title: PCBs do not induce DNA breakage in vitro in human lymphocytes.
abstract: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are classified by IARC as non-mutagenic in vivo. However, despite almost 20 years of research, their mutagenicity in vitro is still debatable. In this work the in vitro cytochalasin B micronucleus test and the alkaline comet assay applied to human lymphocytes were used to study the genotoxicity of a PCB. PCB77, at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 microg/ml, was used in whole blood or isolated lymphocyte cultures, with final dimethylsulfoxide percentages of 0.5-2%. In the micro-nucleus test lymphocytes were exposed for 48 h, and in the alkaline comet assay for 30 min, 1 h and 3 h. No increases of single strand breaks or micronucleus frequencies was found, in contrast to previously reported data. Our data indicate that PCB77 has no clastogenic properties in human lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratories of Anthropogenetics and Ecology, Free University Brussels (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Belpaeme
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Delbeke
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirsch-Volders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D004247:DNA; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls