Application of response-surface methodology to detect interactions of genotoxic agents in cultured mammalian cells.

Response-surface methodology (RSM) techniques provide a useful statistical approach for the design and analysis of experiments involving multiple variables. Although it has been used for some time in the areas of chemical engineering and agriculture, RSM has only recently been applied to the solution of biological problems. Here we have utilized RSM to investigate the interaction of two direct-acting, monofunctional alkylating agents [ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and ethylnitrosourea (ENU)] in Chinese hamster V79 cells with respect to the in vitro induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs). A factorial design was employed in which the cells were exposed to the agents singly and in simultaneous combinations for 4 h. The cells were collected for SCE determination 30 h after treatment. The analysis revealed concentration-dependent increases in SCEs for both of the agents, with ENU being the more effective on an equimolar basis. In addition, single- and multiple-agent interactions were detected. The most important finding was that over the treatment range studied, a significant negative interaction occurs between EMS and ENU with regard to SCE induction. It is suggested that RSM not only may be useful in determining the statistical relevance of experimental variables but also may generate hypotheses the evaluation of which could provide additional insights into the underlying mechanisms involved.