EDM/JP/46D
3 rd May 1988
VISIT TO PROFESSOR J.M. PARRY
UNIVERSITY OF SWANSEA
27 TH APRIL 1988
Author: E.D. Massey
Professor Parry leads the genotoxicology group at
Swansea that is receiving
monies from the Tobacco Products Research Trust.
The projects funded are to
look at chromosome aberrations and DNA single
strand breakage in cultured cells
exposed to cigarette smoke (CSC).
The objectives of the visit were:
(1) To discuss the progress of the Swansea group
in their projects.
(2) To discuss the developments made by BAT in the
chromosome aberration
assay.
Filter Ventilation - Swansea Work
The major work area of the Swansea group to date
has been to examine the
effect of filter ventilation in their assays. As
reported previously (30.3.88), they
found that, using Silk Cut Ultra Low and blocking
the ventilation holes when
appropriate, the ventilated product had doubled
the Ames activity of the
non-ventilated product. The same condensates have
now been tested in the
chromosome damage assay. As in the Ames system,
the ventilated product gave
a higher activity than the non-ventilated product.
Therefore, in the Swansea laboratory, filler
ventilation increases both Ames and
the chromosome aberration activity of GSC.
Filter Ventilation - BAT
When Ames tested in BAT, filter ventilation
increases activity in the region of 18%.
not 100% as measured in Swansea. Moreover, recent
experiments using
Swansea cultures and BAT Virginia reference
cigarettes, and carried out at BAT,
have confirmed the minimal increase in Ames
activity as a result of filter
ventilation. This data and the possible reasons
for the Swansea/BAT difference
have been sent to Professor Parry (EDM/MM/46D,
21.4.88).
We do not have any BAT chromosome aberration data
on the effect of filter
ventilation.
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BAT Chromosome Aberration Assay
The development of the BAT assay to examine the
eff ect of CSC in chromosomes
of cultured cells was also discussed.
The BAT data set was, in Parry's opinion,
systematically produced and was
considered first class in quality.
The main point of discussion centred on the fact
that, in BAT, for a single grade
Virginia tobacco and a single grade Burley
tobacco, the Ames data gave the
opposite ranking to tile chromosome data.
Arnes Chromosome
Response
N/ ir
dose
Response
dose
To explain this difference, the most favoured
hypothesis by Parry is that the two
assays may be sensitive to different classes of
chemical in the condensate. One
of the Swansea group's plans is to carry out
similar work and to perform a simple
fractionation procedure on the condensates and
investigate if tile two assays are
sensitive to the same broad chemical categories in
condensate.
Parry and the ISCSH
Under the terms of the financing of the work by
the TPRT, the group have to
publish work as they progress. The current concern
by Parry is that the ISCSH
and outsiders may view his data to date in too
simplistic a way. For example, in
his present work (ventilation effects), Ames and
chromosome data rank the
products in the same way. The Ames shows a
dramatic effect of ventilation
(100%) and the chromosome data a smaller effect
(50%). The ISCSH may
choose to emphasise product developments based
only upon Ames data.
In contrast, the work here at BAT shows that, for
an alternative product variable,
tobacco blend, Ames and chromosome damage data
rank products in a different
way. In the view of Parry, therefore, both sets of
data, Chromosome and Ames,
should be considered in product development
processes.
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3
Request to BAT
Parry is concerned that a balanced profile of work
is placed before the ISCSH and
has made two requests:
(1) Could BAT use some of his cigarettes to
confirm if the magnitude of his
Ames effect in the filter ventilation experiment
is specific to his local
conditions.
(2) Could we possibly place our data on the
development and effect of smoke
condensates on chromosomes of cultured cells
before the ISCSH to ensure
that they see a balanced data profile. If we do
not wish to make a direct
approach to the ISGSH, Parry would be willing to
place our data forward at
the same time as his own.
Single Strand DNA Breakage Assay
This work has only just started, but it is already
claimed that low tar products are
more acUve than high tar products.
E.D. MASSEY
cc Dr. R. Binns
Dr. R.R. Baker
Mr. T.G. Mitchell
Dr. G. Smith
C:)
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BATCo document for Province of BritiSh Columbia 28
October 1999