Dose--Response Curve for Ethylnitrosourea-Induced Specific-Locus Mutations in Mouse Spermatogonia

The extreme mutagenic effectiveness of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea in the mouse has permitted the accumulation of the most extensive dose--response data yet obtained for chemical induction of specific-locus mutations in spermatogonia. In the lower portion of the curve, below a dose of 100 mg/kg, the data...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1982-06, Vol.79 (11), p.3589-3591
Main Authors: Russell, W. L., Hunsicker, P. R., Raymer, G. D., Steele, M. H., Stelzner, K. F., Thompson, H. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alleles
Allelism
Animals
Confidence limits
DNA Repair
Dose response relationship
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Ethylnitrosourea - pharmacology
Genetic loci
Genetic mutation
Male
Mice
Mutation - drug effects
Nitrosourea Compounds - pharmacology
Radiation dosage
Spermatogonia
Spermatogonia - drug effects
Spermatozoa - drug effects
Statistical significance
Testes
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:The extreme mutagenic effectiveness of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea in the mouse has permitted the accumulation of the most extensive dose--response data yet obtained for chemical induction of specific-locus mutations in spermatogonia. In the lower portion of the curve, below a dose of 100 mg/kg, the data fall statistically significantly below a maximum likelihood fit to a straight line. Independent evidence indicates that, over this dose range, ethylnitrosourea reaches the testis in amounts directly proportional to the injected dose. It is concluded that, despite the mutagenic effectiveness of ethylnitrosourea, the spermatogonia are apparently capable of repairing at least a major part of the mutational damage when the repair process is not swamped by a high dose. This finding is important both in basic studies on the mutagenic action of chemicals in mammals and in risk estimation.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.79.11.3589