Presence Of BrdUrd Research Articles

Further characterization of the genotoxicity of formaldehyde in vitro by the sister chromatid exchange test and co-cultivation experiments

The induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) was used to further characterize the genotoxic action of formaldehyde (FA) on cultured mammalian cells. FA induced SCE in V79 Chinese hamster cells and A549 human lung cells in a concentration-related manner. Addition of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) for the differentiation of sister chromatids to visualize SCE 4 h after the FA treatment led to a clearly reduced induction of SCE in agreement with the repair kinetics of FA-induced DNA-protein cross-links. When A549 cells were treated with FA for 1 h and then co-cultivated with V79 cells in the presence of BrdUrd, a clear induction of SCE was measured in V79 cells. When the same experiment was performed including washing and change of medium after the FA treatment, no induction of SCE was measured in V79 cells. These results indicate that reactive FA remains in the cell culture medium for a longer time period despite the high reactivity of FA with macromolecules. However, FA that has entered a cell is not released and does not damage other cells. Possible implications for the mutagenicity of FA in vivo will be discussed.

Ephrin-B1 Is Critical in T-cell Development

Eph kinases are the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases, and their ligands, ephrins (EFNs), are also cell surface molecules. In this study, we investigated the role of EFNB1 and the Ephs it interacts with (collectively called EFNB1 receptors) in mouse T-cell development. In the thymus, CD8 single positive (SP) and CD4CD8 double positive (DP) cells expressed high levels of EFNB1 and EFNB1 receptors, whereas CD4 SP cells had moderate expression of both. Soluble EFNB1-Fc in fetal thymus organ culture caused significant subpopulation ratio skew, with increased CD4 SP and CD8 SP and decreased DP percentage, while the cellularity of the thymus remained constant. Moreover, in EFNB1-treated fetal thymus organ culture, CD117(+), CD25(+), DP, CD4 SP, and CD8 SP cells all had significantly enhanced proliferation history, according to bromodeoxyuridine uptake. In vitro culture of isolated thymocytes revealed that EFNB1-Fc on solid-phase protected thymocytes from anti-CD3-induced apoptosis, with concomitant augmentation of several antiapoptotic factors, particularly in CD4 SP and CD8 SP cells; on the other hand, soluble EFNB1-Fc promoted anti-CD3-induced apoptosis, as was the case in vivo. This study reveals that EFNB1 and EFNB1 receptors are critical in thymocyte development.

Curcumin Selectively Induces Apoptosis in Deregulated Cyclin D1-expressed Cells at G2 Phase of Cell Cycle in a p53-dependent Manner

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is known to induce apoptosis in tumor cells. In asynchronous cultures, with time-lapse video-micrography in combination with quantitative fluorescence microscopy, we have demonstrated that curcumin induces apoptosis at G(2) phase of cell cycle in deregulated cyclin D1-expressed mammary epithelial carcinoma cells, leaving its normal counterpart unaffected. In our search toward delineating the molecular mechanisms behind such differential activities of curcumin, we found that it selectively increases p53 expression at G(2) phase of carcinoma cells and releases cytochrome c from mitochondria, which is an essential requirement for apoptosis. Further experiments using p53-null as well as dominant-negative and wild-type p53-transfected cells have established that curcumin induces apoptosis in carcinoma cells via a p53-dependent pathway. On the other hand, curcumin reversibly inhibits normal mammary epithelial cell cycle progression by down-regulating cyclin D1 expression and blocking its association with Cdk4/Cdk6 as well as by inhibiting phosphorylation and inactivation of retinoblastoma protein. In addition, curcumin significantly up-regulates cell cycle inhibitory protein (p21Waf-1) in normal cells and arrests them in G(0) phase of cell cycle. Therefore, these cells escape from curcumin-induced apoptosis at G(2) phase. Interestingly, these processes remain unaffected by curcumin in carcinoma cells where cyclin D1 expression is high. Similarly, in ectopically overexpressed system, curcumin cannot down-regulate cyclin D1 and thus block cell cycle progression. Hence, these cells progress into G(2) phase and undergo apoptosis. These observations together suggest that curcumin may have a possible therapeutic potential in breast cancer patients.

Modification of potentially lethal damage in irradiated Chinese hamster V79 cells after incorporation of halogenated pyrimidines

Radiosensitization of exponentially growing and plateau phase Chinese hamster V79 cells by incorporation of halogenated pyrimidines (HP) was investigated for different culture conditions that influenced repair. For this purpose cells were grown for 72 h with 0, 1, 2 and 4 mu m of chloro-(CldUrd), bromo- (BrdUrd) or iodo-deoxyuridine (IdUrd) and were subsequently irradiated with gamma-rays from a 137Cs source, either in exponential growth or in plateau-phase. Cell survival after irradiation was determined by clonogenic assay. In exponentially growing cultures thymidine-replacement in the DNA of the cells after incubation with 4 mu m of CldUrd, BrdUrd and IdUrd was 22.3, 32.7 and 12.7%, respectively. In plateau-phase cultures the percentage thymidine replacement in the DNA of the cells after incubation during growth with 4 mu m CldUrd, BrdUrd and IdUrd was 27.5, 33.8 and 10.7%, respectively. Linear-quadratic analyses of the radiation survival curves were performed. In exponentially growing cells a marked increase by a factor 2-3 of the value of alpha was obtained. The beta term significantly increased only in cells which were grown in the presence of BrdUrd and which were trypsinized and replated immediately after irradiation. In plateau-phase cells which were trypsinized and plated immediately after irradiation both alpha and beta increased up to a factor 2-3 with increasing incorporation of halogenated pyrimidines. In plateau phase cells which were allowed to repair potentially lethal damage (PLD) for 6 h and subsequently trypsinized and plated, alpha increased by a factor 3-4. In these latter conditions changes in beta were smaller. In exponentially growing cells in which repair was allowed after irradiation by plating prior to the treatment, the alpha values decreased for all the HP drugs tested as compared to the alpha of cells plated immediately after irradiation. In contrast, delay of plating for plateau phase cells yielded increased alpha values not only when compared with the alpha of plateau phase cells plated immediately after treatment but also when compared with the alpha value of radiosensitized exponentially growing cells. The increase of alpha might be interpreted as an enhancement in the expression of PLD. The larger contribution of fixation of PLD might be due to initial DNA damage and/or to inhibition of PLD repair resulting from incorporation of HP. The increase of beta might be attributed to enhanced interaction or to fixation of sublethal damage (SLD). In view of clinical applications of HP it is of interest that sensitization is not abolished in plateau-phase cells.

Multiparametric cell-cycle analysis of peripheral blood-activated lymphocyte subsets using staining based on the TdT method for incorporated BrdUrd.

This study describes a new method for the simultaneous assessment of the distribution of a cell population in the G0/G1, S, and G2/M cell-cycle phases by using multiparameter flow cytometry and single staining based on BrdUrd incorporation. Both the K562 cell line and PHA-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were analyzed. Cells were cultured in the presence of BrdUrd for 30 min prior to cell harvesting. Once collected, cells were exposed to ultraviolet light for 5 min and then fixed immediately in 70% ethanol (-20 degrees C) for at least 30 min. Once fixed, the cells were placed for 30 min at 37 degrees C in the presence of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) and dUTP labeled with digoxigenin; they were then stained with FITC-labeled anti-digoxigenin. Our results show that G0/G1, s, and G2/M cell populations can be clearly discriminated according to FITC fluorescence and light-scatter parameters. In this way, S-phase cells can be identified by their FITC staining. From the cells which were negative for anti-digoxigenin-FITC antibody, two clear populations could be resolved in a forward scatter, side scatter, and fluorescence pulse-width three-dimensional plot; the values obtained for G0/G1 cells were lower than those obtained for G2/M cells in all three parameters. Multiparameter analysis of PBL stained for two surface antigens (CD3 and CD8) and for BrdUrd by direct or indirect TdT method permitted cell-cycle analysis of different subpopulations, including CD3+/CD8+, CD3+/CD8-, CD3-/CD8+, and CD3-/CD8-.

Detection of bromodeoxyuridine incorporation by alteration of the fluorescence emission from nucleic acid binding dyes using only an argon ion laser.

A method was developed that uses paired DNA dyes to detect the incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) into cellular DNA and requires only 488 nm excitation. The fluorescence of thiazole blue, TO-PRO-3, and LDS-751 was found to be enhanced by the presence of BrdUrd in DNA. Pairing LDS-751, thiazole blue, or TO-PRO-3 with propidium iodide (PI) for flow cytometry allowed the differentiation of cells containing BrdUrd from BrdUrd unlabeled cells. LDS-751 can be excited directly at 488 nm, and TO-PRO-3 or thiazole blue can be excited indirectly by resonance energy transfer from PI. The enhancement of fluorescence from these dyes is correlated with a decrease in PI fluorescence, suggesting an increased energy transfer from PI to the red emitting dye. Fluorescence from other dyes, including thiazole orange, TO-PRO-1, rhodamine 800, oxazine 750, and 7-aminoactinomycin D, was not altered by the presence of BrdUrd in DNA. Results also were obtained showing that BrdUrd detection using PI and TO-PRO-3 is compatible with immunofluorescence staining with FITC-labeled antibodies.

Translesion DNA synthesis in the dihydrofolate reductase domain of UV-irradiated CHO cells.

The studies that document the coupling of strand-specific DNA repair to transcription of active genes exclude replicated DNA from the analysis. Yet cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) induced by ultraviolet light (UV) persist in most of the genome in surviving Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The mechanisms that allow DNA replication to occur in the presence of damaged templates are poorly understood. We have investigated the distribution of CPD in the dihydrofolate reductase gene (DHFR) domain in replicated DNA. CHO B11 cells were incubated in the presence of BrdUrd after UV irradiation; the replicated DNA was separated from the unreplicated DNA by isopycnic sedimentation in CsCl, and then the parental and daughter strands were resolved in alkaline CsCl. We determined the fraction of a 14-kb KpnI fragment of the DHFR gene that was resistant to digestion by T4 endonuclease V, a CPD-specific enzyme. In both parental and unreplicated DNA, approximately 80% of the CPD were removed from the transcribed strands while approximately 20% were removed from the nontranscribed strands of DHFR within 24 h. In a 15-kb KpnI fragment that contains an origin of replication and is located approximately 15 kb downstream of DHFR, we found very low repair levels, whether it had been replicated or not. We detected no CPD in the daughter strands of either fragment analyzed. These results suggest that the replication forks can move through the damaged DNA in the absence of significant levels of repair or strand exchange and that the repair of CPD is not affected by replication in these cells.

On the measurement of cytokinetics by continuous labeling with bromodeoxyuridine with applications to chick wing buds.

The cytokinetic properties, specifically the phase-transit times, TG1, TS, and TG2+M, of chick wing bud cells were estimated using data obtained from continuous labeling of stage 20 embryos with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd). The presence of BrdUrd was detected with monoclonal antibodies, and the amount of DNA in the cells was determined with propidium iodide. The fraction of cells in each cell cycle phase, the fraction of labeled cells, and the relative movement, a measure of the mean DNA content, of all labeled cells were evaluated using bivariate flow cytometry at successive times following introduction of the label. Equations are presented to describe the fraction of unlabeled cells in G2 + M, which gives a direct estimate of TG2+M; the fraction of all labeled cells, which can then be used to estimate TG1; and, finally, the relative movement, which provides an estimate of TS. Thus, the data measured in these experiments together provide estimates of the progression through the cell cycle of limb mesoderm cells.

A quantitative method for evaluating bivarlate flow cytometric data obtained using monoclonal antibodies to bromodeoxyuridine

A method is presented for analyzing data from bivariate analysis of cell populations exposed to bromodeoxyuridine and subsequently examined both for the presence of BrdUrd and for the cellular DNA content. It is shown that certain features may be defined in the bivariate data which are constant independent both of cell type and, within limits, experimental variability. These landmark features include the ratio of red, DNA, fluorescence of G2 + M cells to G1 cells, the ratio of green fluorescence corresponding to the non-specific binding of unlabeled G2 + M cells to unlabeled G1 cells, and the distribution of green fluorescence in unlabeled cells. The landmarks make it possible to standardize rules for establishing the separation line between-labeled and unlabeled cells as required in these experiments to obtain estimates of cytokinetic parameters. Values obtained for the DNA synthesis time and the potential doubling time which result from different decision rules for distinguishing labeled from unlabeled are compared in two murine tumor lines. The potential doubling time, but not the DNA synthesis time is shown to depend sensitively on the separation line. Suggestions are presented for analyzing clinical data with this procedure.

Adriamycin-induced sister chromatid exchange and chromosomal aberrations in Down's syndrome lymphocytes

Blood samples from six Down's syndrome (DS) and six age- and sex-matched controls were cultured for 72 h in the presence of BrdUrd. Lymphocytes were then analysed at their second mitosis for sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and at their first mitosis for chromosome aberrations. Treatment with adriamycin (30 and 60 ng) showed a significant increase in frequency of SCE and chromosome aberrations in DS lymphocytes compared to normal lymphocytes at initiation of culture. Cells treated with adriamycin (ADR) for the last 24 h also showed a significant increase in SCE in DS lymphocytes compared to normal lymphocytes. A significant increase in chromatid-type aberrations was also recorded in DS lymphocytes after both treatments cultured for the last 24 h.

Influence of treatment to sacrifice time and the presence of BrdUrd on chemically-induced aberration rates in mouse marrow cells

4 chemicals, with various modes of clastogenic action were used to evaluate induced chromosomal aberrations in mouse bone marrow at different times after intraperitoneal injection. Aberration frequencies induced by mitomycin C, cyclophosphamide and dimethylbenz[ a]anthracene increased with increasing time between treatment and sampling until those time points (∼18 h) when significant proportions of second-division metaphases were among the cells being scored; this increase was not obvious following treatment with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide. When BrdUrd tablets were implanted prior to treatment and scoring was restricted to first-division metaphases, aberration rates continued to increase for as long as 24 h post-treatment. The presence of BrdUrd did not affect significantly the rate of aberration induction by the chemicals. Our data indicate that the sensitivity of the in vivo mouse marrow assay for clastogenic chemicals can be greatly increased by utilizing BrdUrd to insure the scoring of only first-division metaphases at post-treatment times of approx. 18 h.

Genetic effects of 2-aminopurine in mammalian cells

The effects of 2-aminopurine (APur) on mutations, sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and proliferation were investigated in V79 cells by means of cytogenetic and flowcytometric experiments. APur did not induce SCEs after a 3-h treatment before the addition of BrdUrd but SCE frequencies were increased after treatment for two cell cycles in the presence of BrdUrd. SCEs were mainly produced during the second cell cycle of the SCE experiment when BrdUrd substituted DNA is replicated. APur also caused a high percentage of polyploid cells. Compared on the basis of DNA content, SCE induction was the same in diploid and tetraploid metaphases. APur-induced SCEs are strongly influenced by nucleosides. The presence of deoxycytidine (dCyd) caused a reduction of AP-induced SCEs to about control level while addition of deoxythymidine (dThd) enhanced SCE induction. Flow cytometric measurements revealed a small increase in S-Phase cells and a strong accumulation in G2/M after APur treatment in the presence of BrdUrd. S-phase delay was strongly enhanced when BrdUrd substituted DNA is replicated. Addition of dCyd removed the APur-induced inhibition of S-phase in both protocols. Using the same treatment protocol, APur also induced mutations at the HPRT locus. In contrast to their effects on SCEs and proliferation neither BrdUrd nor dCyd had an effect on APur-induced mutations, and dThd reduced the mutation frequency. The results demonstrate that APur-induced SCEs and mutations occur independently from each other. APur-induced mutations obviously occur by a mispairing mechanism while SCEs are a consequence of pool imbalances during replication.

Measurement of the kinetics of DNA repair synthesis after uv irradiation using immunochemical staining of incorporated 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine and flow cytometry

The kinetics of unscheduled DNA synthesis in normal human fibroblasts was characterized by flow cytometry utilizing the immunofluorescent detection of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdUrd) incorporated into cellular DNA during the repair process. Quiescent normal human fibroblasts were irradiated with ultraviolet light and incubated in the presence of BrdUrd during a postirradiation repair period. The amount of unscheduled DNA synthesis was then quantified in the quiescent cells by immunofluorescence staining using monoclonal antibodies against BrdUrd incorporated into the DNA. Significant amounts of unscheduled DNA synthesis were measured after doses as low as 0.1 J/m 2 and for time periods as short as 15 min. The initial repair rate was found to be linear with time at all doses tested until repair neared completion. Interestingly, the initial repair rate was constant for doses over the range of 5 to 40 J/m 2, whereas the time to completion of repair was dose dependent. These results suggest that above 5 J/m 2 in normal human fibroblasts, the repair process is saturated but continues to function until all available regions are repaired. Using this methodology for measuring unscheduled DNA synthesis in combination with second and third flow markers, it is now possible to measure unscheduled DNA synthesis in heterogeneous mixtures of cells.

Evaluation of sister chromatid exchange and cytotoxicity in murine tissues in vivo and lymphocytes in vitro following methyl isocyanate exposure.

The purpose of this study was to assess sister chromatid exchange (SCE) levels and cell cycle kinetics in various murine tissues following MIC exposure. Following exposure of mice to MIC, these parameters were measured in bone marrow and alveolar macrophages labeled with BrdUrd in vivo and in peripheral blood and spleen lymphocytes cultured in the presence of BrdUrd in vitro. Target concentrations of MIC were 2, 15, and 30 ppm (3 hr). Neither elevated SCE frequencies nor inhibition of cell cycling were evident in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated spleen lymphocytes, or in LPS-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) cultures from mice exposed for 3 hr to MIC concentrations as high as 30.5 ppm. Inhibition of cell cycling and poor culture success rates were apparent in ConA-stimulated PBLs following MIC exposures as low as 2.3 +/- 0.4 ppm for 3 hr. At the lowest MIC dose employed, the cycling characteristics of bone marrow and alveolar macrophages were not altered, and SCE frequencies were at control levels. However, severe cell cycle inhibition was observed in these tissues at MIC concentrations of 15 ppm or greater. A marker of cytotoxicity at this dose was a high frequency (approximately 33-90%) of occurrence of first division cells containing a late-replicating Y chromosome. Despite its apparent cellular toxicity, MIC is not genotoxic as measured by SCE analysis in the tissues examined in this study.

Evaluation of Sister Chromatid Exchange and Cytotoxicity in Murine Tissues In Vivo and Lymphocytes In Vitro Following Methyl Isocyanate Exposure

The purpose of this study was to assess sister chromatid exchange (SCE) levels and cell cycle kinetics in various murine tissues following MIC exposure. Following exposure of mice to MIC, these parameters were measured in bone marrow and alveolar macrophages labeled with BrdUrd in vivo and in peripheral blood and spleen lymphocytes cultured in the presence of BrdUrd in vitro. Target concentrations of MIC were 2, 15, and 30 ppm (3 hr). Neither elevated SCE frequencies nor inhibition of cell cycling were evident in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated spleen lymphocytes, or in LPS-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) cultures from mice exposed for 3 hr to MIC concentrations as high as 30.5 ppm. Inhibition of cell cycling and poor culture success rates were apparent in ConA-stimulated PBLs following MIC exposures as low as 2.3 +/- 0.4 ppm for 3 hr. At the lowest MIC dose employed, the cycling characteristics of bone marrow and alveolar macrophages were not altered, and SCE frequencies were at control levels. However, severe cell cycle inhibition was observed in these tissues at MIC concentrations of 15 ppm or greater. A marker of cytotoxicity at this dose was a high frequency (approximately 33-90%) of occurrence of first division cells containing a late-replicating Y chromosome. Despite its apparent cellular toxicity, MIC is not genotoxic as measured by SCE analysis in the tissues examined in this study.

Repair and fixation of potentially lethal damage (PLD) as demonstrated by delayed plating or incubation with araA in contact inhibited refed plateau-phase C3H mouse embryo 10 T1/2 cells grown in the presence of BrdUrd.

C3H mouse 10 T1/2 cells showing strong inhibition of growth at confluency were grown under daily refeeding in the presence of BrdUrd (from 0 to 1 microM) and exposed to gamma-rays either while exponentially growing or in the plateau phase. An increase in radiosensitivity was observed in both growth conditions mainly reflected by a reduction in Dq. Greater radiosensitization was observed in exponentially growing than in plateau-phase cells, and 3-4 times higher BrdUrd concentrations were required in plateau-phase cells for similar potentiation in killing. This effect could not be entirely attributed to a reduction in BrdUrd incorporation since measurements with 3H-BrdUrd showed reductions in incorporation between only 17-47% in plateau-phase cells. The rate of repair of potentially lethal damage (PLD) as demonstrated by delayed plating was not affected by the incorporation of BrdUrd, but the amount of repair (measured as the relative increase in cell survival) was higher for BrdUrd-containing cells. Post-irradiation treatment of cells in the plateau-phase (no BrdUrd) with 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine (araA) caused fixation of radiation-induced PLD. AraA treatment of cells grown in the presence of various amounts of BrdUrd also caused fixation of PLD, but resulted in survival levels similar to those observed with cells growing in BrdUrd-free medium. This result indicates that BrdUrd mediated radiosensitization cannot be observed when cells are prevented from repairing PLD by postirradiation incubation with araA. Based on these findings we propose that the mechanism of radiosensitization by BrdUrd incorporation might be, by increasing probability of fixation, mediated by the postirradiation progression of cells through the cycle, of a sector of PLD also sensitive to post-irradiation treatment with araA. For this sector of PLD the term alpha-PLD has been proposed.

Cytogenetic effects of penicillamine

Penicillamine (PA), a drug used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis induces sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and chromosome aberrations in cultivated mammalian cells. PA in concentrations from 400 μg/ml upward induced SCEs and proliferative delay in human blood cultures when added for the last 24 h of the culture period. In V79 Chinese hamster cells SCE induction was found after acute exposure to PA before the addition of BrdUrd and after chronic exposure during one cell cycle in the presence of BrdUrd. The effect of PA on SCE frequencies occurred both after treatment in complete medium and in serum-free medium and was not influenced by the application of an S9 mix. The simultaneous addition of peroxidase reduced the PA-induced SCEs whereas catalase did not show any effect. Chromosome analysis in the first mitosis after PA treatment revealed a significant increase in the incidence of chromosome aberrations and endoreduplication. The results are discussed with respect to the cause and the significance of the observed effects in connection with mutagenicity testing.

Possible importance of PLD repair in the modulation of BrdUrd and IdUrd-mediated radiosensitization in plateau-phase C3H10T1/2 mouse embryo cells.

C3H10T1/2 mouse embryo cells exhibiting strong contact inhibition of growth at confluency were grown in the presence of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) or 5-iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd) (0-1.2 microM) with daily refeeding and exposed to gamma-rays (6 Gy) either in the logarithmic or the plateau phase of growth. Sensitization to radiation was observed in both growth states with increasing concentration of BrdUrd or IdUrd but the degree of sensitization achieved was lower for plateau-phase cells. Because the degree of [H3]BrdUrd incorporation was found to be similar in exponentially growing and plateau-phase cells, it is hypothesized that the radiosensitization caused by pyrimidine analogues may be affected by the physiological state of the cells at the time of irradiation. Delayed plating of plateau-phase cells (6 h) caused an increase in survival, indicating repair of potentially lethal damage (PLD). A greater increase in cell survival was observed in cells that had been grown in the presence of BrdUrd and IdUrd and it was found to increase with increasing concentrations. This analogue-concentration dependent PLD repair activity resulted in an almost complete loss of the radiosensitizing effect in delayed plated plateau-phase cells up to a concentration of about 0.6 microM of BrdUrd and IdUrd. Both compounds, but especially BrdUrd, caused a relaxation in the mechanism of contact inhibition and led to higher cell densities in the plateau phase. The results suggest that repair and/or expression of PLD might be involved in the mechanism underlying BrdUrd and IdUrd-mediated radiosensitization and point out the potential importance of PLD repair in the modulation of the radiosensitizing effect of these compounds in their clinical application.

Detection of bromodeoxyuridine incorporation in mammalian chromosomes by a bromodeoxyuridine antibody. II. Demonstration of sister chromatid exchanges.

A commercially available bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) antibody was used to demonstrate sister chromatid differentiation (SCD) and to evaluate sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in V79 Chinese hamster cells. V79 cells were cultivated for one cell cycle in the presence of BrdUrd, followed by a second cell cycle in the absence of BrdUrd. Chromosome preparations were stained by a common immunologic staining technique. The staining pattern observed is similar to that after FPG (fluorescent plus Giemsa) staining, though with reverse staining specificity. The sensitivity of BrdUrd detection is enhanced by a factor of 20 compared to the FPG technique and thus allows the evaluation of SCEs at very low BrdUrd concentrations. The application of the antibody technique gives information about the origin and localization of SCEs and produces further evidence for the spontaneous occurrence of SCEs.

The relationship between the induction of SCEs and mutations in Chinese hamster cells I. Experiments with hydrogen peroxide and caffeine

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) and caffeine were examined for their capacity for inducing SCEs and mutations at the HPRT locus in V79 Chinese hamster cells. Although, under standard conditions, both substances induced SCEs neither caused gene mutations. The SCE induction by both H 2O 2 and caffeine is influenced by BrdUrd substitution. Whereas H 2O 2 also induces lesions leading to SCEs in normal DNA, the SCE induction by caffeine depends on the replication of BrdUrd-substituted DNA. In cells with BrdUrd-substituted DNA, H 2O 2 induces mutations at the HPRT locus parallel to its SCE induction, whereas caffeine in the presence of BrdUrd only has an influence on the SCE rate. It is shown that the experimental conditions of the two test systems can play a decisive role when contradictory results are obtained.