title: In vitro genotoxicity of dimethyl terephthalate.
abstract: Dimethyl terephthalate (DMTP), the para configuration of dimethyl phthalate, is one of the basic monomers used in the synthesis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics. Human exposure to DMTP may primarily occur during the manufacture of PET fibers and films. The mutagenic potential of dimethyl terephthalate was evaluated using a battery of in vitro short-term tests: the Ames test; DNA single-strand break assays in CO60 cells and in primary rat hepatocytes; UDS in HeLa cells; chromosome aberration and micronucleus assays in human peripheral blood lymphocytes; selective DNA amplification in CO60 and in Syrian hamster embryo cells. The results of this battery of in vitro assays clearly show that DMTP is nongenotoxic. By contrast, other authors have found DMTP to be an in vivo clastogenic compound and suggested that the mechanisms involved in these in vivo effects seem to have nothing in common with genotoxicity and are still unknown.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monarca
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Pool-Zobel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rizzi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmezer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piatti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pasquini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Fusco
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Biscardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D006224:Cricetinae; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D004247:DNA; C004782:dimethyl 4-phthalate