EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS-TRANSFORMED HUMAN-LYMPHOBLASTOID CELLS FOR STUDY OF SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGE AND THEIR EVALUATION AS A TEST SYSTEM

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 40  (12) , 4775-4780
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human lymphoblastoid cell lines are suitable for detection of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) induced by mutagens-carcinogens because they have shown a stable chromosome number and stable frequency of spontaneous SCE for > 22 yr in culture. Their spontaneous and induced SCE frequencies were practically the same as those of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes from the same blood donors. The SCE responses of cell line NL3 to 13 typical mutagens and 5 nonmutagens were examined. This cell line responded to all the mutagens tested but not to the nonmutagens. The SCE-inducing activities of these chemicals were well correlated with their mutagenic activities assayed with the Salmonella system by Ames'' and Sugimura''s groups, although there were a few but significant deviations.