The Use of Drosophila as an in VIVO System to Study Modifiers of Chemical Mutagenesis

Abstract

In order to study the mechanisms of modifiers of mutagenesis, in vitro systems are essential. However, bacteria, cell cultures, and other in vitro systems cannot reflect the complicated interactions taking place in intact animals. This is not the least true when it comes to the generation and effects of free radicals. The ubiquitous occurrence of oxygen radicals in aerobic organisms has enforced a complex array of defense mechanisms, which makes it difficult to extrapolate data from in vitro to in vivo systems. On the other hand, experimental work with mammals is expensive and time-consuming, and therefore there is a need for a simple and fast in vivo system to study the modifying effects of various agents on mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds. Drosophila constitutes a useful system in this context. The enzymatic detoxification system of Drosophila is essentially similar to the ones in mammals. The mixed-function oxygenase system operates efficiently with respect to phenobarbital-induced P450, while the metabolism of polyaromatic hydrocarbons by P448 differs somewhat quantitatively from that in mammals (3).