The exogenous nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside, evaluated the recombinogenic potential of nitric oxide. Drug inhibited mycelial growth and conidiation in A757 Aspergillus nidulans master strain. Two heterozygous diploid strains, one wild (uvsH+//uvsH+) and the other defective to DNA repair (uvsH//uvsH) were used for recombinagenesis tests. Sodium nitroprusside recombinogenic effect was evaluated by the induction of homozygosis of recessive genes, originally present in heterozygous condition. Results show that sodium nitroprusside (40 muM, 80 muM and 160 muM) is effective in inducing mitotic crossing-over in diploid cells of A. nidulans.

Doxorubicina e etoposida são agentes intercalantes que inibem a ação da enzima topoisomerase II. Ambas drogas são amplamente utilizadas no tratamento de neoplasias. O potencial recombinagênico destes agentes e seus efeitos sobre o ciclo assexual de Aspergillus nidulans foram avaliados no presente trabalho. Duas linhagens diplóides heterozigotas foram utilizadas: uma selvagem (uvsH+//uvsH+) e outra deficiente para o reparo do DNA (uvsH//uvsH). O potencial recombinagênico destas drogas foi avaliado pela indução de homozigose de genes recessivos a partir de células heterozigotas. Doxorubicina e etoposida apresentaram efeitos recombinagênicos em ambas linhagens utilizadas. Os resultados permitem concluir que doxorubicina e etoposida são agentes potencialmente capazes de induzir malignidades secundárias, mediadas pelo crossing-over mitótico, em células diplóides eucariotas.

Doxorubicin and etoposide are intercalating agents that inhibit the action of the enzyme topoisomerase II. Both drugs present therapeutic activity in numerous human neoplasms In the present work the recombinagenic potential of these drugs was evaluated by ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans. Their effects on the asexual cycle of A. nidulans was also appraised. Two heterozygous diploid strains of A. nidulans, a wild (uvsH+//uvsH+) and a defective to the DNA repair (uvsH//uvsH) were used. The drugs' recombinagenic potential was evaluated by their capacity to induce homozygosis of recessive genes from heterozygous cells. Both drugs have a recombinagenic effect on diploid cells of A. nidulans. Doxorubicin and etoposide are potentially capable to induce secondary malignancies, mediated by the mitotic crossing-over in eukaryotic cells.

Vincristine is an alkaloid widely used as an antineoplastic agent. In eukaryotic cells the drug causes blockage in the G2 phase of the cell cycle and an increase in the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges. Due to the fact that germinating Aspergillus nidulans cells spend most of their cycle in G2 phase, they provide an excellent system for the study of mitotic crossing-over. Taking into account that mitotic crossing-over occurs during G2 period, the evaluation of recombinagenic and aneugenic potential of vincristine is provided with regard to two diploid strains of A. nidulans: a wild strain (uvsH+//uvsH+) and a defective one in DNA repair (uvsH//uvsH). Drug toxicity and its effect on the asexual cycle of A. nidulans has been evaluated as well. Treatment of both strains with vincristine did not change colony growth in the culture, however cytological analyses showed aberrant conidiophores. Recombinagenic potential of vincristine was evaluated by induction of gene homozygosis originally present in heterozygosity diploid strains (Homozygotization Index). Results show that vincristine induces mitotic crossing-over and higher frequency of aneuploid mitotic segregants. The results also show the recombinagenic and aneuploidogenic potential of vincristine and suggest its participation in the induction of secondary malignancies