Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of t-2 toxin

Clastogenic agents, those causing chromosomal aberrations, may be detected using cytogenetic tests in mammals and plants in vivo and in cultured mammalian cells in vitro. The data are insufficient to draw a firm conclusion regarding the mutagenicity or carcinogenicity of the trichothecenes, including T-2 toxin. The lack of mutagenic activity of T-2 toxin supports the largely negative results that have been obtained with in vivo carcinogenic tests. Continuous application of a suspect carcinogen to the skin of mice can reveal the carcinogenicity of a limited number of chemicals and crude products. Activity as an initiating or promoting agent can also be defined. The neoplasia occurring in rats following chronic intragastric administration of T-2 toxin could be the result of direct carcinogenic activity or is a secondary effect following immunosuppression and the general detrimental effects caused by T-2 toxin resulting in the premature occurrence of spontaneous tumors.