Spindle-inhibiting effects of organotin compounds. II. Induction of chromosomal supercontraction by di- and tri-alkyl and -aryl compounds

Spindle-inhibiting effects of chemical compounds may be studied indirectly by quantitation of chromosomal contraction. The effects of the trimethyltin (TMT), dimethyltin (DMT), tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT), triphenyltin (TPhT) and diphenyltin (DPht) moieties as the chloride on chromosomal contraction was studied by measurement of the average length of chromosome No. 1 from asynchronous cultures of human peripheral lymphocytes. TMT, TBT, TPhT and DPhT appear to be very strong inducers of chromosomal supercontraction, indicating that these compounds conceivably are spindle inhibitors, whilst DMT and DBT seem to be ineffective. The different effects of aryl versus alkyl and trivalent versus divalent organic substituents of tin on chromosome length may relate to different modes of action.