Chrysotile fiber is a strong mutagen in mammalian cells.
Although chrysotile asbestos is a proven human carcinogen, several studies have concluded that these fibers are not mutagenic to cultured mammalian cells. We show here, on the other hand, that when tested using the AL cell system that detects both intragenic and multilocus mutations, chrysotile is indeed mutagenic and comparable in strength to that of gamma-rays. Southern analysis of the induced mutants shows that the majority contains large deletions ranging in size from a few thousand to several million base pairs. Results of our study demonstrate that, while chrysotile may be less durable in vivo than the amphibole fibers such as crocidolites and amosites, it can effectively create genetic damage involved in the cancer process.
Hei
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Center for Radiological Research, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032.
Piao
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Vannais
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Waldren
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D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics; D001194:Asbestos / Q000633:toxicity*; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D016466:CHO Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 / Q000502:physiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D010641:Phenotype
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D009153:Mutagens; D001194:Asbestos; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase