A possible chemical basis for the higher mutagenicity of marijuana smoke as compared to tobacco smoke

Summary The results of comparative analyses of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in marijuana and tobacco smoke indicate a considerably higher content of potential carcinogens in the former. A model experiment involving ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol suggests that the pyrolysis products of cannabinoids are major contributors to the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.We thank Dr.John Benner and Ms.Carolyn Keene of the University of Kentucky for help with the smoking experiments. This work was supported by Grant No. R01-DA-00507-01 from the National Institute of Mental Health.     

Detection of marijuana smoke in the atmosphere of a room

Zusammenfassung Mit einer Analysenmethode gelingt es, Marijuanarauch von einer Zigarette oder weniger durch Kombination von Anreicherungsverfahren mit hochauflösender Gaschromatographie in Zimmerluft nachzuweisen. Charakteristische Profile von 200 bis 300 Komponenten (darunter Cannabinoide), die sich deutlich von denen von Tabakrauch unterscheiden, wurden mit Hilfe von Glaskapillarsäulen gewonnen.     

Production of antibodies to amanitins as the basis for their radioimmunoassay.

The production of antibodies against amanitins is described. By means of these antibodies, a radioimmunoassay was developed which allows detection of as little as 0.5 ng of amanitins in 1 ml of serum. By this method, the clearance of alpha-amanitin from the blood of poisoned mice was measured.     

Endogenous control as a possible basis for varying migratory habits in different bird populations

Summary In handraised experimental groups of 4 populations ofSylvia atricapilla, it was found that the development of migratory restlessness under constant conditions was a fairly good reflection of the different (typical, partial, and non-) migratory habits of the populations. Thus, the different migratory habits seem to be endogenously preprogrammed and genetic in origin. The results of a preliminary cross-breeding experiment are at least compatible with the assumption that partial migratory habit in the blackcap is due to polymorphism.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; 25th paper of the warbler program of the institute.     

The assessment of tobacco smoke toxicity in organ culture. II. Ultrastructural studies on the immediate response of foetal rabbit tracheal epithelium to short-term exposures of whole smoke.

Foetal rabbit tracheal organ cultures were exposed under defined conditions to whole cigarette smoke and fixed immediately for electron microscopy. After an exposure to 4 or 8 puffs, epithelial intercellular spaces were enlarged, the apical portion of many cells bulged out into the lumen and many cilia were swollen. An exposure to 12 puffs produced a breakdown of the epithelium.     

Production of antibodies to amanitins as the basis for their radioimmunoassay

Summary The production of antibodies against amanitins is described. By means of these antibodies, a radioimmunoassay was developed which allows detection of as little as 0.5 ng of amanitins in 1 ml of serum. By this method, the clearance of α-amanitin from the blood of poisoned mice was measured. Acknowledgments. We thank ProfessorT. Wieland and Dr.H. Faulstich (Heidelberg) for their generous gift of β-amanitin and [³H]O-methyl-demethyl-γ-amanitin. This work was supported by grants from C.N.R., Rome.     

A possible preferential inhibition of chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear neutrophils by a chemical modification.

The modification of neutrophils with amino group blocking reagents of different chemical specificities showed that dansyl chloride caused inhibition of chemotaxis without suppression of random movement. Dansylated neutrophils, like control cells, ingested bacteria. Neither the stimulated cyanide-insensitive respiration, nor lactate production during phagocytosis, was affected significantly by dansylation as compared with the inhibition of directed movement.     

Induction of mitotic abnormalities in the root tips ofAllium cepa by tobacco smoke

Zusammenfassung Es wurden Untersuchungen der Wirkung des Tabakrauches auf mitotische Fehler beiAllium-cepa-L.-Sämlingen gemacht und dabei eine Abnahme des mitotischen Indexes und induzierte mitotische Missbilungen gefunden.

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This study was carried out under contract No. 12-14-100-10341 (73) with the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, administered by the Southeastern Marketing and Nutrition Research Division, RRC, Athens, Georgia, 30604.     

A survey on the mutagenicity of various pesticides

Zusammenfassung Die Resultate einer Prüfung von 16 ausgewählten Pestiziden auf ihre Mutagenität imSalmonella-test werden diskutiert.     

A possible preferential inhibition of chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear neutrophils by a chemical modification

Summary The modification of neutrophils with amino group blocking reagents of different chemical specificities showed that dansyl chloride caused inhibition of chemotaxis without suppression of random movement. Dansylated neutrophils, like control cells, ingested bacteria. Neither the stimulated cyanide-insensitive respiration, nor lactate production during phagocytosis, was affected significantly by dansylation as compared with the inhibition of directed movement.     

A possible pathway for the biosynthesis of adenochromines

Summary 5-Thiolhistidine reacted with dopaquinone produced in vitro by tyrosinase oxidation of dopa to give high yields of secoadenochromines (3) along with a small amount of adenochromines (1) which are the amino-acids responsible for the iron-(III)-binding properties of adenochromes.Istituto di Chimica dell'Università di Napoli. This work was partially supported by C.N.R. (Rome) within the project Oceanografia e Fondi Marini. The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Mr Vittorio Milo.     

A possible method for improving the efficacy of dapsone

The antileprosy drug dapsone is unable to penetrate intact Mycobacterium leprae in vitro, as determined by its effect on o-diphenoloxidase in the bacilli. When combined with the peptide polylysine, the sulfone drug passes through the bacterial cell membranes, and penetrates the enzyme protein, resulting in a 100% inhibition of its activity.     

A possible method for improving the efficacy of dapsone

Summary The antileprosy drug dapsone is unable to penetrate intactMycobacterium leprae in vitro, as determined by its effect on o-diphenoloxidase in the bacilli. When combined with the peptide polylysine, the sulfone drug passes through the bacterial cell membranes, and penetrates the enzyme protein, resulting in a 100% inhibition of its activity.     

In vitro mutagenicity of the soil nematicide 1,3-dichloropropene.

The cis- and trans-isomers of 1,3-dichloropropene have been tested in the Ames mutagenicity assay system on Salmonella typhimurium tester strain TA 1535. Both isomers have been found to be mutagenic even without microsomal activation.     

Glutamine aminotransferase and glutamine aminohydrolase ratio as a possible test for antitumour compounds.

Three known antitumour drugs have been tested for their effect on the GAT/GNase ratio of Ehrlich Ascites cells and host plasma. It was observed that all these drugs had changed the ratio of the 2 types of glutaminases from below 1.0 to the normal value of 1.0, this was accompanied with an increase in the survival time of the tumour-bearing animals. There was, however, no effect on the plasma GAT/GNase ratio of normal animals in the presence of the 3 antitumour compounds tested.     

A possible new role for the anti-ageing peptide carnosine

The naturally occurring dipeptide carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) is found in surprisingly large amounts in long-lived tissues and can delay ageing in cultured human fibroblasts. Carnosine has been regarded largely as an anti-oxidant and free radical scavenger. More recently, an anti-glycating potential has been discovered whereby carnosine can react with low-molecular-weight compounds that bear carbonyl groups (aldehydes and ketones). Carbonyl groups, arising mostly from the attack of reactive oxygen species and ow-molecular-weight aldehydes and ketones, accumulate on proteins during ageing. Here we propose, with supporting evidence, that carnosine can react with protein carbonyl groups to produce protein-carbonyl-carnosine adducts (‘carnosinylated’ proteins). The various possible cellular fates of the carnosinylated proteins are discussed. These proposals may help explain anti-ageing actions of carnosine and its presence in non-mitotic cells of long-lived mammals. Received 29 November 1999; accepted 27 December 1999     

Human bodies as chemical sensors: A history of biomonitoring for environmental health and regulation

The testing of human blood and urine for signs of chemical exposure has become the “gold standard” of environmental public health, leading to ongoing population studies in the US and Europe. Such methods first emerged over a century ago in medical and occupational contexts, as a means to calibrate drug doses for patients and prevent injury to workers from chemical or radiation exposure. This paper analyzes how human bodies have come to serve as unconscious sensors of their environments: containers of chemical information determined by expert testers. As seen in the case of lead testing in the US, these bodily traces of contaminants can provide compelling evidence about dangerous exposures in everyday life, useful in achieving stronger regulation of industry. The use of genetic testing of workers by Dow Chemical provides an example of industry itself undertaking biomonitoring, though the company discontinued the program at the same time its studies indicated chromosomal damage in connection with occupational exposure to certain chemicals. In this case and others, biomonitoring raises complex questions about informing subjects, interpreting exposure in the many cases for which health effects at low doses are unknown, and who should take responsibility for protection, compensation, or remediation. Further, the history of biomonitoring complicates how we understand human ‘experience’ of the global environment by pointing to the role of non-sensory—yet detectable—bodily exposures.