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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Cigarette Smoke Exposure in Mice using a Whole-Body Inhalation System
Published on: October 22, 2020
Genotoxicity analysis of five particle matter toxicants from cigarette smoke based on γH2AX assay combined with
Sen Zhang1, Huan Chen2, An Wang3
1Institute of Applied Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230088, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; China National Tobacco Quality Supervision & Test Center, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
Abstract:
To investigate the genotoxic characteristics of typical toxicants in particle phase of cigarette smoke, including B[a]P, nicotine, tar, NNN and NNK. The in vitro γH2AX assay was used to detect the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in A549 cells using high content screening (HCS). The results showed all toxicants had a dose/time-dependent effects on induction of γH2AX except for NNN and NNK. Based on dose-response of γH2AX and Hill model, the ability to induce DSBs was evaluated: NNN-acetate > B[a]P > NNK-acetate > tar > nicotine. Based on time-course of γH2AX and two-component model, the complex DNA damage was the main subtypes of DNA damage induced by these toxicants. Overall, all toxicants were genotoxic in A549 cells in a dose- or time- dependent manner except for NNN and NNK based on the γH2AX HCS assay. NNN-acetate had more potential to induce DSBs, which was followed by B[a]P, NNK-acetate, tar and nicotine.
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