Flow-cytometric analysis of the effects of triethylenemelamine on somatic and testicular tissues of the rat.

The effects of short-term (24 h) exposure to triethylenemelamine on cellular DNA in five tissues (bone marrow, spleen, kidney, large intestine, and testis) of the rat were studied using flow cytometry. Mean coefficients of variation of the G1 peaks were increased in both the low and high dosage groups relative to controls. Bone marrow exhibited the highest degree of effect, possibly due to the rapid rate of cell division in that tissue, and spleen was next highest. Thus, hematopoietic tissues are highly responsive to short-term, acute exposure to this mutagen. The results of the flow-cytometry assay closely paralleled a simultaneous chromosomal assay conducted on bone marrow of the same rats. These data are interpreted to be consistent with the hypothesis that the observed increase in mean coefficients of variation is due to the clastogenic effects of the mutagen and subsequent unequal distribution of DNA among the daughters of affected cells.