Mutagenicity and effects of ochratoxin A on the frequency of sister chromatid exchange after metabolic activation.

Abstract

Primary cultures of hepatocytes derived from untreated rats were incubated in the presence of ochratoxin A for 24 h. Five different strains of histidine auxotroph Salmonella typhimurium were exposed to conditioned cell culture medium before being tested for mutagenicity. A clear hepatocyte-mediated mutagenic response was observed in TA1535, TA1538 and TA100. In addition, sister chromatid exchange frequency was increased in human peripheral lymphocytes that had been incubated in the presence of conditioned medium derived from ochratoxin A-exposed hepatocytes.