Inhibition of intercellular communication in Chinese hamster V79 cells by fractionated asphalt fume condensates.
Asphalt fume condensate is a skin carcinogen in mice, yet this complex mixture contains relatively low levels of known carcinogenic initiators. Consequently, its biological activity has been attributed to the presence of cocarcinogenic or tumor-promoting agents. One of several proposed mechanisms of tumor promotion is inhibition of intercellular communication. In an attempt to determine if asphalt fume has tumor-promoting potential inhibition of intercellular communication was measured in V79 cells exposed to fractionated asphalt fume condensate. Fume from air-blown Arabian crude asphalt was trapped and separated into five fractions by preparative-scale high-pressure liquid chromatography. The parent fume condensate and the five fractions inhibited intercellular communication in a concentration-dependent fashion, with a minimum effective concentration of 2.5 microgram/ml for the most potent fraction. Cytotoxicity assays were performed at the same time and concentrations as the metabolic cooperation assays. Cytotoxic responses paralleled the inhibition of intercellular communication.
Toraason
M
M
Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Science, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.
Bohrman
J S
JS
Elmore
E
E
Wyatt
G
G
McGregor
D
D
Willington
S E
SE
Zajac
W
W
D000336:Aerosols; D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
D000336:Aerosols; D006838:Hydrocarbons; C006647:asphalt