Detection of cyclophosphamide‐induced mutations at the Hprt but not the lacI locus in splenic lymphocytes of exposed mice

Abstract

The relative sensitivities and specificities of the endogenous Hprt gene and the lacI transgene as mutational targets were evaluated in splenic lymphocytes from male standard B6C3F1 mice (only Hprt assayed) and from lacI transgenic B6C3F1 mice treated at 6–7 weeks- of-age with the indirect-acting agent, cyclophosphamide (CP). To define the effects of the time elapsed since CP treatment on Hprt mutant frequencies (Mfs), nontransgenic mice were given single i.p. injections of 25 mg CP/kg or vehicle (PBS) alone and then necropsied 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 weeks after treatment. Peak Mfs were found at 6 weeks postexposure, with mean Mf values ranging from 2.27 to 3.27 × 10–5 using two different lots of CP in standard packaging (compared with mean control Mf values of 0.14 to 0.26 × 10–5 in various experiments). To determine the dose response for Hprt Mfs, nontransgenic mice were given single doses of 0, 12.5, 25, 50, or 100 mg CP/kg and necropsied 4 weeks postexposure. These treatments produced a supralinear dose response curve for CP-induced Hprt Mfs. Based on these experiments, CP mutagenicities at Hprt and lacI were compared in transgenic mice treated with 0, 25, or 100 mg CP/kg (using another lot of CP in ISOPAC® bottles; Sigma) and necropsied 6 weeks later. There was a significant increase in Hprt Mfs in treated transgenic mice (100 mg CP/kg: 0.75 ± 0.09 × 10–5; 25 mg CP/kg: 0.39 ± 0.05 × 10–5) versus controls (0.10 ± 0.01 × 10–5); however, the Mfs in lacI of lymphocytes from the same CP-treated animals were not significantly different from controls (100 mg CP/kg: 9.4 ± 1.1 × 10–5; 25 mg CP/kg: 6.7 ± 0.8 × 10–5; control: 7.7 ± 0.7 × 10–5). Hprt mutational spectra data in CP-treated transgenic and nontransgenic mice were different from those of control mice, whereas the spectra of mutations in lacI of lymphocytes from Big Blue® transgenic mice were not significantly changed after CP treatment. These data indicate that, under these treatment conditions, CP-induced mutations in splenic lymphocytes were detectable in the Hprt gene but not the lacI transgene of this nontarget tissue for CP-induced cancer. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 34:167–181, 1999 © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.