A Survey of Metal-induced Mutagenicity in Vitro and in Vivo

Abstract

A survey of the literature shows that organic and inorganic compounds of 53 metals have been assayed for genotoxic effects in vitro and in vivo. It is falund that there are great variations in the response obtained with different test systems and that a wide range of compounds of the different metals is positive in at least one of the short-term tests. Some of the variation observed could be due to differences in uptake mechanisms. This effect plus the wide variation in the quantity and quality of the data ]prevents any direct comparison of in vitro activity with in vivo potency of the various imetallic species. Downloaded from Group 5. Mutation Tests Using E. coli E. coli is used for detection of mutagenic activity in the same way as S. fyphimurium. Different strains of E. coli detect forward as well as reversed mutations. Three essentially different test pro-Address reprint requests to:

Cancer incidence among welders: possible effects of exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic radiation (ELF) and to welding fumes.

“…Breathing zone concentrations average 2 to 10 mg/m3, with much higher time-weighted averages for some workers. As many of the metallic fume components have been shown to be mutagenic (24,25), and some of the fume components are suspected human carcinogens [e.g., Cr(VI) and Ni], effects of inhalation exposures must be considered; the target organ will presumably be the respiratory tract (25-33) (see Appendix 2 for a detailed discussion).…”

Genotoxicity of an inorganic pesticide, copper sulphate in mouse in vivo test system.

“…Copper sulphate, a broad spectrum inorganic pesticide, has manyfold use as fungicide, molluscicide and weedicide and has been reported to be mutagenic in E. coli and S. typhimurium (Ishizawa et al 1978, Hansen andStern 1984), to cause no DNA damage in prokaryotes (Matsui 1980) and to enhance viral transformations (Casto et al 1979 Wyrobek and Bruce (1975).…”

Potential Genotoxicity in Copper Sulphate Treated Mice.

“…copper sulphate was also found to be mutagenic in E. coli and S. typhimurium (Ishizawa et al 1978, Hansen andStern 1984) and to enhance viral transformations (Casto et al 1979). Moreover Cu(II) ions is a potential mutagenic agent due to its property of inducing infidelity of DNA system in vitro (Sideris et al 1981).…”