title: N-acetylcysteine inhibits diesel extract mutagenicity in the Ames test and SCE induction in human lymphocytes.
abstract: N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) has been reported to decrease genotoxicity induced by several mutagens. In this paper, the desmutagenic effect of NAC on a complex mixture, such as diesel extract, has been analyzed. Studies have been carried out in vitro with the Ames test (reverse mutations on TA98, TA100, and TA104 strains) and sister chromatid exchanges assay (SCE) in human lymphocytes. NAC inhibits diesel genotoxicity in both assays. NAC also inhibits the mutagenicity of 1,8-dinitropyrene (1,8-DNP) and 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) known to be present in diesel exhaust and to be activated by cellular O-transacetylases and nitropyrene reductases. NAC inhibits also the induction of SCE in human lymphocytes by diesel extract. These results, and those obtained by the preincubation of NAC with cells, suggest that the inhibition also takes place inside the cell.
authors.affiliation: Dipt. Scienze dell'Ambiente e del Territorio, Università di Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barale
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Micheletti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sbrana
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Glussich
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scapoli
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barrai
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005579:Fossil Fuels / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000633:toxicity; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects*; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects*; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D009153:Mutagens; D011721:Pyrenes; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; C033310:1,8-dinitropyrene; C032668:1-nitropyrene; D000111:Acetylcysteine