Abstract
The cytotoxic effects of molybdocene dichloride (Cp2MoCl2) were investigated in V79 Chinese hamster lung cells using the micronucleus assay. Cp2MoCl2 produced significant genotoxic damage whereby 0.2 micronuclei/1000 binucleated cells were induced per μM of Cp2MoCl2. Transmission electron microscopic analysis of thin-sectioned cells treated with Cp2MoCl2 (300 μM) showed distinct morphological alterations of the nuclei, condensation of chromatin, and a high incidence of polynucleated cells. Implications for the mechanism of antitumor action of molybdocene dichloride are discussed.