Results from the testing of 108 coded chemicals in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells for the induction of chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) are presented. All chemicals were tested with and without exogenous metabolic activation, using protocols designed to allow testing up to toxic doses. Cell harvest times could also be extended if chemical-induced cell cycle delay was seen. Chromosome aberrations were induced by 43 of the chemicals, and 66 induced SCEs; 37 of the chemicals were positive for both endpoints.

We interviewed 282 histologically confirmed cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Chinese residents of Selangor and the Federal Territory, Malaysia, and an equal number of Chinese age‐, sex‐, and length‐of‐residence‐matched controls sampled from the general population. Consumption of 55 dietary items during childhood, and 5 years pre‐diagnosis of NPC, was analyzed by univariate and multivariate methods. Four salted preserved foods (fish, leafy vegetables, egg and root), fresh pork/beef organ meats and beer and liquor consumption exhibited strong positive associations, and 4 vegetable/fruit combinations strong negative associations with NPC. Factor analysis and multivariable modeling using estimated factor scores strongly supported separate effects on NPC of vegetables/fruits, salted preserved foods, pork/beef organ meats and beer/liquor consumption. Multivariable modeling associated NPC most clearly with high consumption of salted fish, salted eggs, pork/beef liver and beer and low consumption of Chinese flowering cabbage, oranges/tangerines and shrimp. A strong residual association of social class with NPC remained after adjustment for diet, which is consistent with a substantial role for non‐dietary environmental factors. Int. J. Cancer 77:228–235, 1998.© 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

This study supports previous findings that some occupational inhalants are risk factors for NPC. The statistical effect of wood dust remained substantial after adjustment for diet, cigarette smoke, and social class. Intense industrial heat emerged as a previously unreported risk factor, statistically significant even after adjustment for diet and cigarette smoke. No association was found between NPC and formaldehyde.

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Good cell culture practice and characterization of the cell lines used are of critical importance in in vitro genotoxicity testing. The objective of this initiative was to make continuously available stocks of the characterized isolates of the most frequently used mammalian cell lines in genotoxicity testing anywhere in the world ('IVGT' cell lines). This project was organized under the auspices of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) Project Committee on the Relevance and Follow-up of Positive Results in In Vitro Genetic Toxicity (IVGT) Testing. First, cell isolates were identified that are as close as possible to the isolate described in the initial publications reporting their use in genotoxicity testing. The depositors of these cell lines managed their characterization and their expansion for preparing continuously available stocks of these cells that are stored at the European Collection of Cell Cultures (ECACC, UK) and the Japanese Collection of Research Bioresources (JCRB, Japan). This publication describes how the four 'IVGT' cell lines, i.e. L5178Y TK 3.7.2C, TK6, CHO-WBL and CHL/IU, were prepared for deposit at the ECACC and JCRB cell banks. Recommendations for handling these cell lines and monitoring their characteristics are also described. The growth characteristics of these cell lines (growth rates and cell cycles), their identity (karyotypes and genetic status) and ranges of background frequencies of select endpoints are also reported to help in the routine practice of genotoxicity testing using these cell lines.

International guidelines for cytotoxicity limits for the in vitro chromosomal aberration assay require reductions in cell growth of greater than 50%. This sets no upper limit on toxicity and there is concern about the number of false or irrelevant results obtained in the aberration assay, i.e., positive results at toxic dose levels only, with no evidence for primary DNA damaging ability and with negative results in the other genotoxicity tests. We have previously proposed that no truly genotoxic compound would be missed if the toxicity of the highest dose did not exceed 50%. Cell growth measured by cell counts as a percentage of controls can underestimate toxicity. For example, if we seed half a million cells per culture, and the controls double to 1 million during the experiment, a culture that truly has no growth will still have a cell count 50% of the control. Measurement of population doublings (PDs) more accurately assesses cell growth. To assess the use of PD in dose selection, we examined previous data from this lab and data from new experiments with "true," primary DNA damaging clastogens, and with clastogens, including drugs, thought to act indirectly, through cytotoxicity-associated mechanisms. We compared aberration results where the highest doses scored were based on 50% reductions in final cell counts with results obtained when the highest doses were based on PD. The PD method allows detection of true clastogens, including those that are active in a range with some toxicity, and reduces the number of toxicity-related "false"-positive results.

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