title: Epithelial and fibroblast cell lines cultured from the transgenic BigBlue rat: an in vitro mutagenesis assay.
abstract: We have isolated, cultured, and immortalised three new BigBlue transgenic rat cell lines for the study of mutation induction in vitro. The two epithelial cell lines, from the mammary gland and oral cavity, were designated BBR/ME and BBR/OE, respectively, and the third is a mammary fibroblast line designated BBR/MFib. We have characterised these cell lines with respect to chromosome number and the expression of some cell-specific antigens. The clonogenic survival and cII transgene mutation induction responses of these three cell lines to N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) treatment were determined. Both epithelial cell lines were much more sensitive to ENU toxicity than was the fibroblast cell line. However, all cell lines showed similar ENU dose-dependent increases in mutant frequency. We hope that cell lines such as these will extend the power of the BigBlue assay to in vitro studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: McDiarmid
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Coomber
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Josephy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002460:Cell Line; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005038:Ethylnitrosourea / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000166:cytology; D009055:Mouth / Q000166:cytology; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D005038:Ethylnitrosourea