A method to score micronuclei in vivo using cytochalasin B-induced cytokinesis block.

The present paper describes an in vivo micronucleus assay using Cytochalasin B (CyB). Mice bearing three different tumours, fibrosarcoma (Swiss albino mice), B16 F1 melanoma (C57 BL) and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (Swiss albino mice), were injected with repeated doses of CyB at different time intervals and binucleate cells were scored at 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h after CyB injection. It was found that three doses of 3+2+2 mg/kg CyB administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) at 12-h intervals effectively blocked cytokinesis. The maximum number of binucleated cells (BNC) was scored at 60 h after the last CyB dose. This dose schedule was also effective in scoring micronuclei in BNC after irradiation. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.