title: Detection of non-genotoxic carcinogens in the BALB/c 3T3 cell transformation/mutation assay system.
abstract: We have employed BALB/c 3T3 cells in a simultaneous cell transformation and mutation assay protocol to see whether both genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogens can be identified. Three known mutagenic animal carcinogens tested positive for transforming activity: dimethylnitrosamine, methylcholanthrene and methylnitrosourea. In addition, we tested three non-mutagenic compounds--two human carcinogens, benzene and diethylstilbestrol, and the possible human carcinogen dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane; all three displayed transforming activity. These results add to existing data supporting the validity of the BALB/c 3T3 cell transformation system as a reliable short-term in vitro test for carcinogens in general, and for non-genotoxic carcinogens in particular.
authors.affiliation: Programme of Multistage Carcinogenesis, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piccoli
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed / Q000187:drug effects; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine / Q000633:toxicity; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008770:Methylnitrosourea / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009153:Mutagens; D009154:Mutation; D009605:Nitrosomethylurethane / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D009153:Mutagens; D009605:Nitrosomethylurethane; D008770:Methylnitrosourea; D004128:Dimethylnitrosamine