What is the Difference Between Clastogen and Aneugen

The key difference between clastogen and aneugen is that clastogen induces breaks in chromosomes, causing sections of chromosomes to be added, deleted, or rearranged, while aneugen affects the cell division and mitotic spindle apparatus, causing loss or gain of whole chromosomes.

Genotoxicity is often described as the property of chemical agents to cause damages in the genetic information within a cell. This causes mutations and may lead to cancers. These alterations have direct or indirect effects on the DNA. All mutagens are genotoxic, whereas not all genotoxic substances are mutagenic. Clastogen and aneugen are two mutagenic, genotoxic substances.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Clastogen
3. What is Aneugen
4. Similarities – Clastogen and Aneugen
5. Clastogen vs Aneugen in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Clastogen vs Aneugen

What is Clastogen?

A clastogen is a mutagenic, genotoxic agent that disturbs normal DNA-related processes in the cell. It directly causes DNA strand breakages, leading to deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of entire chromosome sections. These DNA strand breakages are a form of mutagenesis, which can lead to cancer if left unrepaired. There are many known clastogens, including acridine yellow, benzene, ethylene oxide, arsenic, phosphine, mimosine, actinomycin D, camptothecin, methotrexate, methyl acrylate, resorcinol, and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine. In addition to that, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine is also known as a colon carcinogen and shows signs of possessing clastogenic activity. Some clastogens only exhibit clastogenic activity in certain types of cells. For example, caffeine exhibits clastogenic activity in only plant cells. Clastogens can also affect paternal germ cells, which can cause defects in fetus development.

There are many different methods for testing for the clastogenic activity of clastogens. The two most common methods are deletion (DEL) assay and micronucleus test. However, these tests are very time-consuming. Therefore, novel methods for monitoring clastogens are highly desirable. One such technique is the use of monochromosomal hybrid cells for the detection of mis-segregating chromosomes.

What is Aneugen?

An aneugen is a genotoxic substance that causes a daughter cell to have an abnormal number of chromosomes. This situation is called aneuploidy. Aneugen is a mutagenic, genotoxic agent that affects the cell division and mitotic spindle apparatus, causing loss or gain of whole chromosomes. The exposure of males to different lifestyles, environmental or occupational hazards can increase the risk of spermatozoa aneuploidy. Tobacco smoke contains chemicals that cause DNA damage. Hence, smoking also can induce aneuploidy. It has been identified that smoking increases chromosome 13 disomy in spermatozoa by three folds and YY disomy by two folds.

Moreover, insecticides such as fenvalerate and carbonyl have been identified to increase spermatozoa aneuploidy. Furthermore, humans are usually exposed to perfluorinated (PFCs) compounds. Those who have been contaminated with these compounds in whole blood or seminal plasma have spermatozoa with increased levels of DNA fragmentation and chromosomal aneuploidies.

What are the Similarities Between Clastogen and Aneugen?

• Clastogen and aneugen are two mutagenic, genotoxic substances.
• Both substances cause changes in chromosomes.
• They also cause cancers.
• The genotoxicity of both substances can be measured through in vitro micronucleus test.

What is the Difference Between Clastogen and Aneugen?

Clastogen is a mutagenic, genotoxic agent that induces breaks in chromosomes, causing sections of chromosomes to be added, deleted, or rearranged, while aneugen is a mutagenic, genotoxic agent that affects the cell division and mitotic spindle apparatus, causing loss or gain of whole chromosomes. Thus, this is the key difference between clastogen and aneugen. Furthermore, clastogen does not cause aneuploidy, but aneugen does cause aneuploidy.

The below infographic presents the differences between clastogen and aneugen in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Clastogen vs Aneugen

Clastogen and aneugen are two substances that cause genotoxicity. Clastogen is a mutagenic, genotoxic agent that induces breaks in chromosomes, causing sections of chromosomes to be added, deleted, or rearranged. Aneugen is a mutagenic, genotoxic agent that affects the cell division and mitotic spindle apparatus, causing loss or gain of whole chromosomes. So, this summarizes the difference between clastogen and aneugen.

Reference:

1. “Clastogen.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. “Aneugen.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Clastogen vs aneugen better quality” By Amped4chem – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Fenvalerate-3D-balls” By Jynto (talk) – Own work  This image was created with Discovery Studio Visualizer. (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia