Retinol (vitamin A) as a modifier of 2-aminofluorene and 2-acetyl-aminofluorene mutagenesis in the Salmonella/microsome assay.

Abstract

Vitamin A (retinol)has been demonstrated to modify the mutagenic activity of the aromatic amines, 2-aminofluorene (2AF) and 2-acetylaminofluorene (2AAF) when added to the Ames Salmonella/mammalian microsome assay. Low amounts of retinol(2-20 micrograms/plate) increased the mutagenicity of both 2AF and 2AAF. At higher doses (50-150 micrograms/plates) the mutagenicity of 2AAF remained unchanged while the mutagenicity of 2AF gradually decreased. The present data do not support the hypothesis that retinol generally acts as an inhibitor of in vitro metabolic activation of procarcinogens.