CARCINOGENESIS IN TISSUE-CULTURE .28. COMPARISON OF VARIOUS EFFECTS OF A CHEMICAL CARCINOGEN, 4-NITROQUINOLINE 1-OXIDE, ON NORMAL HUMAN CELLS AND ON NORMAL MOUSE CELLS IN CULTURE

Abstract

A comparison of the effects on cultured cells of a chemical carcinogen, 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), between normal human cells which were resistant to malignant transformation with 4NQO and normal mouse cells rather easily transformable was done. Cytotoxicity, DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, incorporation of 4NQO into cells and time course changes of the drug bound with macromolecular substances in cells, DNA repair synthesis and chromosomal changes were studied. There were no differences in cytotoxicity and inhibition of cellular macromolecular syntheses between human and mouse cells. Significant differences were noted in DNA repair synthesis and chromosomal aberrations between human and rodent cells. These differences suggest that mouse cells are easily transformed into neoplastic cells with chemical carcinogens as compared with human cells.