2-Chloroacetaldehyde and 2-chloroacetal are potent inhibitors of DNA synthesis in animal cells.

The effect of 2-chloroacetaldehyde, CAA, a metabolite of vinyl chloride and 2-chloroacetal, CAC, an ethyl diester of chloroacetaldehyde, on DNA synthesis in animal cells has been investigated. Both compounds drastically inhibited DNA synthesis at 10 to 20 microM. The inhibitory effect of the chemicals appears to be directly on DNA synthesis rather than on the uptake of thymidine or the formation of nucleotides. Residual DNA made in the presence of CAA had an average chain length of 300 nucleotides compared to a length of several thousand nucleotides in the absence of CAA. Synchronization experiments revealed that the inhibitory effect is reversible if 2-chloroacetaldehyde is removed within two hours but not after longer exposures.