Transplacental effect of N-diethylnitrosamine on chromosomal aberrations in fetal tracheal cells of the Syrian hamster: comparison between epithelial and mesenchymal cells.

Abstract

Chromosomal aberrations were investigated in tracheal cells of fetal Syrian hamsters after transplacental administration of N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN). On the 15th day of pregnancy, Syrian hamsters were injected s.c. with a tumorigenic dose of DEN (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight). Two hours later, the fetal tracheae were isolated, the epithelial tissue was separated from the mesenchymal tissue by collagenase-treatment, and then each cell population was transferred to cell culture after Dispase treatment. At 24, 48 and 72 h after the cell cultivation, chromosomal damage was examined. The results clearly showed that a high incidence of chromosomal aberrations, especially chromatid-type exchanges, was seen in the epithelial cells of DEN-treated groups. However, significant induction of chromosomal aberrations was not observed in the mesenchymal cells from DEN-treated groups.