Mutagenicity and clastogenicity of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX) in L5178Y/TK+/−-3.7.2C mouse lymphoma cells

Abstract

3-chloro-4(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX) was tested without exogenous activation in L51785/TK^+/−-3.7.2C mouse lymphoma cells for mutation at the thymidine kinase locus and for clastogenicity. At a concentration of 0.75 μg/ml, the induced mutant frequency was 1027 per 10⁶ survivors (survival = 11%). A concentration-related increase of large and small colony mutants was observed, but the majority of the MX induced mutants formed small colonies, consistent with the positive clastogenic response that was observed. MX primarily induced chromatid breaks and rearrangements (30 chromatid and 4 chromosome aberrations per 100 cells) at the 0.75 μg/ml dose. These studies indicate that MX induces a broad spectrum of genetic damage.