Mutagenic effect of sodium nitrite on cultured mouse cells.

Effect of sodium nitrite on cultured FM3A cells, a C3H mouse mammary carcinoma cell line, was examined. The chromosomal preparations demonstrated that severe aberrations were induced in more than 80% of the mitotic plates at 10(-2) M and in nearly 40% at 10(-25) M after 24 and 48 h treatment. According to the results of alkaline sucrose gradient analysis sedimentation profiles of cell DNA treated at as high as 10(-1) M for 24 h scarcely changed from that of control cell DNA. Induction of 8-azaguanine-resistant mutation was demonstrated above 10(-3) M sodium nitrite.