[DNA damage in the spleen, liver and kidneys of mice treated with ochratoxin A].

Ochratoxin A a natural contaminant of feed and food has been shown to induce experimental liver and kidney tumors. Since there is a good correlation between the carcinogenic potency of chemicals and the DNA damages induced in mammalian cells treated either in vivo or in vitro by these compounds, we have measured single-strand breaks induced by ochratoxin A in DNA of liver, spleen and kidney. Our data clearly showed that ochratoxin A induced DNA damages in vitro as well as in vivo. Damages were dose-dependent, reversible and vary upon the time according to the tissue. In spite there is no report up to now on experimental leukemia induced by ochratoxin A, our results indicate that this possibility have to be considered.