Genotoxicity of a variety of mycotoxins in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test using rat and mouse hepatocytes.

Twenty-eight mycotoxins were studied in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test using rat and mouse hepatocytes. DNA repair synthesis was elicited by several compounds of unknown carcinogenicity, 5,6- dimethoxysterigmatocystin , versicolorins A and B, averufin , xanthomegnin , luteosporin , and chrysazin , as well as by the carcinogenic myocotoxins , aflatoxin B1, sterigmatocystin, luteoskyrin , ochratoxin A, azaserine, mitomycin C, and actinomycin D. The positive results with compounds of unknown carcinogenicity suggest that they are possibly genotoxic carcinogens. The carcinogenic mycotoxins, penicillic acid, patulin, griseofulvin, and rugulosin , which did not elicit repair synthesis may be nongenotoxic carcinogens.