Initiation of in vitro cell transformation by formaldehyde and acetaldehyde as measured by attachment-independent survival of cells in aggregates.
The ability of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde to initiate transformation of a rat kidney cell line has been studied using a newly developed two-stage in vitro cell transformation assay. The assay is based on measurements of attachment-independent survival of cells in aggregates. Short treatment with non-cytotoxic doses of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde did not affect survival of the cells in the aggregate assay system. However, when the aldehyde treatment was followed by exposure of the cells to the tumor promoters TPA and PDD, a considerable increase in the number of viable cells was observed. On a molar basis, formaldehyde was about 100 times more potent than acetaldehyde in initiation of cell transformation. The data showed that cells derived from aggregates of cultures treated with formaldehyde or acetaldehyde followed by exposure to TPA possessed a considerably higher ability to form colonies in soft agar than untreated control cells.
D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
D005557:Formaldehyde; D000079:Acetaldehyde