Generoso W M
Biology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee 37331.
Cell Biol Toxicol. 1988 Dec;4(4):507-10. doi: 10.1007/BF00117778.
That certain environmental chemicals can induce transmissible mutations in germ cells of experimental mammal is clear. The assumption that under certain conditions these chemicals are also likely to be mutagenic to human germ cells is not detectable. However, it is a difficult challenge to determine the level of human exposure at which such chemicals can be produced and used economically without significantly harming human health. Data on transmitted genetic effects in mice are necessary, not only as a measure of endpoints that are considered directly in genetic risk assessment, but also as the standard for evaluating the usefulness of non-germ-cell effects as predictors in genetic risk assessment. To carry out a "real world" genetic risk assessment exercise, in vivo mouse data are being obtained for two model chemicals--ethylene oxide and acrylamide. Both chemicals are capable of inducing transmissible genetic effects in mice; their production and use involve measurable human exposures; and, because they are socially and economically important, they are not likely to be banned altogether despite their mutagenicity. For both chemicals, data are not sufficient for accurate low-dose and low-dose-rate extrapolations.
某些环境化学物质能够在实验哺乳动物的生殖细胞中诱发可传播的突变，这一点是明确的。但在某些条件下，这些化学物质也可能对人类生殖细胞具有致突变性，这一假设尚无证据可查。然而，要确定在不显著损害人类健康的前提下，能够经济地生产和使用此类化学物质的人类接触水平，是一项艰巨的挑战。小鼠中遗传效应传递的数据是必要的，这不仅是作为遗传风险评估中直接考虑的终点指标的衡量标准，也是评估非生殖细胞效应作为遗传风险评估预测指标的有用性的标准。为了开展“现实世界”的遗传风险评估工作，正在针对两种典型化学物质——环氧乙烷和丙烯酰胺获取小鼠体内的数据。这两种化学物质都能够在小鼠中诱发可传播的遗传效应；它们的生产和使用涉及可测量的人类接触；而且，由于它们在社会和经济方面具有重要性，尽管具有致突变性，但不太可能被完全禁止。对于这两种化学物质，数据都不足以进行准确的低剂量和低剂量率外推。
