Cytogenetic effects of styrene and styrene oxide.
Styrene and styrene oxide induce various cytogenetic effects, similar in both human lymphocytes in vitro and onion root-tip cells in vivo. Styrene appears to cause chromosome breakage in both systems, and in Allium it shows a strong c-mitotic effect. Styrene oxide, on the other hand, seems to destroy the tertiary folding of the chromatin. Cytotoxicity of styrene oxide is very high (complete mitotic inhibition occurs on 0.03% v/v) in human lymphocytes, whereas, in Allium, styrene is slightly more toxic than styrene oxide. Styrene glycol, a further metabolite of styrene oxide, does not cause mitotic inhibition.
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004988:Ethers, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009153:Mutagens; D013343:Styrenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D004988:Ethers, Cyclic; D009153:Mutagens; D013343:Styrenes; C013690:styrene oxide