title: Synergistic/comutagenic action in the Ames test as an indication of irrelevant positive findings.
abstract: A number of structurally very diverse compounds which cause weak positive effects in the Ames test by evident or suspect irrelevant mechanisms is discussed. As a unifying observation we describe synergistic effects in combination with known mutagens in the responsive strains and comutagenic effects in initially unresponsive strains. We argue that the compounds enhance the formation of spontaneous (or mutagen-induced) revertant colonies by test-specific mechanisms likely to be of no relevance to multicellular eukaryotic organisms rather than possessing intrinsic genotoxic (i.e. DNa-damaging) properties in the Ames test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gocke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albertini
mesh_terms: D000873:Anthracenes / Q000633:toxicity; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D001386:Azides / Q000633:toxicity; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006639:Histidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000633:toxicity; D008701:Methapyrilene / Q000633:toxicity; D015394:Molecular Structure; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000235:genetics; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000633:toxicity; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D019810:Sodium Azide
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001386:Azides; D002273:Carcinogens; D009153:Mutagens; C099768:isohistidine; D006639:Histidine; C006593:2-anthramine; D019810:Sodium Azide; D008701:Methapyrilene; D010634:Phenobarbital