Unexpected DNA damage caused by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under standard laboratory conditions

Abstract The genotoxicity of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was determined with the alkaline version of the comet assay employing V79 lung fibroblasts of the Chinese hamster as target cells. These cells lack the enzymes necessary to convert PAHs to DNA-binding metabolites. Surprisingly, 11 PAHs, i.e., benzo[ a ]pyrene (BaP), benz[ a ]anthracene, 7,12-dimethylbenz[ a ]anthracene, 3-methylcholanthrene, fluoranthene, anthanthrene, 11 H -benzo[ b ]fluorene, dibenz[ a,h ]anthracene, pyrene, benzo[ ghi ]perylene and benzo[ e ]pyrene caused DNA strand breaks even without external metabolic activation, while naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene and naphthacene were inactive. When the comet as…