The possible existence of a threshold for compounds inducing chromosomal loss was investigated for four known aneugens (colchicine, COL; carben-dazim, MBC; mebendazole, MEB; nocodazole, NOC) and two clastogens (methyl methanesulfo-nate, MMS; mitomycin C, MMC) using the micronu-cleus (MN) test in human lymphocytes. The presence of a whole chromosome in the MN was studied by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using a synthetic pancentromeric oligonucleotide probe. FISH was applied on two different MN preparations: cytokinesis-blocked MN (MNCB) assay, and MN sorted by flow cytometry. At subtoxic concentrations analyzed by MNCB and FISH, COL, MEB, MBC, and NOC induced a concentration-dependent increase in centromere-positive MN (MNCen+), MMC seemed to induce an increase in both types of MN (MNCen- and MNCen+), while MMS induced only MNCen-. On the sorted micronuclei (in a wide range of low to subtoxic concentrations), the concentration-effect profile for MNCen+, with the four aneugens tested, showed a statistically nonsignificant increase over a range of concentrations, followed by a second range of high concentrations with a statistically significant increase. To analyze the existence of a threshold, a piecewise linear regression was applied to the data. The first concentration that showed a statistically significant increase in MNCen+ was chosen as a breakpoint (0.037 μM for COL, 2.62 μM for MBC, 0.27 μM for MEB, and 0.066 μM for NOC). The statistical correlation between observed and predicted values showed a high correlation (r = 0.99), indicating a clear threshold for aneuploidy induction. However, for MMS the concentration-effect profile for MNCen+ showed a continuous concentration-dependent decrease with no threshold. With the two cytotoxicity assays used (Bio-Rad and MTT), no significant reduction was detected either in the protein content or in mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity with all chemicals tested for MN induction. Therefore, our data suggest that the observed thresholds were not due to indirect toxic effects but to real aneugenic effects. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Indications for a Threshold of Chemically-Induced Aneuploidy in Vitro in Human Lymphocytes

Benomyl is an effective fungicide that has been in use for many years. This chemical and its primary metabolite, carbendazim, are microtubule poisons that are relatively nontoxic to all mammalian organs, except for the male reproductive system. Its primary effects, at moderate to low dosages, are on the testis, where it causes sloughing of germ cells in a stage-dependent manner. Sloughing is caused by the effects of the chemical on microtubules and intermediate filaments of the Sertoli cell. These effects spread to dividing germ cells and also lead to abnormal development of the head of elongating spermatids. At higher dosages, it causes occlusion of the efferent ducts, blocking passage of sperm from the rete testis to epididymis. The mechanism of occlusion appears to be related to fluid reabsorption, sperm stasis, followed by leukocyte chemotaxis, sperm granulomas, fibrosis and often the formation of abnormal microcanals. The occlusion results in a rapid swelling of the testis and ultimately seminiferous tubular atrophy and infertility. In conclusion, studies that reveal long term testicular atrophy following chronic or subchronic exposure to a toxicant should be re-examined for histopathological lesions in the efferent ductules and head of the epididymis. Lesions in the male track that cause blockage may induce permanent testicular damage and a decrease in sperm production.

Histopathology of the male reproductive system induced by the fungicide benomyl

The positions of the genomes originating from each parent were analysed in root-tip nuclei of the mature, sexual F1 hybrid plant Hordeum vulgare (barley) x Secale africanum (a wild rye). The two genomes of the hybrid were identified in both spread and sectioned material by non-radioactive DNA:DNA in situ hybridization using labelled total genomic DNA from one parent as a proble and unlabelled total genomic DNA from the other parent to block non-specific hybridization. Complete three-dimensional reconstructions of sets of labelled sections enabled detailed analysis of the position of the genomes at interphase. The parental genomes lay in various non-intermixed configurations, including lateral and concentric arrangements. On spread preparations, the two parental genomes were found to be spatially separated throughout the cell cycle; the genome originating from H. vulgare tended to be located more centrally than that from S. africanum. This results show that the nucleus is spatially organized above the level of the DNA and chromosome at the genome level.

Parental genomes are separated throughout the cell cycle in a plant hybrid

Chromosome elimination through chromosome loss and partial deletion is known to be one of the causes of embryonic inviability in some salmonid interspecific hybrids. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization and related techniques, including whole chromosome painting and comparative genomic hybridization, parental origin of eliminated chromosomes was identified in the inviable hybrids between masu salmon (Ms, Oncorhynchus masou) female and rainbow trout (Rb, O. mykiss) male at the early embryonic stage prior to death. In these hybrids, the haploid Rb chromosome number decreased to nearly half, whereas the Ms chromosomes were retained as one or occasionally two full haploid complements. The Rb chromosomes were also involved in the frequently observed fragments and micronuclei. Whereas the occurrence of fragments was constant throughout the observed period, chromosome loss occurred mainly from just after fertilization to the blastulae stage. In tissue sections and cell spreads of late blastula, some Rb chromosomes were trapped in the midzone from ana- to telophase, resulting in micronuclei at the subsequent interphase. Micronuclei and mitotic abnormalities were also observed in the androgenetic haploid hybrids. However, such abnormalities were seldom or never observed in the viable reciprocal hybrids. The present findings suggest that the paternal Rb chromosomes in the inviable hybrids are preferentially eliminated through mitotic abnormalities during early embryogenesis, owing to a possible incompatibility between the maternal Ms cytoplasm and paternal Rb genome.

Uniparental chromosome elimination in the early embryogenesis of the inviable salmonid hybrids between masu salmon female and rainbow trout male

The known aneuploidogens, benomyl and its metabolite, carbendazim (methyl 2-benzimidazole carbamate (MBC)), were selected for the third in a series of ongoing projects with selected pesticides. Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity data submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency's (US EPA's) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) as part of the registration process are examined along with data from the open literature. Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity profiles are developed to provide a complete overview and to determine whether an association can be made between benomyl- and MBC-induced mouse liver tumors and aneuploidy. Since aneuploidogens are considered to indirectly affect DNA, the framework adopted by the Agency for evaluating any mode of action (MOA) for carcinogenesis is applied to the benomyl/MBC data. Both agents displayed consistent, positive results for aneuploidy induction but mostly negative results for gene mutations. Non-linear dose responses were seen both in vitro and in vivo for aneuploidy endpoints. No evidence was found suggesting that an alternative MOA other than aneuploidy may be operative. The data show that by 14 days of benomyl treatment, events associated with liver toxicity appear to set in motion the sequence of actions that leads to neoplasms. Genetic changes (as indicated by spindle impairment leading to missegregation of chromosomes, micronucleus induction and subsequent aneuploidy in bone marrow cells) can commence within 1-24h after dosing, well within the time frame for early key events. Critical steps associated with frank tumor formation in the mouse liver include hepatotoxicity, increased liver weights, cell proliferation, hypertrophy, and other steps involving hepatocellular alteration and eventual progression to neoplasms. The analysis, however, reveals weaknesses in the data base for both agents (i.e. no studies on mouse tubulin binding, no in vivo assays of aneuploidy on the target tissue (liver), and no clear data on cell proliferation relative to dose response and time dependency). The deficiencies in defining the MOA for benomyl/MBC introduce uncertainties into the analysis; consequently, benomyl/MBC induction of aneuploidy cannot be definitively linked to mouse liver carcinogenicity at this time.

A survey of EPA/OPP and open literature on selected pesticide chemicals. III. Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of benomyl and carbendazim.

We have monitored the segregation of a single human chromosome in a human-Chinese hamster hybrid cell line, EUBI, following exposure to benomyl. We found a dose-dependent increase in frequency of aneuploidy, but a much more marked induction of polyploidy was noted at the highest benomyl concentration. We confirm the usefulness of this assay for determining genetic risk associated with human exposure to environmental chemicals.

Use of a cell hybrid test system to demonstrate that benomyl induces aneuploidy and polyploidy

We searched for evidence of aberrant movement or position of segregant set chromosomes in C-banded and G-11-banded early-phase hamster-mouse and hamster-human cell hybrids that had been prepared with minimal disruption. No evidence was obtained for an increased frequency of multipolar mitosis, delayed or precocious metaphase congression or anaphase segregation, or for exclusion of chromosomes from the daughter nuclei. However, in hamster-human hybrids, segregant set (human) chromosomes were observed to assume a central position within a ring of hamster chromosomes on the metaphase plate. Such non-random positioning may imply that the centromeres of segregant chromosomes make aberrant, or simply less efficient, attachments to the spindle in hybrid cells. This aberrant position may perhaps result indirectly in chromosome loss by interfering with the normal processes of replication, repair or transcription.

Chromosome segregation from cell hybrids. IV. Movement and position of segregant set chromosomes in early-phase interspecific cell hybrids.

Hamster β-tubulin (detected as a mutant subunit that confers Colcemid resistance) is either not expressed or is underexpressed in Chinese hamster–mouse somatic cell hybrids. This selectivity of tubulin expression suggests that a uniparental mouse spindle might preferentially engage mouse chromosomes and lead to loss of hamster chromosomes. However, the repression of hamster tubulin was found to have no bearing on the direction of chromosome segregation occurring in eight hybrids studied, some of which segregated predominantly mouse and others hamster chromosomes. Key words: chromosome segregation, cell hybrids, spindle, tubulin.

Chromosome segregation from cell hybrids. III. Segregation is independent of spindle constitution.

Hamster--mouse and hamster--human hybrid cell lines were used to test the hypothesis that a species-specific difference in the timing of centromere separation is the basis for preferential chromosome segregation from interspecific cell hybrids. Colcemid-treated preparations were C-banded to differentiate hamster and mouse chromosomes or G-11 banded to differentiate hamster and human chromosomes. Metaphase spreads showing at least some centromere separation were photographed and the extent of separation, and the species of origin, was determined for each chromosome. There was no evidence that centromere separation of segregant chromosomes was consistently premature or delayed.

Chromosome segregation from cell hybrids. V. Does segregation result from asynchronous centromere separation

We have studied the effect of X or gamma irradiation, of one parent of a cell hybrid, on hybrid viability and chromosome segregation. The hybrid types studied were mouse--Chinese hamster (which spontaneously lose a few hamster chromosomes) and Chinese hamster--human (which spontaneously lose most of the human complement). Preirradiation of the segregated and retained cell parent resulted in highly asymmetric hybrid survival curves; survival was greatly reduced when the retained parent was irradiated, especially for hamster-human fusions. Preirradiation of the parents of mouse-hamster hybrids modified both the direction and the extent of chromosome segregation, but no consistent effect on elimination was observed for hamster-human hybrids, and reversal of the direction of loss was never observed. These results are more consistent with the hypothesis that chromosome segregation from hybrids results from an intracellular chromosome selection, than with the hypothesis that cellular selection acts on randomly generated chromosome variants.

Paula A. Zelesco

Papers

Use of a cell hybrid test system to demonstrate that benomyl induces aneuploidy and polyploidy

Chromosome segregation from cell hybrids. IV. Movement and position of segregant set chromosomes in early-phase interspecific cell hybrids.

Chromosome segregation from cell hybrids. III. Segregation is independent of spindle constitution.

Chromosome segregation from cell hybrids. V. Does segregation result from asynchronous centromere separation

Hybrids between irradiated and unirradiated mammalian cells: Survival and chromosome segregation