High frequency of codon 61 K-ras A-->T transversions in lung and Harderian gland neoplasms of B6C3F1 mice exposed to chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene) for 2 years, and comparisons with the structurally related chemicals isoprene and 1,3-butadiene. (73/6863)

Chloroprene is the 2-chloro analog of 1,3-butadiene, a potent carcinogen in laboratory animals. Following 2 years of inhalation exposure to 12.8, 32 or 80 p.p.m. chloroprene, increased incidences of lung and Harderian gland (HG) neoplasms were observed in B6C3F1 mice at all exposure concentrations. The present study was designed to characterize genetic alterations in the K- and H-ras proto-oncogenes in chloroprene-induced lung and HG neoplasms. K-ras mutations were detected in 80% of chloroprene-induced lung neoplasms (37/46) compared with only 30% in spontaneous lung neoplasms (25/82). Both K- and H-ras codon 61 A-->T transversions were identified in 100% of HG neoplasms (27/27) compared with a frequency of 56% (15/27) in spontaneous HG neoplasms. The predominant mutation in chloroprene-induced lung and HG neoplasms was an A-->T transversion at K-ras codon 61. This mutation has not been detected in spontaneous lung tumors of B6C3F1 mice and was identified in only 7% of spontaneous HG neoplasms. In lung neoplasms, greater percentages (80 and 71%) of A-->T transversions were observed at the lower exposures (12.8 and 32 p.p.m.), respectively, compared with 18% at the high exposure. In HG neoplasms, the percentage of A-->T transversions was the same at all exposure concentrations. The chloroprene-induced ras mutation spectra was similar to that seen with isoprene, where the predominant base change was an A-->T transversion at K-ras codon 61. This differed from 1,3-butadiene, where K-ras codon 13 G-->C transitions and H-ras codon 61 A-->G transitions were the predominant mutations. The major finding of K-ras A-->T transversions in lung and Harderian gland neoplasms suggests that this mutation may be important for tumor induction by this class of carcinogens.  (+info)

Helicobacter pylori infection enhances glandular stomach carcinogenesis in Mongolian gerbils treated with chemical carcinogens. (74/6863)

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is thought to be a stomach carcinogen from epidemiological findings. To determine the effects of infection with the bacteria on experimental carcinogenesis, a study of the glandular stomach of Mongolian gerbils (MGs) was performed. Male MGs were treated with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine followed by inoculation with Hp or infected with Hp followed by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine administration. Animals were killed at week 50, and their excised stomachs underwent microbiological and histopathological examinations. In addition, a serological investigation was performed. The incidences of adenocarcinomas were significantly higher in animals treated with 60 or 300 p.p.m. N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine for 10 weeks followed by Hp inoculation or Hp followed by 20 p.p.m. N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine for 30 weeks than in the respective controls. Moreover, tumour-bearing animals had higher titres of anti-Hp antibodies than tumour-free animals. Of interest was the finding that a dose of 100 p.p.m. N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine given to infected gerbils eradicated the Hp in about half the animals, with a concomitant reduction in the promoting effect. No tumours were found in animals infected with Hp without N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine or non-treated gerbils. Hp infection enhances glandular stomach carcinogenesis in MGs treated with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Animals with high titres of anti-Hp antibodies are at greatest risk of developing neoplasms.  (+info)

Lack of effect of a 60 Hz magnetic field on biomarkers of tumor promotion in the skin of SENCAR mice. (75/6863)

It has been proposed that extremely low frequency magnetic fields may enhance tumorigenesis through a co-promotional mechanism. This hypothesis has been further tested using the two-stage model of mouse skin carcinogenesis, i.e. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced promotion of skin carcinogenesis in mice initiated by a single subcarcinogenic dose of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene. Experimentation utilized three different doses of TPA within its dose-response range (0.85, 1.70 or 3.40 nmol) and examined the following early biomarkers of tumor promotion after 1, 2 and 5 weeks of promotion: increases in epidermal thickness and the labeling index of epidermal cells, induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity and down-regulation of epidermal protein kinase C activity. Mice exposed to a 60 Hz magnetic field having a flux density of 2 mT for 6 h/day for 5 days/week were compared with mice exposed to an ambient magnetic field. Within the sensitivity limits of the biomarker methodology and the exposure parameters employed, no consistent, statistically significant effects indicative of promotion or co-promotion by the magnetic field were demonstrated.  (+info)

Preliminary analysis of azoxymethane-induced colon tumorigenesis in mouse aggregation chimeras. (76/6863)

Inbred mice exhibit differential susceptibility to colon carcinogens. The following study addresses the possibility that differences are intrinsic to colonic mucosa (cell autonomous) or are mediated by extracolonic systemic factors (e.g. liver activation of carcinogens). Our approach was to construct mouse aggregation chimeras, mice whose tissues are a mosaic of cells derived from two parental genotypes, from a susceptible (SWR) and a resistant (DBA/2) strain. Forty-five embryo aggregations yielded 11 viable pups, four of which were chimeric by coat color. Six-week-old SWR<-->BA/2 chimeras were injected i.p. with azoxymethane (AOM) once a week for 8 weeks (5 and 7.5 mg/kg body wt for 2 weeks followed by 10 mg/kg for 6 weeks) and tumor incidence in distal colon was evaluated 15 weeks after the last injection. Additional groups of parental mice received the same treatment. In the parental SWR treatment group, 1.7 +/- 0.82 tumors/colon were found. No tumors were observed in AOM-treated DBA/2 mice. In SWR<-->DBA/2 chimeras exposed to AOM, 2.8 +/- 2.1 tumors/colon were found. Tumor lineage was examined in paraffin sections stained with Dolichos biflorus agglutinin-peroxidase, a cell surface specific marker that stains intestinal endothelial cells of SWR and epithelial cells of DBA/2. Cellular lineage of tumors was further evaluated by microsatellite analysis of DNA isolated by microdissection. There was no significant difference in tumor incidence between SWR parental and chimera treatment groups. Histochemical analysis of tumor tissue in chimeras suggested that most tumors were derived from SWR. However, subsequent genetic analysis of tumors indicated mixed parental composition. These preliminary studies suggest that DBA/2 resistance mechanisms are not sufficient to protect adjacent SWR-derived epithelium from the tumorigenic effects of AOM.  (+info)

The identification of [2-(14)C]2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine metabolites in humans. (77/6863)

[2-(14)C]2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine ([14C]PhIP), a putative human carcinogenic heterocyclic amine found in well-done cooked meat, was administered orally to three colon cancer patients undergoing a partial colonectomy. Forty-eight to seventy-two hours prior to surgery, subjects received a 70-84 microg dose of 14C. Urine and blood were analyzed by HPLC for PhIP and PhIP metabolites. Metabolites were identified based on HPLC co-elution with authentic PhIP metabolite standards, mass spectral analysis and susceptibility to enzymatic cleavage. In two subjects, approximately 90% of the administered [14C]PhIP dose was eliminated in the urine, whereas in the other, only 50% of the dose was found in the urine. One subject excreted three times more radioactivity in the first 4 h than did the others. Twelve radioactive peaks associated with PhIP were detected in the urine samples. The relative amount of each metabolite varied by subject, and the amounts of each metabolite within subjects changed over time. In all three subjects the most abundant urinary metabolite was identified as 2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine-N2-glucuron ide (N-hydroxy-PhIP-N2-glucuronide), accounting for 47-60% of the recovered counts in 24 h. PhIP accounted for <1% of the excreted radiolabel in all three patients. Other metabolites detected in the urine at significant amounts were 4-(2-amino-1-methylimidazo[4,5-b]pyrid-6-yl)phenyl sulfate, N-hydroxy-PhIP-N3-glucuronide and PhIP-N2-glucuronide. In the plasma, N-hydroxy-PhIP-N2-glucuronide accounted for 60, 18 and 20% of the recovered plasma radioactivity at 1 h post PhIP dose in subjects 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Plasma PhIP was 56-17% of the recovered dose at 1 h post exposure. The relatively high concentration of N-hydroxy-PhIP-N2-glucuronide and the fact that it is an indicator of bioactivation make this metabolite a potential biomarker for PhIP exposure and activation. Determining the relative differences in PhIP metabolites among individuals will indicate metabolic differences that may predict individual susceptibility to carcinogenic risk from this suspected dietary carcinogen.  (+info)

LOH and mutational analysis of p53 alleles in mouse urinary bladder carcinomas induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine. (78/6863)

In human urinary bladder carcinogenesis, alterations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are common events. We have previously reported that they are also frequent in invasive urinary bladder carcinomas induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) in NON/Shi mice. To further investigate the significance of the p53 gene status for mouse urinary bladder carcinogenesis, we examined both allele loss and mutational alterations in urinary bladder cancers of (NON/Shi x C3H/He/Shi) F1 hybrid mice exposed to the carcinogen for 12 weeks and then maintained for a further 9 weeks without treatment. An intragenic silent polymorphism within exon 7 of the p53 gene between NON/Shi and C3H/He/Shi mice allows assessment of allele loss of the p53 gene and determination of the parental origin of mutated and/or lost alleles. A tissue microdissection method was employed to obtain carcinoma samples without excessive contamination with normal tissue. Allele losses were detected in one of 14 tumors (7.1%) and nine mutations in eight of 14 (57%) tumors were found in exons 5-8 by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism followed by DNA direct sequencing analysis. All mutations involved one base substitution with an amino acid change, although the types of base substitution were random. In conclusion, the high incidence of p53 alterations suggests a significant role in the genesis of invasive urinary bladder tumors in BBN-treated mice.  (+info)

Modification of the expression of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal signs in morphine-dependent mice by diabetes: possible involvement of protein kinase C. (79/6863)

The involvement of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) in the modulation of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumping in morphine-dependent mice by diabetes was examined. Naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumps were significantly less in morphine-dependent diabetic mice than in morphine-dependent non-diabetic mice. I.c.v. pretreatment with either calphostin C, a PKC inhibitor, or KT-5720, a PKA inhibitor, attenuated naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumps in morphine-dependent non-diabetic mice. However, naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumps in morphine-dependent diabetic mice were not attenuated by i.c.v. pretreatment with either calphostin C or KT5720. Moreover, i.c.v. pretreatment with phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a PKC activator, attenuated naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumps in morphine-dependent non-diabetic mice, but not in morphine-dependent diabetic mice. The noradrenaline (NA) turnover in the frontal cortex in morphine-dependent non-diabetic mice, but not in morphine-dependent diabetic mice, was significantly increased 5 min after administration of naloxone. Naloxone-induced enhancement of NA turnover in morphine-dependent non-diabetic mice, but not in morphine-dependent diabetic mice, was blocked by i.c.v. pretreatment with either calphostin C or KT5720 1 hr before naloxone challenge and blocked by PDBu 1 hr before the last injection of morphine. These results suggest that the co-activation of PKC and PKA is needed to elicit naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumps and enhancement of turnover rate of NA in the frontal cortex in morphine-dependent non-diabetic mice. Furthermore, the attenuation of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumps in morphine-dependent diabetic mice may be due, in part, to the desensitization of mu-opioid receptors by the activation of PKC.  (+info)

Promoting effects of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone on rat glandular stomach carcinogenesis initiated with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. (80/6863)

The modifying effects of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX), a mutagenic by-product in chlorinated water, on the development of glandular stomach cancers were investigated in Wistar rats. A total of 120 males, 6 weeks of age, were divided into six groups. After initiation with 100 ppm N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) solution and 5% NaCl diet for 8 weeks, 30 rats each in groups 1-3 were given MX in the drinking water at concentrations of 30, 10, or 0 ppm for the following 57 weeks. Ten animals each in groups 4-6 were administered the MX without prior carcinogen exposure. There were no statistical significant differences in final body weights between the groups. The incidences and multiplicities of adenocarcinomas in the glandular stomachs were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the initiated 30 ppm MX group than those in the MNNG/NaCl group. The incidences of atypical hyperplasias in the glandular stomachs were also significantly increased (P < 0.05 or 0.01) by the MX treatments. With their multiplicity, the effects were clearly dose dependent. Interestingly, the 30 ppm MX alone itself induced atypical hyperplasias in the pylorus, although the incidences and severity were low. Moreover, MX showed a tendency to enhance the development of intrahepatic cholangiocellular tumors and thyroid follicular cell tumors in the MNNG-treated animals. The results of the present study thus indicate that MX exerts promoting effects when given during the postinitiation phase of two-stage glandular stomach carcinogenesis in rats.  (+info)