• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 1999

The mouse lymphoma thymidine kinase (tk+/-) gene assay (MOLY) using L5178Y tk+/- mouse lymphoma cell line is one of the mammalian forward mutation assays. It is well known that MOLY has many advantages and more sensitive than the other mammalian forward mutation assays such as x-linked hyposanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) gene assay. The target gene of MOLY is a heterozygous tk+/- gene located in 11 chromosome of L5178Y tk+/- cell, so it is able to detect the wide range of genetic changes like point mutation, deletion, rearrangement, and mitotic recombination within tk gene or deletion of entire chromosome 11. MOLY has relatively short expression time (2-3 days) compared to 1 week of hprt gene assay. MOLY can also induce relatively high mutant frequency so a large number of events can be recorded. The bimodal distribution of colony size which may indicate gene mutation and chromosome breakage potential of chemicals according to mutation scale such as large normal-growing mutants and small slow-growing mutants can be observed in this assay. The statistical analysis of data can be performed using the MUTANT program developed by York Electronic Research in association with Hazelton as recommended by the UKEMS (United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society) guidelines. This report reviewed MOLY using the microtiter cloning technique (microwell assay).

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.614-622
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• 1999

The standard operation procedure of mouse lymphoma L5178Y $tk^{+/-}-3.7.2C$ gene mutation assay (MOLY) has been regarded as a sensitive in vitro mammalian cell gene mutation assay that is capable of detecting clastogens as well as mutagens. Using MOLY, one of natural sweetner, stevioside (5mg/ml) and its aglycon, steviol ($340{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$) were evaluated the mutagenicity. Stevioside and steviol did not induce mutagenicity in MOLY. On the other hand, stevioside (250mg/kg, B.W.) and steviol (200mg/kg, B.W.) were also evaluated their ability to induce micronuclei in regenerating hepatocytes and bone marrow cells of ddY mice. From these results, stevioside and steviol did not induce any mutagenic effect both MOLY and in vivo micronucleus test.