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Increased Attachment of Nucleic Acids to Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells Induced by Chemical and Physical Carcinogens and Mutagens¹

Division of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Significantly enhanced attachment to Ehrlich ascites and Escherichia coli cells was observed for radioactive DNA and RNA in the presence of chemical mutagens and ultimate carcinogens. In some instances, formation of nucleic acid-protein adducts by these compounds further (or similarly) enhanced the binding. DNA irradiated with ultraviolet light in the presence of a protein bound more efficiently than either an unirradiated mixture of these two macromolecules or DNA irradiated alone. The spectrum of compounds tested and found active in this system includes alkylating agents, aromatic amines, and carcinogenic metals. Precarcinogens and nonultimate carcinogenic chemicals, as well as tumor-promoting agents, did not increase the binding. However, addition of extracts from mouse or rat livers activated precarcinogenic and proximate carcinogenic chemicals and resulted in enhanced cellular attachment of indicator nucleic acids in their presence. Possible usefulness of this test system for fast and efficient screening for environmental carcinogens and mutagens, as well as possible relevance of the observed phenomena to in vivo effects of chemical and physical carcinogens, is considered.

¹ This work was supported in part by USPHS Grants CA-08059 and CA-16989.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. 53706.

Received 12/ 9/75. Accepted 5/10/76.