TY - JOUR T1 - Micronucleus Formation in Primary Oropharyngeal Epithelial Cells Reveals Mutagenicity of Cement Dusts JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 1849 LP - 1858 DO - 10.21873/anticanres.14951 VL - 41 IS - 4 AU - JACQUELINE PAWLICZAK AU - MARLEN KOLB AU - MARIO BAUER AU - RICHARD GMINSKI AU - ANDREAS DIETZ AU - GUNNAR WICHMANN Y1 - 2021/04/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/41/4/1849.abstract N2 - Background/Aim: Epidemiological studies showed an increased risk of developing laryngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) for employees working in the construction business. This suggested a causal link between exposure to cement particles and development of HNSCC but data were missing. Materials and Methods: We established an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guideline 487-conform micronucleus assay (MNA) using oropharyngeal mucosa-derived primary epithelial cells (OPCs) ex vivo. OPCs from healthy mucosa of 52 donors were cultured in vitro and incubated with serial concentrations of two common cement particles. Mitomycin C was used as a soluble positive control, and TiO2 and DQ12 were used as negative and positive particle controls. Bi-nucleated cells were counted and the mitotic index (MI) was determined. Subsequently, micronuclei-containing bi-nucleated cells (MN+) were counted. Results: Cement particles, in concentrations not significantly reducing ex vivo proliferation according to mitotic index, dose-dependently increased micronuclei formation. Conclusion: Through the establishment of an OECD guideline 487 conform MNA, we demonstrate the mutagenic effects of cement on human OPCs. ER -