# MAMMALIAN CELL ASSAY FOR MUTAGENESIS AND CARCINOGENESIS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI · 1988 · $216,137

## Abstract

While a significant fraction of the 70,000 chemicals in commercial use in
the United States are probably mutagens and/or carcinogens, only about
3,000 have been adequately tested in at least one assay.  Since some of
these chemicals represent a significant environmental health risk to man in
terms of increased cancer and genetic disease, it is important that they be
identified and characterized with the ultimate aim of limiting human
exposure.  To this end, many distinct assays have been developed, but each
has certain inherent limitations.

We recognize the need to obtain a large data base on the specific types and
frequencies of mutations induced by a given substance in mammalian cells.
We further recognize that these data should be obtained from different
regions of a functioning mammalian gene within cell types that are
representative of the specific cell types in vivo in which mutation and/or
carcinogenesis occur.  Thus, we have been developing an in vitro human cell
assay which both detects mutagens and determine the frequency at which they
cause specific transitions, transversions or frameshifts in transfected,
site-specific mutated, mouse adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT)
genes.  This gene was chosen because of its sensitive selectable
characteristics.  The specifically mutated mouse APRT genes can, in
principle, be introduced into differentiated human cells which exhibit a
spectrum of mutagen metabolizing enzymes similar to that observed in vivo.
In addition, we have been developing immunological methods for directly
detecting, in situ, mutagens that induce frameshifts.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3174523
- **Project number:** 5R01CA036897-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
- **SAM.gov UEI:** DZ4YCZ3QSPR5
- **Principal Investigator:** PETER J. STAMBROOK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $216,137
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-06-01 → 1990-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3174523

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3174523, MAMMALIAN CELL ASSAY FOR MUTAGENESIS AND CARCINOGENESIS (5R01CA036897-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3174523. Licensed CC0.

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