• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.311-324
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• 2018

Arsenic is one of the most toxic environmental toxicants. More than 150 million people worldwide are exposed to arsenic through ground water contamination. It is an exclusive human carcinogen. Although the hallmarks of arsenic toxicity are skin lesions and skin cancers, arsenic can also induce cancers in the lung, liver, kidney, urinary bladder, and other internal organs. Arsenic is a non-mutagenic compound but can induce significant cytogenetic damage as measured by chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges, and micronuclei formation in human systems. These genotoxic end points are extensively used to predict genotoxic potentials of different environmental chemicals, drugs, pesticides, and insecticides. These cytogenetic end points are also used for evaluating cancer risk. Here, by critically reviewing and analyzing the existing literature, we conclude that inorganic arsenic is a genotoxic carcinogen.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2001

Sophoricoside was isolated as the inhibitor of IL-5 bioactivity from Sophora japonica (Leguminosae). It has been reported to has an anti-inflammatory effect on rat paw edema model. To develope as an anti-allergic drug, genotoxicity of sophoricoside was investigated in bacterial and mammalian cell system such as Ames bacterial reversion test, chromosomal aberration assay and single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. As results, in the range of 1,250~40 $\mu\textrm{g}$/plate sophoricoside concentrations was not shown significant mutagenic effects in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, TA 100, TA 1535 and TA 1537 strains in Ames test. The 80% cell growth inhibition concentration (IC/SUB 80/) of sophoricoside was determined as above 5,000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast cell and L5178Y mouse lymphoma cell line for the chromosomal aberration and comet assay, respectively. Sophoricoside was not induced chromosomal aberration in CHL fibroblast cell at concentrations of 700, 350 and 175 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ or 600, 300 and 150 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ in the absence or presence of S-9 metabolic activation system, respectively. Also, in the comet assay, the induction of DNA damage was not observed in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cell line both in the absence or presence of S-9 metabolic activation system. From these results, no genotoxic effects of sophoricoside were observed in bacterial and mammalian cell systems used in these experiments.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2961-2966
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• 2012

Extremely low frequency electro magnetic fields (EMFs) have been classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. An increased number of chromosomal alterations in peripheral lymphocytes are correlated with elevated incidence of cancer. The aim of the present study was to assess occupationally induced chromosomal damage in EMF workers exposed to low levels of radiation. We used conventional metaphase chromosome aberration (CA) analysis and the micronucleus (MN) assay as biological indicators of non ionizing radiation exposure. In the present study totally 70 subjects were selected including 50 exposed and 20 controls. Informed written consent was obtained from all participants and the study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and the approval of the local ethical committee. A higher degree of CA and MN was observed in exposed subjects compared to controls, the frequency of CA being significantly enhanced with long years of exposure (P<0.05). Moreover increase in CA and MN with age was noted in both exposed subjects and controls, but was significantly greater in the former. The results of this study demonstrated that a significant induction of cytogenetic damage in peripheral lymphocytes of workers occupationally exposed to EMFs in electric transformer and distribution stations. In conclusion, our findings suggest that EMFs possess genotoxic capability, as measured by CA and MN assays; CA analysis appeared more sensitive than other cytogenetic end-points. It can be concluded that chronic occupational exposure to EMFs may lead to an increased risk of genetic damage among electrical workers.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.405-409
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• 2009

When DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) were induced in mammalian cells, many DNA damage response proteins are accumulated at damage sites to form nuclear foci called IR-induced foci. Although the formation of foci has been shown to promote repair efficiency, the structural organization of chromatin in foci remains obscure. BAF53 is an actin-related protein which is required for maintenance of chromosome territory. In this study, we show that the formation of IR-induced foci by $\gamma$-H2AX and 53BP1 were reduced when BAF53 is depleted, while DSB- activated ATM pathway and the phosphorylation of H2AX remains intact after DNA damage in BAF53 knockdown cells. We also found that DSB repair efficiency was largely compromised in BAF53 knockdown cells. These results indicate that BAF53 is critical for formation of foci by $\gamma$-H2AX decorated chromatin at damage sites and the structural organization of chromatin in foci is an important factor to achieve the maximum efficiency of DNA repair.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.111-111
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• 2001

The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay have been emerged as one of the preferred method for assessing chromosome damage. Micronucleus are small, extranuclear bodies that are formed in mitosis from acentric chromosomal fragments or chromosome that are not included in each daughter nuclei.(omitted)

• Toxicological Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.157-163
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• 1991

The effect of patulin, a mycotoxin, on the growth of Escherichia coli cell was investigated. E. coli cell elongation usually shown in SOS-response for DNA repair was induced by 20 mg of patulin per ml. After staining the E. coli chromosome with fluorescence dye(DAPI, 4', 6-diamino-2-phenyl-indole), chromosomal DNA partitioning was not affected by patulin. The observation indicateds that patulin acts as a DNA damaging agent which is effective for E. coli cell elongation introduced by the inhibition of septum formation.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.112-115
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• 1999

The action mechanism of the inhibitory effect of some natural products on the DNA strand break and DNA damage was investigated in vitro and in vivo. In the E. coli chromosomal DNA strand break experiment in vitro, three mushroom water extracts were effective on the DNA strand breaking by daunorubicin. Phellinus linteus water extract inactivated daunorubicin, a DNA strand breaking agent, but did not protect DNA from daunorubicin-induced DNA strand breaking. Agaricus blazei water extract inhibited DNA strand breaking action of daunorubicin not only by daunorubicin inactivation, but also by DNA protection from daunorubicin. An inhibitory effect of Ganoderma lucidum water extract on the DNA strand break was based on the DNA protection rather than daunorubicin inactivation. In vivo mutagen assay system (SOS-chromotest), among three mushroom water extracts Phellinus linteus water extract was the most effective one on the inhibition of DNA damage by 4-NQO. The results suggest that all three mushroom water extracts inhibit daunorubicin-induced DNA damage and in vivo DNA damaging action of 4-NQO by the reaction of mutagen inactivation or DNA protection from the mutagen.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.211-220
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• 2014

Resveratrol has received considerable attention as a polyphenol with various biological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, and cardioprotective properties. As part of the overall safety assessment of HS-1793, a novel resveratrol analogue free from the restriction of metabolic instability and the high dose requirement of resveratrol, we assessed genotoxicity in three in vitro assays: a bacterial mutation assay, a comet assay, and a chromosomal aberration assay. In the bacterial reverse mutation assay, HS-1793 did not increase revertant colony numbers in S. typhimurium strains (TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537) or an E. coli strain (WP2 uvrA) regardless of metabolic activation. HS-1793 showed no evidence of genotoxic activity such as DNA damage on L5178Y $Tk^{+/-}$ mouse lymphoma cells with or without the S9 mix in the in vitro comet assay. No statistically significant differences in the incidence of chromosomal aberrations following HS-1793 treatment was observed on Chinese hamster lung cells exposed with or without the S9 mix. These results provide additional evidence that HS-1793 is non-genotoxic at the dose tested in three standard tests and further supports the generally recognized as safe determination of HS-1793 during early drug development.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.261-266
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• 1995

Age-related change in the frequency of spontaneous sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosornal aberrations were investigated in bone marrow cells of accelerated senescence-resistant mice (SAM R1) and senescence accelerated ones (SAM P1). And the effect of chronic treatment of ginseng extract (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) on these chromosomal abnormalities was tested in SAM P1. SCE frequency in the cells was progressively increased with age in both mice, but it was consistently higher in SAM P1 than in SAM R1 at all corresponding age. Chromosomal aberrations were, however, not significantly changed with age except that it was slightly increased in only aged SAM P1. Interestingly, the rate of these genetic instabilities in SAM P1 was remarkably retarded by long-term administration of ginseng water extract (0.05% in drinking water). These results suggest that frequency of spontaneous SCE in bone marrow cells increase in parallel with senescence of the mice, and SAM P1 is in the condition of being more exposed than SAM R1 to DNA damaging factors. These also indicate that long-term treatment of ginseng may reduce the genetic damage.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2008

Crocin is one of the major components of gardenia fruit and saffron which are widely used as natural food colorants and as traditional Chinese medicines. However, the genotoxicity data on crocin are not sufficient for safety evaluation. The purpose of this study was the examination of the genotoxicity on crocin from gardenia yellow in bacterial and mammalian cells, using various genotoxic battery testing assays and the influence of crocin on methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and ${H_2}{O_2}$-induced DNA damage in vitro, using single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. From results, no considerable mutagenicity and clastogenicity were seen in bacteria and mammalian cells treated with crocin, by Ames test, chromosomal aberration assay, ${tk}^{+/-}$ gene forward mutation assay and comet assay. And, post-treatment with crocin significantly suppressed ${H_2}{O_2}$-induced DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the findings of the present study and other previous observations indicate that crocin has no genotoxic potential. And it showed that crocin clearly repressed the genotoxic potency of ${H_2}{O_2}$. These results suggest that anti-oxidative effects of crocin may be involved in the protective effects of DNA damage.