Bioassay Procedure for the Detection of Mutagenic Metabolites in Human Urine With the Use of Sister Chromatid Exchange Analysis2

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Abstract
A short-term bioassay system for the detection of activated mutagenic metabolites in urine from humans exposed to promutagens was described. Human diploid fibroblasts were grown in medium containing 5–20% urine from smokers, from nonsmokers, and from individuals undergoing cyclophosphamide (Cp) chemotherapy for treatment of cancer. The cells were then subjected to sister chromatid exchange (SCE) analysis. Activated Cp metabolic products in urine specimens produced up to a tenfold increase in SCE's over preinjection SCE levels for the same individuals. Linear dose-response curves over a urine concentration range from 5 to 20% in culture medium were obtained from cells grown in urine specimens from 7 nonsmokers and 8 cigarette smokers. This test system proved to be sensitive to ambient exposure levels of environmental mutagens and demonstrated that urine from smokers was significantly more mutagenic than was urine from nonsmokers. Replicate experiments showed highly reproducible SCE values for each individual as well as for average SCE values for each group of subjects. The ability of this bioassay system to detect trace mutagenic activity in human urine reproducibly makes it an attractive choice for the monitoring of humans who have been exposed to environmental and/or industrial mutagens.