Ultrastructural changes in the nucleus of a human epithelial cell line exposed to cytotoxic agents. The effect of PUVA and cadmium.

An established human epithelial cell line was exposed to cytotoxic doses of photo-activated 8-methoxy psoralen (PUVA) and to cadmium (Cd++) and the cells' nuclear ultrastructure were compared with controls. PUVA and Cd++ have some common biological features. Both substances induced nuclear indentations and cytoplasmic invaginations, while only PUVA caused an increase in nuclear bodies. After cadmium exposure, clusters of large-sized perichromatin granules (PG) were seen as well as an increase in chromatin margination. After PUVA, an increase in singularly distributed PGs was observed. The nuclear envelope was not affected by PUVA while Cd caused extensive disruption of this membrane. A strain of the epithelial cell line was made resistant to 100 mumol Cd/l and its nuclear ultrastructure was examined. An increase in chromatin margination was seen compared with its parent line. When this Cd resistant cell strain was exposed to 200 mumol Cd/l no ultrastructural changes took place. An attempt to produce a PUVA resistant epithelial cell strain was unsuccessful. Some functional aspects of the different morphological parameters observed are discussed.