Effects of 3-aminobenzamide on Chinese hamster cells treated with thymidine analogues and DNA-damaging agents. Chromosomal aberrations, mutations and cell-cycle progression.

The nuclear enzyme, poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase is involved in the repair of damaged DNA. We report here the results obtained with 3-aminobenzamide (3AB), an inhibitor of this enzyme, on induced biological effects. 3AB increases the frequency of chromosomal aberrations induced by DMS, EMS, ENU, bleomycin and CldUrd. The magnitude of the effect is dependent on the type of chemical used, the combinations with DMS and EMS being the most potent ones. No potentiation was observed after treatment of cells with MMC. Mutation frequencies were determined on the HPRT locus and showed that 3AB did not increase the frequency of gene mutations induced by EMS, ENU and CldUrd. Cell-cycle progression is affected when cells are grown in medium containing CldUrd and 3AB, primarily when the inhibitor is present during the second cell cycle when substituted DNA becomes replicated. The extent of the effect depends on the amount of analogue incorporated and is independent of the presence of the analogue in the medium during the second cell cycle. Analysis of chromosomal aberrations in delayed G2 cells with the aid of the premature chromosome-condensation technique revealed numerous aberrations after incorporation of CldUrd and treatment with 3AB.