cell lines with different chromosomal complements in an individual derived from a single zygote (which is distinguishable from chimaerism in which an individual is derived from more than one zygote). Mosaicism may involve a number of different karyotypic abnormalities including those for whole sets of chromosomes (polyploidy, including triploidy and tetraploidy), trisomies, sex chromosomal anomalies and chromosomal rearrangements. Mosaicism itself may be present in all the tissues of the body and placenta, or it may only be seen in certain tissues or may be restricted to only the placenta and extraembryonic membranes. The type of mosaicism seen depends upon the stage of development at which it originated, the tissue types to which the abnormal cell lines were distributed and the cell cycle times of both the normal and abnormal cells. The phenotypic effects or consequences of chromosomal mosaicism may be dramatic. During the pregnancy, high levels of mosaicism are seen in early abnormal preimplantation embryos, spontaneous abortions, intrauterine growth restriction and intrauterine fetal death. However, not all cases of mosaicism are serious and the presence of a normal cell line may dilute the effects of an abnormal cell line to such an extent that in many cases mosaicism will remain undetected because the consequences are not severe. Investigations of chromosomal mosaicism were, until recently, restricted to those cells which could be induced to divide and be karyotyped from metaphase analysis. Advances in molecular genetics and cytogenetics have made possible the identification of chromosomal abnormalities, specifically mosaicism in interphase cells. The identification of abnormalities such as confined placental mosaicism and its association with uniparental disomy has led to the recognition that chromosomal mosaicism plays a major role in abnormal human development and dysmorphology (Hall, 1990). An understanding of mosaicism and the role of the placenta during development, including the phenomenon of trisomic zygote rescue, is helping to cast light on problems in prenatal diagnosis, many of which involve confined placental mosaicism.

Embryonic and Fetal Development↗

Effect of methylazoxymethanol acetate on bluegill sunfish cell cultures in vitro.

An epithelioid cell line derived from fin tissue of bluegill sunfish (designated BG/F) exhibited early indications of cell transformation upon exposure to methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM acetate). Such changes included the induction of polyploidy, increased colony-forming efficiency, loss of contact inhibition, and formation of transformed foci. Unlike later transformation characteristics observed with mammalian cells, the MAM acetate-treated BG/F cells could not be propagated under conditions of anchorage independence in soft agar. Incubation of BG/F cells with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, followed by exposure to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, was not observed to cause cell transformation under the experimental conditions. The controls of a fibroblastic cell culture derived from gill tissue of bluegill sunfish showed spontaneous transformation after 6 months of passage, similar to the transformation observed in the experimental MAM acetate treated gill cultures.

Animals↗

Aneuploidy in mammalian somatic cells in vivo.

Aneuploidy is an important potential source of human disease and of reproductive failure. Nevertheless, the ability of chemical agents to induce aneuploidy has been investigated only sporadically in intact (whole-animal) mammalian systems. A search of the available literature from the EMCT Aneuploidy File (for years 1970-1983) provided 112 papers that dealt with aneuploidy in mammalian somatic cells in vivo. 59 of these papers did not meet minimal criteria for analysis and were rejected from subsequent review. Of the remaining 53 papers that dealt with aneuploidy induction by chemical agents in mammalian somatic cells in vivo, only 3 (6%) contained data that were considered to be supported conclusively by adequate study designs, execution, and reporting. These 3 papers dealt with 2 chemicals, one of which, mercury, was negative for aneuploidy induction in humans, and the other, pyrimethamine, was positive in an experimental rodent study. The majority of papers (94%) were considered inconclusive for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons for calling a study inconclusive were (a) combining data on hyperploidy with those on hypoploidy and/or polyploidy, (b) an inadequate or unspecified number of animals and/or cells per animal scored per treatment group, and (c) poor data presentation such that animal-to-animal variability could not be assessed. Suggestions for protocol development are made, and the future directions of research into aneuploidy induction are discussed.

Aneuploidy↗

Genotoxicity of mercury compounds. A review.

This article reviews literature data concerning the genotoxicity of 29 mercury-containing agents, including laboratory compounds as well as ingredients of preparations used as fungicides, dyes, disinfectants and drugs. A variety of genetic end-points were investigated in bacteria, yeasts, moulds, plants, insects, cultured cells from fishes, rodents or humans, aquatic organisms, amphibians, mammalia and exposed humans. The overall evaluation is quite complex. Mercury compounds failed to induce point mutations in bacteria but often exerted clastogenic effects in eukaryotes, especially by binding SH groups and acting as spindle inhibitors, thereby causing c-mitosis and consequently aneuploidy and/or polyploidy. Inorganic mercury compounds were also found to induce the generation of reactive oxygen species and glutathione depletion in cultured mammalian cells. Although different mercury compounds tended to produce qualitatively comparable genetic effects, which suggests the involvement of a common toxic entity, methylmercury derivatives and other ionizable organomercury compounds were more active in short-term tests than either non-ionizable mercury compounds (e.g., dimethylmercury) or inorganic mercury salts (e.g., mercuric chloride). The results of cytogenetic monitoring in peripheral blood lymphocytes of individuals exposed to elemental mercury or mercury compounds from accidental, occupational or alimentary sources were either negative or borderline or uncertain as to the actual role played by mercury in some positive findings. Both genotoxic and non-genotoxic mechanisms may contribute to the renal carcinogenicity of mercury, which so far has been convincingly demonstrated only in male rodents treated with methylmercury chloride.

Animals↗

Aneuploidy in Drosophila, I. Genetic test systems in the female Drosophila melanogaster for the rapid detection of chemically induced chromosome gain and chromosome loss.

An account is provided of two genetic schemes in the Drosophila melanogaster female designed as rapid detectors of chemically induced aneuploidy, including both chromosome gain and chromosome loss. One scheme is referred to as FIX, in which the female carried free (heterozygously) inverted X (chromosomes) and the other, ZESTE, where females do not carry inversions and the X-linked sexually dimorphic zeste mutation plays the key role in the detection of aneuploid offspring. The principle attribute of the FIX system is that all euploid offspring are wild-type for body and eye color whereas aneuploid females have a yellow body and aneuploid males white eyes; int he ZESTE system all euploid individuals are wild-type for eye color, aneuploid females possess zeste-colored eyes and aneuploid males white eyes. In addition induced polyploidies (2X:2A gametes) appear as yellow and zeste male intersexes in the FIX and ZESTE systems, respectively. In this way all aneuploids are recognized immediately. Consequently, detection of compounds with weak effects requiring large sample sizes may be made in a fraction of the time associated with more traditional schemes for aneuploidy detection in Drosophila.

Aneuploidy↗

Summary report of the Working Group on Mammalian Germ Cell Tests.

The two tests considered by the Working Group were the mammalian germ cell cytogenetic assay and the rodent dominant lethal test. It was agreed that both tests were mainly used for identification of germ cell hazards, however, that the commonly applied protocol of the dominant lethal assay often supplied information for hazard characterization such as sensitivity of particular developmental stages of male germ cells. No particular species or strains were indicated. Concurrent solvent controls were regarded as indispensable for both tests. In the discussion of the mammalian germ cell cytogenetic assay, harmonization was obtained to a large extent with the cytogenetic bone marrow assay regarding the number of animals (5), the number of cells analyzed per animal (200), the highest exposure dose (MTD) and sampling times (twice within 24 and 48 h after dosing). However, it was pointed out that only the single acute exposure was adequate for the mammalian germ cell cytogenetic assay. Furthermore, it was stated that only structural chromosome aberrations could be analyzed and that it was not informative to score polyploidies or aneuploidies. In the discussion of the rodent dominant lethal test, it was stated that the assay was generally performed with treated males, however, increasing concern about female specific effects required that a protocol for female dominant lethal testing should be developed and validated. Acute and subacute treatment schedules were considered equally acceptable. It was regarded as highly important that the entire male germ cell development from meiosis to mature sperm was covered in the test protocol either by the appropriate mating schedules after single dosing or by subchronic dosing during the respective period. Postimplantation loss, preimplantation loss and fertility rate were the main parameters to be assessed in the rodent dominant lethal tests. It was agreed that the size of the experiment depended on the spontaneous frequency of dead implants, the mating scheme and the statistical design of the experiment.

Aneuploidy↗

Chromosome analysis of lymphocytes from workers at an ethylene oxide plant.

Samples of peripheral blood were collected from 33 men who had been employed in the manufacture of ethylene oxide for between 1 and 14 years, and from 32 men from other parts of the same plant who were used as controls. Their lymphocytes were analysed for chromosome damage. There were low frequencies of polyploidy, chromatid aberrations and chromosome breaks in the cells of the 65 men. A slightly higher frequency of chromatid aberrations was observed in the cells of the ethylene oxide workers than in those of the controls, but the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. There was a positive correlation between length of employment in the ethylene oxide group and the numbers of aberrations in the cultures of each individual. This trend was not solely attributable to the age of the men. The levels of chromatid and chromosome damage observed in this study are consistent with those in humans who have not recently been exposed to known chromosome-breaking agents.

Adult↗

Cytogenetic analysis of mouse oocytes and one-cell zygotes as a potential assay for heritable germ cell aneuploidy.

Assays are needed for detecting chemically-induced aneuploidy, for investigating the mechanisms of aneuploidy production, and for obtaining heritable germ cell data that can be used to formulate human risk estimates. In this report, we describe the results of experiments designed to study aneuploidy in metaphase II (MII) oocytes induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) or oral dosages of colchicine, and to investigate the proportion of aneuploid oocytes transmitted to one-cell (1C) zygotes following oral administration of colchicine immediately following HCG. The proportions (and percentages) of hyperploid MII oocytes were: 1/606 (0.2), 37/504 (7.3), 152/731 (20.8) and 75/319 (23.5) for control, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mg/kg, respectively for i.p. administration of colchicine; and 3/216 (1.4), 8/539 (1.5), 81/511 (15.9), 71/398 (17.8) and 98/391 (25.1) for control, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mg/kg, respectively for oral administration of colchicine. The proportions of hyperploid 1C zygotes were 2/327 (0.6), 21/389 (5.4), 62/435 (14.3) and 69/438 (15.8) for control, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mg/kg, respectively for oral colchicine. The proportions of hyperploid MII oocytes and 1C zygotes were significantly higher (Chi-square, P less than 0.01) at each i.p. or oral dose (except 1.0 mg/kg oral) than in the controls. The frequencies of hyperploidy induced by oral doses of colchicine were greater in MII oocytes than in 1C zygotes. We also found that the frequency of developmentally delayed and polyploid 1C zygotes increased with the dose of oral colchicine. Developmentally delayed zygotes contained male-derived chromosomes and female-derived fragmented pronuclei and pronuclei with decondensed chromosomes. These results indicate that higher doses of oral colchicine are needed to induce comparable levels of aneuploidy found after i.p. administration, and that aneuploid oocytes are fertilized and reach first cleavage metaphase. In addition, colchicine induces a spectrum of events including aneuploidy, polyploidy and developmentally delayed oocytes and zygotes.

Administration, Oral↗

Chromosome aberration test for the insecticide, dichlorvos, on fish chromosomes.

Chromosome aberration test was applied for an organophosphorus insecticide, dichlorvos, using fish as model. Channa punctatus, an ophiocephalid, having a small number (2n = 32) and a rather large size of chromosomes, was used for the purpose. Dichlorvos, with O,O-dimethyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate as the active component, was dissolved in the aquarium water at concentration level equal to that found in drainage from agricultural fields (0.01 ppm). The chromosomal preparations were made from the kidney cells of the fish after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h intervals. Controls were kept in ordinary water. The aberrations observed were chromatid gaps, sub-chromatid gaps, centromeric gaps, precocious separation of chromatids and polyploidy. These were found to be significantly higher as compared to that of the controls. This test proved its efficacy in the fish model without the administration of the chemical by injection.

Animals↗

Chromosomal breakage and sister chromatid exchange in peripheral blood lymphocytes and lymphoblastoid cell lines in the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome.

The frequencies of chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) were measured in lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) and in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)- and pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-stimulated lymphocytes from males with X-linked lymphoproliferative (XLP) syndrome, their obligate carrier mothers, and control subjects. We observed an increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations including increased polyploidy in LCLs derived from families with XLP with time in culture. The SCE rate in LCLs (mean of 3.89 SCEs per cell) was much lower than that in PHA- or PWM-stimulated lymphocytes: PWM-stimulated lymphocytes showed 9.58 SCEs per cell and PHA-stimulated cells had 11.38 SCEs per cell. A greater number of chromosomal gaps and breaks in the D-group chromosomes of LCLs of affected males and carrier females were identified compared to the number expected, based on chromosomal length and the number of aberrations seen in PHA-stimulated cell cultures. No differences in the frequency of SCEs or chromosomal aberrations were found in control subjects and affected males or carrier females in the peripheral lymphocytes stimulated by PHA. Phenotypes of XLP appear to arise from failure of immune responses to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and not from intrinsic chromosomal breakage or instability.

Cell Line↗