Sister-chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations in lymphocytes of male albino rats treated with an alkylating agent, apholate (NSC 26, 812; ENT 26, 316).

A lymphocyte culture system was used to study the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and SCEs at various time intervals after an intraperitoneal injection of apholate (0.5 mg/kg b.w.) in male albino rats. Treatment with apholate increased the frequency of chromosomal aberrations significantly (P less than 0.001). The majority of chromosomal aberrations were single chromatid breaks, although other aberrations were also present. The distribution of chromatid breaks was non-random and the large chromosomes were affected to a greater extent. SCEs frequency in lymphocytes of apholate-treated rats was more than 5-fold higher in comparison to controls. The highest number of chromosomal aberrations and SCEs/rat was recorded at 48 h post-treatment, after which there was a gradual decline in both SCE and chromosomal aberration frequency. The results indicate that apholate is a mutagenic compound and it may also be carcinogenic.