title: Use of Ciliogenesis to Detect Aneugens: The Role of Primary Cilia.
abstract: Primary cilia arise from the centrosomes of quiescent or post-mitotic cells, and serve as sensory organelles that communicate mechanical and chemical stimuli from the environment to the interior of the cell. Cilium formation may, therefore, become a useful end point signaling exposure to genotoxins or aneugens. Here we have used the aneugen, zidovudine (AZT), an antiretroviral drug that induces DNA replication arrest and centrosomal amplification (>2 centrosomes per quiescent cell), to evaluate cilia formation in retinal epithelial (pigmented) cells. Since cilia are derived from centrosomes, and aneugens can induce centrosomal amplification, the production of multiple cilia arising from multiple centrosomes may reveal the aneugenic nature of the agents. Cells were exposed to AZT to induce centrosomal amplification, cultured without serum to allow the centrioles to develop cilia, and immunostained to visualize cilia and centrosomes. Nuclear DNA was stained with DAPI. Preliminary observations suggest that cells with multiple centrosomes are able to generate extra cilia.
authors.affiliation: Carcinogen-DNA Interactions Section, LCBG, CCR, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Kathyayini V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Divi
authors.affiliation: Cell and Cancer Biology Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Yvona
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Carcinogen-DNA Interactions Section, LCBG, CCR, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Miriam C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.affiliation: Carcinogen-DNA Interactions Section, LCBG, CCR, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Ofelia A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Olivero
mesh_terms: D024422:Aneugens / Q000633:toxicity*; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002460:Cell Line; D018385:Centrosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002923:Cilia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D004249:DNA Damage; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D024422:Aneugens; D015215:Zidovudine
keywords: AZT; aneugens; centrosomal amplification; primary cilia