Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) induces aneuploidy in Drosophila and mouse germ-line cells

The ability of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) to induce aneuploidy was studied in the germ line of both Drosophila and the mouse. The Free Inverted X Chromosomes (FIX) genetic system, adopting a brooding scheme, was used to detect induced aneuploidy in Drosophila, and a cytogenetic method based on chromosomal counting in secondary spermatocytes was used in the mouse. In Drosophila a highly significant (P less than 0.001) increase of aneuploidies was produced by NTA (5 x 10(-2) M), which was greater than that produced by colchicine (7.5 x 10(-6) M) and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (10(-4) M), which were used as positive controls. Brooding effects were observed with NTA, which produced a maximum induction of chromosomal gain in brood I, suggesting a possible stage-specific action during meiosis. The ability of NTA (275 mg/kg body weight) to induce meiotic aneuploidy (hyperhaploidy) also was confirmed in the mouse (P less than 0.001), where all the aneuploidies detected were attributable to treatment of the metaphase I stage.