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The effects of boric acid on sister chromatid exchanges and chromosome aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the possible genotoxic effects of boric acid (BA) (E284), which is used as an antimicrobial agent in food, by using sister chromatid exchange (SCEs) and chromosome aberration (CAs) tests in human peripheral lymphocytes. The human lymphocytes were treated with 400, 600, 800, and 1000 μg/mL concentrations of BA dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), for 24 h and 48 h treatment periods. BA did not increase the SCEs for all the concentrations and treatment periods when compared to control and solvent control (DMSO). BA induced structural and total CAs at all the tested concentrations for 24 and 48 h treatment periods. The induction of the total CAs was dose dependent for the 24 h treatment period. However, BA did not cause numerical CAs. BA showed a cytotoxic effect by decreasing the replication index (RI) and mitotic index (MI). BA decreased the MI in a dose-dependent manner for the 24 h treatment period.

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Acknowledgements

The Ç. U. Research Fund funded this study. FBE2002YL119.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Biology, Natural and Applied Science Institute, Çukurova University, 01330, Adana, Turkey

    Mehmet Arslan

  2. Department Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Çukurova University, 01330, Adana, Turkey

    Mehmet Topaktas & Eyyüp Rencuzogullari

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  1. Mehmet Arslan
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  2. Mehmet Topaktas
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Correspondence to Eyyüp Rencuzogullari.

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Arslan, M., Topaktas, M. & Rencuzogullari, E. The effects of boric acid on sister chromatid exchanges and chromosome aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes. Cytotechnology 56, 91–96 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-007-9094-z

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