Induction of sister-chromatid exchanges by mutagens from amino acid and protein pyrolysates

Sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in a permanent cell line of human lymphoblastoid cells were induced by 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]-indole (Trp-P-1), 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1) and 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (2-amino-alpha-carboline). The first two compounds were found in tryptophan pyrolysates, the third in a glutamic acid pyrolysate and the last in a globulin pyrolysate. All these compounds required the metabolic activation system (S9 mix) for induction of SCE. Trp-P-2 had the highest SCE-inducing activity of these chemicals (approximately equivalent to that of aflatoxin B1), followed by Trp-P-1, Glu-P-1 and then 2-amino-alpha-carboline.