Sister chromatid exchanges in human peripheral blood lymphocytes after ingestion of high doses of arsenicals.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the cytogenetic effects following the ingestion of high doses of arsenicals.


METHODS
Determination of the mean sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency and the population of high-frequency cells (HFC, cells with a high SCE frequency) in the peripheral blood lymphocytes in four patients who ingested 150 mg KAsO2, 1 g, 10 g and 20 g As2O3 respectively.


RESULTS
Doses of 10 g and 20 g significantly increased the HFC frequency and produced a shift in the distribution of the cells in accordance with the number of SCEs. The mean frequency of SCEs/cell was affected only after the highest dose (20 g).


CONCLUSIONS
These results strongly suggest that cytogenetic methods are inappropriate for biomonitoring people occupationally exposed to arsenicals.
Hantson
P
P
Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
Verellen-Dumoulin
C
C
Libouton
J M
JM
Leonard
A
A
Leonard
E D
ED
Mahieu
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003582:Cytogenetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011042:Poisons / Q000506:poisoning*; D012016:Reference Values; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D011042:Poisons