Results of tests for micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations in mouse bone marrow cells with the human carcinogens 4-aminobiphenyl, treosulphan, and melphalan.

Three human carcinogens, 4-aminobiphenyl, treosulphan, and melphalan, were tested for the induction of micronuclei or chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow cells of male B6C3F1 mice. These studies were conducted to provide further information on the in vivo genetic toxicity of compounds known to cause cancer in humans. All three compounds gave positive results in the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test, and melphalan, the only compound tested for aberration induction, was positive in this assay. These results extend the evidence that nearly all known human carcinogens are detected in relatively simple and widely employed short-term in vivo tests.