Biomaterial Database

[Study on the genotoxicity of methyl tertiary-butyl ether]. 1998

W Zhou, and S Ye

Department of Environmental Health, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200032, China.

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether(MTBE), a new gasoline additive, is added to gasoline as an octane enhancer and used to reduce automotive emissions. Using Ames test, unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) assay and cell micronucleus test, the authors evaluated the genotoxicity of domestic produced MTBE. MTBE did not show any mutagenic potential in Ames assay(TA98, TA100 strains) with or without rat liver-derived metabolic activation system (S-9). Rat primary hepatocyte UDS assay showed that MTBE could damage DNA. In NIH3T3 cell micronucleus test, MTBE showed negative results. It could be concluded that MTBE has some genotoxicity at DNA level.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008738	Methyl Ethers	A group of compounds that contain the general formula R-OCH3.	Ethers, Methyl
D009153	Mutagens	Chemical agents that increase the rate of genetic mutation by interfering with the function of nucleic acids. A clastogen is a specific mutagen that causes breaks in chromosomes.	Clastogen,Clastogens,Genotoxin,Genotoxins,Mutagen
D004249	DNA Damage	Injuries to DNA that introduce deviations from its normal, intact structure and which may, if left unrepaired, result in a MUTATION or a block of DNA REPLICATION. These deviations may be caused by physical or chemical agents and occur by natural or unnatural, introduced circumstances. They include the introduction of illegitimate bases during replication or by deamination or other modification of bases; the loss of a base from the DNA backbone leaving an abasic site; single-strand breaks; double strand breaks; and intrastrand (PYRIMIDINE DIMERS) or interstrand crosslinking. Damage can often be repaired (DNA REPAIR). If the damage is extensive, it can induce APOPTOSIS.	DNA Injury,DNA Lesion,DNA Lesions,Genotoxic Stress,Stress, Genotoxic,Injury, DNA,DNA Injuries
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015162	Micronucleus Tests	Induction and quantitative measurement of chromosomal damage leading to the formation of micronuclei (MICRONUCLEI, CHROMOSOME-DEFECTIVE) in cells which have been exposed to genotoxic agents or IONIZING RADIATION.	Micronucleus Assays,Assay, Micronucleus,Assays, Micronucleus,Micronucleus Assay,Micronucleus Test,Test, Micronucleus,Tests, Micronucleus
D017207	Rats, Sprague-Dawley	A strain of albino rat used widely for experimental purposes because of its calmness and ease of handling. It was developed by the Sprague-Dawley Animal Company.	Holtzman Rat,Rats, Holtzman,Sprague-Dawley Rat,Rats, Sprague Dawley,Holtzman Rats,Rat, Holtzman,Rat, Sprague-Dawley,Sprague Dawley Rat,Sprague Dawley Rats,Sprague-Dawley Rats
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus