Differentiated and exponentially growing HL60 cells exhibit different sensitivity to some genotoxic agents in the comet assay.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the cell differentiation status on the sensitivity to genotoxic insults. For this, we utilized the comet assay to test the DNA damage after treatment with 5 different substances with different mechanism of action in human promyelocytic HL60 cells with or without cell differentiation. A 4-hour MMS treatment induced a significant and concentration-dependent increase in DNA damage for both differentiated and undifferentiated cells, but the difference in sensitivity was only significant at the highest concentration.

Author Correction: Induction of micronuclei by four cytostatic compounds in human hematopoietic stem cells and human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells.

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The Biological Activity of the Novel Vinca Alkaloids 4-chlorochablastine and 4-chlorochacristine.

Background: Vinca alkaloids are important cancer drugs belonging to the class of antimitotic agents. The most commonly used substances are vinblastine and vincristine, other compounds are vinorelbine and vinflunine. All of them are very effective drugs but their use is limited by severe side-effects including neurotoxicity and bone marrow depression.

Induction of micronuclei by four cytostatic compounds in human hematopoietic stem cells and human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells.

For mutagenicity testing, primary lymphocytes or mammalian cell lines are employed. However, the true target for carcinogenic action of mutagenic chemicals may be stem cells. Since hematopoietic cancers induced by chemical agents originate at the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) stage and since one of the side effects of chemotherapeutic cancer treatment is the induction of secondary tumors, often leukemias, HSC may be a suitable cell system.