BIOLOGICAL ASSAY FOR TESTING THE CARCINOGENIC PROPERTIES OF A SUBSTANCE

摘要

An assay for testing the carcinogenic properties of a test substance comprising: (i) introducing into cells a reporter gene expression vector comprising a repetitive DNA sequence which exhibits instability in cancer cells, whereby instability of the repetitive DNA sequence affects expression of the reporter gene; (ii) exposing the resulting cells to the test substance; and (iii) determining whether the test substance is carcinogenic or anticarcinogenic by comparing the frequency of reporter gene expression in the resulting cells with the frequency of reporter gene expression in cells which have not been exposed to the test substance. The invention also provides expression vectors suitable for use in the assay methods.