Bimolane induces multiple types of chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes in vitro.

Bimolane has been commonly used in China for the treatment of psoriasis and various types of cancer. Patients treated with bimolane have been reported to have an increased risk of developing therapy-related leukemias. Although bimolane has been identified as a human leukemia-inducing agent, little is known about its genotoxic effects, and a systematic study of the types of chromosomal alterations induced by this compound has not been performed.

Cytotoxicity of eight cigarette smoke condensates in three test systems: comparisons between assays and condensates.

Cytotoxic properties of tobacco smoke are associated with chronic tobacco-related diseases. The cytotoxicity of tobacco smoke can be tested with short-term predictive assays. In this study, we compare eight mainstream cigarette smoke condensates (CSCs) from commercial and experimental cigarettes in three different cytotoxicity assays with unique and overlapping endpoints.

Differential cell cycle-specificity for chromosomal damage induced by merbarone and etoposide in V79 cells.

Merbarone, a topoisomerase II (topo II) inhibitor which, in contrast to etoposide, does not stabilize topo II-DNA cleavable complexes, was previously shown to be a potent clastogen in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the possible mechanisms, we compared the cell cycle-specificity of the clastogenic effects of merbarone and etoposide in V79 cells. Using flow cytometry and BrdU labeling techniques, etoposide was shown to cause a rapid and persistent G2 delay while merbarone was shown to cause a prolonged S-phase followed by a G2 delay.

Induction of cell proliferation, micronuclei and hyperdiploidy/polyploidy in the mammary cells of DDT- and DMBA-treated pubertal rats.

The environmental estrogen, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and its metabolites have been implicated in the development of breast cancer through mechanisms that remain to be elucidated. It has been hypothesized that exposure to DDT and its metabolites, during critical periods of development, can contribute to an elevated risk for breast cancer in adults. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of o,p'-DDT on mammary gland cell proliferation and chromosomal alterations, in a rat mammary cancer model (commonly used to study human cancer), to gain insights into its potential role in the development of breast cancer.