Increase in chromosomal abnormalities in Chinese hamster ovary cells treated with butylated hydroxytoluene in vitro

Cytogenetic studies showed that treatment of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with 1, 5 or 10 mug BHT/ml for 48 hr increased the number of cells with chromosomal abnormalities. CHO cultures treated with 1.0 mug BHT/ml demonstrated a 35% level of abnormal cell types. These abnormalities included chromosome gaps, triradials, polycentrics, endoreduplications and polyploids. When CHO cells were exposed to 5.0 mug BHT/ml, 36% of the cells were found to be abnormal. However, in cells treated with 10 mug BHT/ml, a 20% level of cell abnormalities was noted. The incidence of polyploid cells was dose dependent, but the dose dependency ceased at 10 mug BHT/ml, at which a decrease in polyploids as well as in the total percentage of abnormal cells was observed compared with the cells exposed to lower concentrations of BHT.