Induction of chromosome aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes treated with ethoxyquin

• Published in: Mutation research Vol. 542; no. 1; pp. 117 - 128
• Main Authors: Błaszczyk, A., Osiecka, R., Skolimowski, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 09-12-2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cells, Cultured; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Chromosome aberrations; Chromosome Aberrations - chemically induced; Drug Stability; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Ethoxyquin; Ethoxyquin - chemistry; Ethoxyquin - metabolism; Ethoxyquin - toxicity; Female; Food preservative; Food Preservatives - chemistry; Food Preservatives - metabolism; Food Preservatives - toxicity; Human lymphocytes; Humans; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous (drug allergy, mutagens, teratogens...); Mitotic Index; Mutagens - chemistry; Mutagens - metabolism; Mutagens - toxicity; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Regression Analysis; Food preservative; Human lymphocytes; Chromosome aberrations; Ethoxyquin; Chromosomal aberration; Human; Cell culture; Preservative; Induction; Food preservation; Lymphocyte
• ISSN: 1383-5718; 0027-5107; 1879-3592
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2003.09.004

The chromosomal aberration test was employed to investigate the effect in vitro of a known antioxidant and food preservative, ethoxyquin (EQ, 1,2-dihydro-6-ethoxy-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline) on human chromosomes. The studies were undertaken because there are no published in vitro data on genotoxicity of EQ in mammalian cells and there are many reports pointing out that it may be harmful to animals and human beings. Lymphocytes obtained from three healthy donors were incubated with EQ (0.01–0.5
mM) both with and without metabolic activation. Stability studies performed by HPLC analysis showed that EQ was stable under the conditions of the lymphocyte cultures. The results of the chromosome aberration assay showed that EQ induces chromosome aberrations: gaps and breaks as well as dicentrics and atypical translocation chromosomes.