Comparative DNA protectivity and antimutagenicity studies using DNA-topology and Ames assays

Two experimental techniques, the DNA-topology assay and the Ames assay, were proved to be suitable for monitoring compounds with a genotoxic potential and/or with an antimutagenic effect. Both procedures were used in assaying the acid-mine water (AMW) containing toxic metals and sulfoethyl chitin-glucan (SE-Ch-G), a derivative of chitin-glucan, in which bioprotective activities were detected earlier. It was shown that after toxic metal concentrations were decreased due to AMW dilution to the limits that correspond with those set by the Slovak Technical Norm (STN) for drinking water, AMW was not genotoxic in the Ames assay. As it is possible to detect any single-strand DNA (ssDNA) break in the DNA-topology assay, the SE-Ch-G protective effect against the ssDNA breaks induced by Fe2+ in the DNA-topology assay was recorded. SE-Ch-G exhibited the antimutagenic potential after its application simultaneously with diagnostic mutagens in the Ames assay. These results demonstrate the complementarity of both experimental systems. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.