Influence of chronic ethanol uptake and acute acetaldehyde treatment on the chromosomes of bone-marrow cells and peripheral lymphocytes of Chinese hamsters.

Chinese hamsters received 10% (v/v) ethanol as their only liquid supply during 46 weeks. At the end of the drinking period the rate of chromosomal aberrations was determined in cultured lymphocytes. The cultures were set up with the blood from the retro-orbital plexus. Bone-marrow metaphases of the same animals were analysed with regard to sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) after implantation of BrdU tablets in vivo. No cytogenetic effects were found in either test system. Another group of Chinese hamsters received acetaldehyde at 0.01, 0.1 amd 0.5 mg/kg by i.p. injection, and bone-marrow metaphases were analysed with respect to SCE. The SCE frequencies were elevated by acetaldehyde at 0.5 mg/kg, but not by the lower doses.