title: Effects of lymphocyte subpopulations on the clonal assay of HPRT mutants: occupational exposure to cytostatic drugs.
abstract: The mutagenic effect of occupational exposure to antineoplastic agents was studied in chemotherapy nurses and pharmacists using the T-lymphocyte clonal assay. A significant increase in mutant frequency was observed compared to controls. However, in the present study, cloning efficiency without selection (CEU) was significantly reduced in exposed personnel raising the possibility of an overestimation of the calculated MF. Changes in lymphocyte populations and clonal potential of T-cells were also observed following exposure. CEU was related to % CD4 cells but CE with selection (CETG) was not. Differences in clonal ability of T-cells under selective and unselective conditions coupled with differential lethal effect of antineoplastic agents on lymphocyte subsets may result in inaccurate estimation of MF.
authors.affiliation: CINBIOSE, Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dubeau
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zazi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Messing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002999:Clone Cells; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009154:Mutation; D009726:Nurses; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010595:Pharmacists; D011792:Quebec; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase