Sensitivity of Syrian golden hamster fetal lung cells to benzo[a]pyrene and other polycyclic hydrocarbons in vitro.

Dose responses were compared of cultured fetal Syrian golden hamster lung cells (FSHL) to the toxic and transforming effects of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[B]F), benz[a]anthracene (B[a]A, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene (I[c,d]P), benzo[k]fluoranthene (B[k]F) and benzo[e]pyrene (B[e]P). Effort was first given to standardising the techniques for evaluating B[a]P dose-responses. These polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were then tested at concentrations of up to 1 microgram/ml, and only B[a]P showed clear cytotoxicity. The transforming effects of B[b]F, B[a]A and I[c,d]P at 1 microgram/ml appeared comparable to those of B[a]P at 0.05 microgram/ml.