title: Detection of phase specificity of in vivo germ cell mutagens in an in vitro germ cell system.
abstract: In vivo tests for male reproductive genotoxicity are time consuming, resource-intensive and their use should be minimised according to the principles of the 3Rs. Accordingly, we investigated the effects in vitro, of a variety of known, phase-specific germ cell mutagens, i.e., pre-meiotic, meiotic, and post-meiotic genotoxins, on rat spermatogenic cell types separated using Staput unit-gravity velocity sedimentation, evaluating DNA damage using the Comet assay. N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) (spermatogenic phase), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine (5-BrdU) (meiotic phase), methyl methanesulphonate (MMS) and ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) (post-meiotic phase) were selected for use as they are potent male rodent, germ cell mutagens in vivo. DNA damage was detected directly using the Comet assay and indirectly using the TUNEL assay. Treatment of the isolated cells with ENU and MNU produced the greatest concentration-related increase in DNA damage in spermatogonia. Spermatocytes were most sensitive to 6-MP and 5-BrdU while spermatids were particularly susceptible to MMS and EMS. Increases were found when measuring both Olive tail moment (OTM) and% tail DNA, but the greatest changes were in OTM. Parallel results were found with the TUNEL assay, which showed highly significant, concentration dependent effects of all these genotoxins on spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids in the same way as for DNA damage. The specific effects of these chemicals on different germ cell types matches those produced in vivo. This approach therefore shows potential for use in the detection of male germ cell genotoxicity and could contribute to the reduction of the use of animals in such toxicity assays.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, Richmond Road, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP, UK.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Habas
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, Richmond Road, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP, UK.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, Richmond Road, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP, UK. Electronic address: M.H.Brinkworth@Bradford.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brinkworth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens
keywords: Apoptosis; DNA damage; In vitro; Male germ-cell genotoxicity; Phase specificity; Spermatogenic cells