Evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on human mast cells (HMC-1).

Mast cells promote the release of cytokines that modify the functioning of various immune subpopulations. These are important in cancer because they have a dual effect in some neoplasms, since they act as protumoral or antitumor factors depending on their micolocalization. Recently, the role of hormonal receptors in these cells has been related to increased metastasis. With this project sought to evaluate the effect of two endocrine disruptors (Benzo [a] pyrene (BaP) and Benzo [a] anthracene (BaA)) on genotoxicity and apoptosis in a human mast cell line (HMC-1). The genotoxic effect was evaluated by the comet assay to observe DNA fragmentation at 1 hour of exposure. Cell death was evaluated in HMC-1 cells by the exposure to these PAH´s for 1 hour, 24 hours and 5 days. In the cell death assays, BaA was shown to have an effect on HMC-1 cells, while BaP showed no effect. In the genotoxicity assays with a higher concentration of BaA there is a higher frequency of comets and a higher percentage of flow intensity. The BaP at a higher concentration there is a lower frequency of comets and the percentage of flow intensity was the same in the four concentrations that we used. Therefore, BaP has no cell death effect on HMC-1 mast cells at 1 hour, 24 hours and 5 days at the concentrations used. On the other hand, BaA did not generate apoptosis at 1 hour and 24 hours, but after 5 days of treatment BaA generate apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]