The genotoxic potency of glycidol established from micronucleus frequency and hemoglobin adduct levels in mice

- The genotoxic potency of glycidol was quantified in mice, from induction of micronuclei and hemoglobin adducts.
- A more exact dose-response relationship was established compared to calculations based on administered dose.
- Comparing glycidol to ionizing radiation gives a relative genotoxic potency of 16 rad-eq. per mMh of glycidol.
- Glycidol has a lower potency for induction of micronuclei than other studied simple alkyl epoxides.
- This study approach is attractive from a 3R principles perspective.

Glycidol is a genotoxic animal carcinogen that has raised concern due to its presence in food, as glycidyl fatty acid esters. Here we investigated the genotoxicity of glycidol in BalbC mice (0-120 mg/kg) by monitoring the induction of micronuclei in peripheral blood as a marker of chromosomal damage. The scoring of the micronuclei was assessed by flow cytometry. In the treated mice, the internal dose of glycidol, expressed as area under the concentration-time curve, AUC (mol × L−1 × h; Mh), was measured by dihydroxypropyl adducts to hemoglobin (Hb). The study showed that glycidol induced linear dose-dependent increases of Hb adducts (20 pmol/g Hb per mg/kg) and of micronuclei frequencies (12‰ per mMh).Compared to calculations based on administered dose, an improved dose-response relationship was observed when considering internal dose, achieved through the applied combination of sensitive techniques used for the scoring of micronuclei and AUC estimation of glycidol in the same mice. By comparing with earlier studies on micronuclei induction in mice exposed to ionizing radiation we estimated the radiation dose equivalent (rad-eq.) of glycidol to be ca 15 rad-eq./mMh.