Tobacco Documents Online

PROGRESS REPORT MARCH 1, 1957 - AUGUST 31, 1957 Y. H. NAKANISHI Tissue Culture Laboratory U niversity of Texas - Medical Branch Galveston, Texas Fellowship from the Tobacco Industry Research Committee for studying the culture of human lung tissue and the effects of known and possible carcinogenic agents upon such tissue. I. The effect of smoke condensate on cells in tissue culture. Using condensate purchased from the Ecusta Paper Company, screening tests were conducted on the acute and chronic toxicity of this material on kitten pulmonary epithelium. Records m ade with phase contrast microscopy showed that injury to m itochondria (ring forms) was obtained with a 1:400 • dilution within 61 minutes. Mitochondria were fragm ented when in contact for 137 minutes with a 1:800 dilution and in as little as 28 minutes at a 1:1200 dilution, but such cells were believed to have survived the treatment for at least several hours. Preparations stained on the 3rd day showed pycnotic cells at 1:200, 1:400 and 1:800. Some damage was found in cultures with as little as 1:6400 but these cells appeared viable on the 7th day. On the basis of such experiments, it was decided to make a more detailed study of cell injury which might result from long term contact with smoke condensate at a 1:10, 000 dilution in the nutrient fluid employed for the maintenance of human fetal lung in bottle cultures. Chromosome counts are being made of sm oke concentrate treated cells together with corresponding untreated ~ controls.