Effects of naturally occurring antioxidants on combined 1,2-dimethylhydrazine- and 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea-initiated carcinogenesis in F344 male rats

The effects of treatment with naturally occurring antioxidants, selenium, beta-carotene, ferulic acid, esculin and eugenol during the promotional phase of tumor development were investigated in male F344 rats pre-treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) and 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea (MNU). Animals were given 3 subcutaneous injections of DMH at a dose of 40 mg/kg body wt. within 1 week and then were injected with MNU i.p. at a dose of 20 mg/kg body wt. 2 times per week, for 2 weeks. Thereafter, the rats were maintained on diet containing either 0.2% beta-carotene, 2 ppm selenium, 1% ferulic acid, 1% esculin or 0.8% eugenol. At week 52, surviving rats were killed and complete histological examinations were performed. Administration of eugenol enhanced the development of both hyperplasia and papillomas in the forestomach. Although treatment with beta-carotene tended to decrease the incidence and number of large intestinal carcinomas, beta-carotene, selenium, esculin and eugenol all decreased the incidence of kidney nephroblastomas, the differences were not statistically significant. The results thus showed that eugenol exerts promoting activity for forestomach carcinogenesis while the other antioxidants might have weak organ-specific inhibitory effects under these experimental conditions.

Difference in the ability of blood group-specific lectins and monoclonal antibodies to recognize the ABH antigens in human tissues

Twelve different kinds of blood group-specific lectins have been used along with monoclonal anti-A, -B and -H antibodies for detecting the corresponding antigens in selected human tissues. Although most of the lectins recognized the antigens in the tissue sections examined, they displayed marked differences in their recognition patterns in certain tissues. Helix asparsa agglutinin (HAA), Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA) and monoclonal anti-A antibody recognized A antigens in the mucous cells of salivary glands from blood group A or AB nonsecretor as well as secretor individuals, whereas Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-I (GSA-I), Sophora japonica agglutinin (SJA) and Vicia villosa agglutinin (VVA) did not bind to them from nonsecretors. A antigens in endothelial cells, lateral membrane of pancreatic acinar cells and small mucouslike cells of submandibular glands from some individuals were likewise recognized by HAA and HPA but not by other blood group A-specific lections. In contrast, both HAA and HPA did not recognize the A antigens in mucous cells of Brunner's glands while other A-specific lectins and monoclonal anti-A antibody reacted specifically with the antigens. Such a difference was not observed with lectins specific for blood group B. However, the B antigens in Brunner's glands were recognized by these lectins but not with monoclonal anti-B antibody. The difference in labelling ability was also noted among the blood group H-specific lectins and monoclonal anti-H antibody in endothelial cells of blood vessels. Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I reacted with these cells irrespective of ABO and the secretor status of the individuals, while Anguilla anguilla agglutinin and monoclonal anti-H antibody reacted only with those cells from blood group O individuals. No reaction was observed with Lotus tetragonolobus agglutinin in these tissue sites. These results suggest a great diversity of blood group antigens in different human tissues.

Enhancing effects of various gastric carcinogens on development of pepsinogen-altered pyloric glands in rats

To assess the possibility of establishing an in vivo, medium-term bioassay system for gastric carcinogens and promoters, a total of 220 male WKY rats were divided into two groups. Group 1 animals were treated first with a single dose of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) (160 mg/kg body wt) and starting 2 weeks later administrated one of five gastric carcinogens, a gastric promoter, one of five non-gastric carcinogens or no treatment, as a control, for 14 weeks. Saturated sodium chloride solution (1 ml) treatments were given by gastric intubation at weeks 4, 6, 8 and 10. Group 2 rats received 1 ml of DMSO instead of MNNG and were then treated in the same way as group 1. Analysis of pyloric mucosa sections for pepsinogen altered pyloric glands (PAPG) detected immunohistochemically after the animals were killed at week 16 revealed increased lesion numbers in group 1, with all gastric carcinogens and promoters examined. However, none of the five non-gastric carcinogens exerted any significant modification of PAPG development. The results strongly suggest that the experimental protocol consisting of the following four components: (i) adoption of PAPG as the end-point marker lesion; (ii) single dose of MNNG as initiator; (iii) test chemical administration for 14 weeks; and (iv) administration of saturated sodium chloride solution during the test chemical exposure, could be used effectively for the detection of gastric carcinogens as well as promoters of gastric carcinogenesis in a relatively short time period.

Slalom chromatography: size-dependent separation of DNA molecules by a hydrodynamic phenomenon

Slalom chromatography, a size-dependent DNA fractionation method based on a new principle [Hirabayashi, J., & Kasai, K. (1989) Anal. Biochem. 178, 336-341], was systematically studied in detail. In this method, larger DNA fragments are eluted much later than smaller ones from columns packed with spherical microbeads. Elution of a series of DNA fragments was systematically examined by using columns packed with polymer-based packings of different diameter and different pore size for high-performance gel permeation chromatography. Packings of smaller diameter proved to be superior for resolving the smaller size range of DNA, while the reverse was the case for larger DNAs. Application of a faster flow rate led to larger retardation of every DNA fragment, while at the lowest flow rate applied (0.067 cm/min), all the fragments were eluted almost at the void volume. When the column temperature was lowered, retardation of DNA became larger. On the other hand, differences in the chemical nature and the pore size of packings, or in the hydrophobicity of the eluting solvent, had little effect on DNA retardation. Size-dependent fractionation of DNA was also achieved even on columns packed with nonporous packings having anionic groups (cation exchangers). In conclusion, these results confirmed the previous conclusion that slalom chromatography is not based on an adsorption or equilibrium phenomenon but should be attributed to a hydrodynamic phenomenon.

Lack of enhancing effects of fenvalerate and esfenvalerate on induction of preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form positive liver cell foci in rats

The modifying effects of fenvalerate and esfenvalerate administration on liver carcinogenesis were investigated in male F344/DuCrj rats initially treated with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN). Two weeks after a single dose of DEN (200 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), rats were given fenvalerate at dietary levels of 1500, 500, 150, 50 and 15 parts per million (ppm), esfenvalerate at 500 ppm, or 2-acetylamino-fluorene (2-AAF) at 200 ppm and sodium phenobarbital (PB) at 500 ppm as positive controls for 6 weeks. At week 3 following DEN administration, all animals were subjected to partial hepatectomy. Prominent neurologic signs and moderate retardation of body weight were observed in the groups given 1500 ppm fenvalerate and 500 ppm esfenvalerate, although no adverse effects on survival were evident. While statistically significant increases in relative liver weights were noted in rats given fenvalerate at doses of 1500 or 500 ppm, no toxic hepatocyte lesions were found. Neither fenvalerate nor esfenvalerate significantly increased the numbers or areas of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) positive liver cell foci observed after DEN initiation, in clear contrast to the positive controls, 2-AAF and PB. The results thus demonstrated that fenvalerate and esfenvalerate are non-toxic for rat hepatocytes and lack modifying potential for liver carcinogenesis in our medium-term bioassay system.

Para-methoxyphenol strongly stimulates cell proliferation in the rat forestomach but is not a promoter of rat forestomach carcinogenesis

The modifying effects of para-methoxyphenol (PMP) second stage treatment on N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-initiated rat forestomach carcinogenesis were investigated. Groups of 15 6 week old male F344 rats were given a single intragastric administration of 150 mg/kg body wt MNNG and starting 1 week later were administered powdered diet containing 2.0, 1.0, 0.5, 0.25 or 0% PMP until they were killed at week 52. PMP caused epithelial damage and hyperplasia in a dose-dependent manner in the forestomach epithelium, but nevertheless was not associated with any increase in the incidence of either papillomas or squamous cell carcinomas. The results thus clearly indicated that stimulation of cell proliferation does not necessarily correlate with promotion in the second stage of two-stage forestomach carcinogenesis.

Histochemical localization and analysis of blood group-related antigens in human pancreas using immunostaining with monoclonal antibodies and exoglycosidase digestion

We examined the distribution of blood group-related antigens using an indirect immunoperoxidase method with monoclonal antibodies (MAb) directed to A, B, H, Lewis a (Lea), Lewis b (Leb), Lewis x (Lex), and Lewis y (Ley) antigens and Type 1 precursor chain in human pancreas. Effects of prior digestion with exoglycosidases on MAb stainings were simultaneously investigated. A, B, H, Leb, and Ley antigens were detected in acinar cells and interlobular duct cells but not in centroacinar cells, intercalated duct cells, and islet of Langerhans cells. The expression of these antigens in acinar cells was not dependent on Lewis type and secretor status of the tissue donors, whereas that in interlobular duct cells was strictly dependent on secretor status. The distribution pattern of these antigens in acinar cells was not homogeneous, i.e., cells producing H antigens expressed both Leb and Ley antigens but not A or B antigens, whereas those producing A or B antigens did not secrete Leb and Ley as well as H antigens. Digestion with alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase or alpha-galactosidase resulted in the appearance of Leb and Ley antigens as well as H antigen in acinar cells producing A and/or B antigens. Type 1 precursor chain was not detected in pancreatic tissues from secretors but appeared in acinar cells producing H antigen after alpha-L-fucosidase digestion, which also disclosed Lex but not Lea antigen in acinar cells expressing both Leb and Ley. In some non-secretors, MAb against Type 1 precursor chain reacted with acinar cells without enzyme digestion. Although Lea antigen was not detected in acinar cells, it was found in centroacinar cells, intercalated duct cells, and interlobular duct cells from all individuals examined except two Le(a-b-) secretors. After sialidase digestion, Lex antigen appeared in centroacinar and intercalated duct cells from some individuals. Sialidase digestion also elicited reactivity with MAb against Type 1 precursor chain in islet of Langerhans cells from some individuals. These results demonstrate the complexity in the pattern of expression and regulation of blood group-related antigens in different cell types of human pancreas. Such complexity may largely be ascribed to differences in individual genotypes and in gene expression patterns of different cell types.

Inhibitory effects of antioxidants on N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine-induced lung carcinogenesis in rats

Potential second-stage modifying effects of 8 antioxidants on lung tumorigenesis initiated by N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN) were examined in male F344 rats. After an initial 2-week treatment with DHPN (0.1% in drinking water), rats were administered one of the antioxidants supplemented in the diet for 30 weeks. Although the incidences of lung adenomas were not affected, those of carcinomas were lowered by 2% butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA, 2 rats/20 rats), 1% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT, 1/20), 0.8% ethoxyquin (EQ, 3/20) and 1% a-tocopherol (a-TP, 2/20) treatments as compared to the control level (9/20), while 5% sodium L-ascorbate (SA), 0.8% catechol (CC), 0.8% resorcinol (RN), and 0.8% hydroquinone (HQ) did not exert any significant effect on incidence. Quantitative analysis of adenomas and carcinomas (numbers and areas of lesions per unit area of lung section) revealed obvious inhibitory effects of SA, CC, and RN as well as BHA, BHT, EQ, and a-TP. Among the antioxidants, BHT exerted the strongest inhibitory activity. In contrast, DHPN-induced thyroid tumorigenesis was significantly enhanced by BHT (14/20) and EQ (20/20) treatments (control = 5/20). Thus the antioxidants showed opposite effects on lung and thyroid carcinogenesis in the rat.

Effects of sodium nitrite and catechol or 3-methoxycatechol in combination on rat stomach epithelium

The effects of sodium nitrite (NaNO2) and catechol or 3-methoxycatechol in combination were examined in male F344 rats. Animals were treated with 0.3% NaNO2 in the drinking water and 0.8% catechol or 2% 3-methoxycatechol in powdered diet for 24 weeks. While catechol or 3-methoxycatechol alone induced low incidences of mild or moderate hyperplasia, simultaneous administration of NaNO2 markedly enhanced the degree of hyperplasia and papilloma formation. In contrast, induction of submucosal hyperplasia and adenomas in the glandular epithelium was reduced. Thus, the results indicate that NaNO2 can modulate the metabolism of antioxidants, so that, possibly via production of new active moieties, targeting of forestomach epithelium is enhanced.

Promoting action of prolactin released from a grafted transplantable pituitary tumor (MtT/F84) on rat prostate carcinogenesis

The potential modifying effects of high prolactinemia on rat prostate carcinogenesis was investigated. Male F344 rats were treated at 5 times of 5-week intervals with s.c. injections of 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl (DMAB), each injection following 3 weeks pretreatment with dietary ethinyl estradiol. After completion of the carcinogen administration stage, rats received multiple s.c. transplantations of a prolactin producing transplantable pituitary tumor, MtT/F84 until sacrifice at week 51. The effects of additional or single treatment with bromocriptine, a prolactin suppressing agent, were also investigated. The body, liver and kidney but prostate weights were significantly increased in the groups given MtT/F84. Although the development of prostate carcinomas was not affected by the observed hyperprolactinemia, the incidences of atypical hyperplasia of both ventral and lateral prostate were significantly enhanced. The findings thus indicate that prolactin may have promoting potential for prostate carcinogenesis.

Carcinogenicity study of methyl hesperidin in B6C3F1 mice

A long-term carcinogenicity study of methyl hesperidin, a compound of the vitamin P group, was carried out in B6C3F1 mice receiving dietary concentrations of 0, 1.25 or 5%. Administration was continued for 96 wk and then the mice were maintained on basal diet for an additional 8 wk. Growth retardation during the experiment with final changes in organ weights were observed in females given the 1.25% dose of methyl hesperidin and in both sexes receiving the 5.0% treatment. However, no biologically significant effects were evident with respect to mortality or clinical signs. Furthermore, treatment with methyl hesperidin did not result in any changes in haematology, clinical chemistry and urinalysis data. On histological examination, no significant alteration of non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesion incidence was observed in treated mice. The results thus demonstrated that methyl hesperidin lacked any carcinogenicity for B6C3F1 mice in the 96-wk feeding regimen used in this study.

Effects of phorbol ester on cell growth inhibition by transforming growth factor beta 1 in human hepatoma cell lines

The effects of phorbol ester on cell growth inhibition by transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in human hepatoma cell lines, Mahlavu and PLC/PRF/5, were investigated. TGF-beta 1 (2.5 to 10 pM) alone could not inhibit the growth of Mahlavu cells, whereas in the presence of 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) at 1 ng/ml, TGF-beta 1 could suppress their growth in a dose-dependent manner. The growth of PLC/PRF/5 cells could be inhibited by addition of TGF-beta 1 (2.5 to 10 pM) alone in a dose-dependent manner, and this action was not affected by TPA (1 ng/ml). The TGF-beta 1 inhibition induced by TPA in Mahlavu cells could not be cancelled by addition of protein kinase C inhibitor, 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7) (10 microM) or staurosporin (1 nM). Thus, TPA could induce TGF-beta 1 inhibition of cell growth in Mahlavu cells which did not respond to TGF-beta 1 alone, and activation of protein kinase C does not seem to be behind this TPA action.

Structure-activity relations in promotion of rat urinary bladder carcinogenesis by phenolic antioxidants

The urinary bladder tumor-promoting potentials of the phenolic antioxidants, 2-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (TBMP), propylparaben, catechol, resorcinol and hydroquinone, which are structurally related to butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), were investigated in 170 male F344 rats. The animals were initially given 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) as an initiator in their drinking water for 4 weeks. Three days later, groups of 20 rats received diet containing 1.0% TBMP, 3% propylparaben, 0.8% catechol, 0.8% resorcinol, 0.8% hydroquinone or basal diet alone until the end of week 36. Significant increases in the incidences and average numbers of the putative preneoplastic lesions, papillary or nodular (PN) hyperplasia, and papillomas of the urinary bladder were only observed in the group given TBMP after BBN. Development of these lesions was not enhanced by diet containing the other test compounds and no induction was associated with any of the test chemicals alone. The results thus clearly showed that TBMP, which most closely resembles BHA, promoted urinary bladder carcinogenesis. The similar effects of TBMP and BHA on urinary bladder carcinogenesis suggest a direct link between chemical structure and biological potency.

Cellular differentiation and histogenesis of rat glandular stomach cancers

The gastric and intestinal phenotypic expressions of tumor cells in 18 adenomatous hyperplasias, 33 well-differentiated adenocarcinomas, and 16 undifferentiated adenocarcinomas (4 poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, 10 signet-ring cell carcinomas and 2 mucinous adenocarcinomas) induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine or 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide in the rat glandular stomach were studied by histochemical stainings for mucin and immunohistochemical staining for pepsinogen isozyme 1 (Pg 1). By histochemical staining for mucin [by the paradoxical concanavalin A method, the modified method with labeled peanut lectin, the galactose oxidase-Schiff (GOS) reaction, and the sialidase-GOS reaction] and immunohistochemical staining of Pg 1, gastric cancer cells of each histological group could be clearly classified into a gastric type, including mucous neck cell pyloric gland cell, and surface mucous cell subtypes, and an intestinal type, including goblet-cell, and intestinal absorptive cell subtypes. All tumors examined in this work consisted mainly of gastric-type cells but intestinal-type tumor cells were occasionally found among the gastric-type tumor cells. The incidences of intestinal-type cells in adenomatous hyperplasias (11.1%) and small well-differentiated adenocarcinomas (28.6%) were significantly less (P less than 0.05) than that in large well-differentiated adenocarcinomas (68.4%). The incidence of intestinal-type cells in small undifferentiated adenocarcinomas (25.0%) was also less than that in large ones (58.3%). The present results suggest the occurrence of change of phenotypic expression of tumor cells from the gastric type to the intestinal type during growth of tumors.

Gastric and intestinal phenotypic expression of human stomach cancers as revealed by pepsinogen immunohistochemistry and mucin histochemistry

Gastric and intestinal phenotypic expression in 223 surgically obtained primary gastric cancers and their histogenetic relationship to intestinal metaplasia in the surrounding gastric mucosa were studied by mucin histochemistry and pepsinogen (Pg) immunohistochemistry. Histochemical differentiation of mucins (paradoxical concanavalin A, the galactose oxidase-Schiff sequence and sialidase-galactose oxidase-Schiff) and immunohistochemical staining of Pgs I and II, allowed differentiation of gastric cancer cells from different histological categories into gastric elements including mucous neck cells, pyloric gland cells and surface mucous cells or intestinal elements including goblet cell and intestinal absorptive cell types. Of 122 papillary and tubular adenocarcinomas, 33 (27.1%) consisted mainly of gastric-type cells and 42 (34.4%) predominantly of intestinal-type cells. The remainder (38.5%) consisted of mixtures of gastric- and intestinal-type cells. Of 101 poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, signet ring cell carcinomas and mucinous adenocarcinomas, 59 (58.4%) consisted mainly of gastric-type cells and 20 (19.8%) mainly of intestinal-type cells. Seven out of 35 papillary and tubular adenocarcinomas consisting mainly of gastric-type cancer cells were surrounded by mucosa with intestinal metaplasia. Conversely, 10 out of 40 papillary and tubular adenocarcinomas consisting mainly of intestinal-type cancer cells were observed in nonmetaplastic gastric mucosa. Thus no relationship as regards intestinal phenotypic expression was found between gastric cancers and surrounding gastric mucosa.

Increase in the active form of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase in human hepatocellular carcinoma: possible mechanism for alteration of cholesterol biosynthesis

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity and the rate of sterol biosynthesis are positively correlated with DNA synthesis and proliferation of mammalian cells. The total (active plus latent) activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and the activity of its active form in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from seven patients were measured and compared with those in liver tissue from five control subjects. The activity of the active form in HCC was 61 +/- 21 (SD) pmol/min/mg microsomal protein, while it was only 17 +/- 9.8 pmol/min/mg protein in the liver tissue from the controls; the difference was significant (P less than 0.005). The total activity of the reductase was also higher in HCC although the difference was not significant. The microsomal contents of the enzyme protein also were not significantly different. The rate of cholesterol biosynthesis was 307 +/- 81 pmol/h/mg tissue in HCC and 79.6 +/- 52 in normal liver tissue, indicating a significant increase in the rate in HCC (P less than 0.001). Thus, enhanced synthesis of cholesterol in human HCC seems to result partly from an increase in the active form of the reductase.

Enhancing effects of sodium phenobarbital and N,N-dibutylnitrosamine on tumor development in a rat wide-spectrum organ carcinogenesis model

A wide-spectrum organ carcinogenesis model for detection of cancer modifiers in various organs was assessed in F344 male rats. After sequential treatment with diethylnitrosamine, N-methylnitrosourea, and dihydroxy-di-N-propylnitrosamine, rats were fed 500 p.p.m. sodium phenobarbital (PB: carcinogen for the liver, promoter for the thyroid) in the diet or 50 p.p.m. N,N-dibutylnitrosamine (DBN: carcinogen for the upper digestive tract, liver and urinary bladder) in the drinking water. Upon histopathological investigation at experimental weeks 18 and 24, PB was found to increase significantly the incidences of hyperplasias and adenomas of the thyroid and the numbers and areas of placental glutathione S-transferase-positive foci in the liver. DBN increased the lung tumor incidences at week 18, and brought about significant increases in both numbers and areas of lung tumors per rat at week 24. Furthermore, DBN enhanced the occurrences of hyperplasias and papillomas of the esophagus as well as hyperplasia for the forestomach at both time points. In addition, significant numbers of esophageal carcinomas and lingual papillomas developed in the group given DBN after pretreatment with the three carcinogens at week 24. Assessment of lesion yield thus clearly revealed enhancement of carcinogenesis by the test chemicals in their respective target organs, indicating the advantage of the wide-spectrum organ carcinogenesis model for detection of cancer modifiers within a limited time period in multiple organs.

Epithelial cell proliferation in rat forestomach and glandular stomach mucosa induced by catechol and analogous dihydroxybenzenes

An investigation of antioxidant-induced lesions in stomach epithelia was performed using F344 rats of both sexes. Histopathological changes, levels of DNA synthesis and pepsinogen isozyme 1 altered pyloric gland (PAPG) induction were assessed following 4 weeks oral administration of catechol (CC) or analogs such as hydroxyhydroquinone (HHQ), protocatechuic acid (PCA), protocatechualdehyde (PCAH), dopamine and DL-dopa. While epithelial hyperplasia of the forestomach was only observed in the groups given CC, DNA synthesis in this epithelium was increased in groups of both sexes treated with CC, HHQ or dopamine. In the glandular stomach, CC induced submucosal growth of pyloric mucosal cells and an increase in crypt height associated with an elevation of DNA synthesis and numbers of PAPG. In contrast, dopamine brought about significant reduction in DNA synthesis in the pyloric mucosa of both sexes. The other CC analogs did not exert any obvious influence on glandular stomach mucosa. Since cell proliferation is well correlated to tumor promotion, the results suggested that HHQ and dopamine may have promoting potential for rat two-stage forestomach carcinogenesis in common with CC, while dopamine might be expected to inhibit glandular stomach carcinogenesis.

Duration of pressure overload alters regression of coronary circulation abnormalities

Using a rat model of ascending aortic banding and debanding, we examined how the duration of pressure overload affects reversibility in coronary circulation abnormalities after relief of pressure overload. Four-week banding increased left ventricular dry weight-to-body weight ratio to 158 +/- 8% of that of sham-operated controls. In isolated nonworking hearts perfused with crystalloid solution, peak mean coronary flow rate (CFR) was measured after brief ischemia. CFR and CFR/dry tissue weight significantly decreased (75 +/- 5 and 54 +/- 3% of that of controls at 100 mmHg of coronary perfusion pressure; 75 +/- 5 and 54 +/- 4% at 150 mmHg, respectively). Four weeks after debanding was performed, CFR and CFR/dry tissue weight increased to similar levels in controls. On the other hand, 10-wk banding produced the same degree of myocardial hypertrophy and decreases in CFR and CFR/dry tissue weight as in 4-wk banded rats. Four weeks after debanding was performed, CFR had not changed. CFR/dry tissue weight increased because of regression of myocardial hypertrophy but was significantly lower than that in rats debanded after 4 wk of banding. Thus the duration of pressure overload does not affect the degree of coronary circulation abnormalities in the progression process but does affect it in the regression process.

Preparation and opioid activities of N-methylated analogs of [D-Ala2,Leu5]enkephalin

Analogs of opioid pentapeptide [D-Ala2,Leu5]enkephalin were prepared using two kinds of N-methylation reactions, namely quaternization and amide-methylation. Quaternization reaction with CH3I-KHCO3 in methanol was applied to the deprotected N-terminal group of the pentapeptide derivatives affording trimethylammonium group-containing analogs. [Me3+Tyr1,D-Ala2,Leu5]enkephalin and its amide were found to show opioid activity on guinea pig ileium assay only slightly lower than the parent unmethylated peptides. Application of amide-methylation reaction using CH3I-Ag2O in DMF to the protected pentapeptide yielded a pentamethyl derivative in which all of the five N atoms were methylated. Deprotection of the derivative gave pentamethyl analogs of [D-Ala2,Leu5]enkephalin, which showed no significant activity on the guinea pig ileum assay and opiate-receptor binding assay.

Different carcinogenic responses in a variety of organs, including the prostate, of five different rat strains given 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl

Tumorigenic response in the prostate of F344, ACI, Lewis, CD and Wistar rat strains to 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl (DMAB) was examined in relation to development of other types of tumors. Rats of each strain aged 6 weeks were divided into two groups receiving DMAB s.c. at a dose of 50 mg/kg body wt once every other week for 10 times, with or without 1 week dietary ethynyl estradiol (EE) pretreatment. The experiment was terminated at week 60, carcinomas of the ventral prostate, all of microscopic size, being respectively found in 50, 17, 21, 15 and 0% of F344, ACI, Lewis, CD and Wistar strain animals treated with EE plus DMAB. The tumor yield correlated well with DMAB-DNA adduct formation. One invasive adenocarcinoma also developed in the periurethral part (occupying both of lateral and dorsal areas) of the prostate. The final survival rates were 46, 24, 65, 4 and 0% in F344, ACI, Lewis, CD and Wistar rats respectively. DMAB administration without EE pretreatment resulted in similar incidences of prostate tumors and mortalities. Tumors arose in greater than 14 different sites with strain dependency, lesions predominating in the skin/subcutis of ACI and F344, preputial gland of F344, urinary bladder of ACI, and mammary glands of CD rats respectively. Consideration of mortality and the relative incidence of prostate cancer and other types of tumors indicates the F344 rat strain to be the most appropriate for investigation of DMAB prostate carcinogenesis.

Effects of dietary perilla oil, soybean oil and safflower oil on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and 1,2-dimethyl-hydrazine (DMH)-induced mammary gland and colon carcinogenesis in female SD rats

The effects of diet supplemented with perilla oil, which contains a large amount of n-3 alpha-linolenic acid, and n-6 linoleic acid rich soybean and safflower oil supplemented diets on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)- and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced mammary gland and colon carcinogenesis were investigated in female SD rats. Groups of 23 or 24, 5 week old animals were first given three s.c. injections of 40 mg/kg body wt DMH followed by a single intragastric administration of 50 mg/kg body wt DMBA within 2 weeks of the commencement. Starting 1 week after the DMBA treatment, they were administered pellet diet containing 10% perilla oil, soybean oil or safflower oil for the succeeding 33 weeks. Histological examination revealed that the resultant numbers of mammary tumors per rat were significantly lower in rats given perilla oil diet (4.4 +/- 2.5) than in the soybean oil diet group (6.5 +/- 3.9). Furthermore, colon tumor incidence was significantly lower in animals receiving the perilla oil supplement (18.2%) than in those given safflower oil diet (47.4%), and the numbers of colon tumors per rat tended to be lowest in rats administered perilla oil. Also the incidence of nephroblastomas in rats receiving perilla oil diet (0%) was significantly lower than that for the soybean oil diet group (23.8%). The results thus indicate that the alpha-linolenic acid (n-3)-rich perilla oil diet inhibits development of mammary gland, colon and kidney tumors as compared to linoleic acid (n-6)-rich safflower or soybean oil diet.

Correlation between medium-term liver bioassay system data and results of long-term testing in rats

The effects of hepatocarcinogens (ethionine, thioacetamide, phenobarbital), non-hepatocarcinogens [N-ethyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (EHBN), N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)] and a hepatoinhibitor [(butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)] were compared in medium- and long-term in vivo systems. In experiment I, 2 weeks after a single injection of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) groups of male F344 rats received chemical administration for 6 weeks, combined with partial hepatectomy at week 3 and were killed at the end of week 8. In experiment II, animals were treated in the same manner and then given basal diet and tap water (group 1) or chemical continuously (group 2) until the 2 year timepoint. Numbers and areas of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci developing in the liver under medium-term bioassay conditions (experiment I) were found to closely correlate with eventual hepatocellular carcinoma incidences after continuation of test chemical administration (experiment II). Thus all of the hepatocarcinogens enhanced both the induction of GST-P-positive focal lesions and liver tumors. While non-hepatocarcinogens exerted no such effects, their influence being limited to inducing lesions in their own respective target organs such as urinary bladder cancers in the EHBN case and glandular stomach adenocarcinomas with MNNG, BHA demonstrated inhibition potential in both experiments. The observed correlation between long- and medium-term results strongly indicates the applicability of our medium-term bioassay system for detection of liver carcinogens.

Comparison of initiation potential of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline in an in vivo carcinogen bioassay system

A new approach to low-dose assessment of carcinogenic potential was applied to food contaminant pyrolysis products. Single intragastric doses of the carcinogenic pyrolysates, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) or 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline MeIQx), were given 12 h after two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH) to F344 male rats. Two weeks thereafter the animals were placed on a basal diet containing 0.05% phenobarbital (PB) for 6 weeks combined with an i.p. administration of D-galactosamine (300 mg/kg) to facilitate growth of initiated cells. Both IQ and MeIQx clearly caused initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis as revealed by induction of preneoplastic placental-form glutathione-S-transferase-positive (GST-P+) hepatocyte foci composed of more than three cells (approximately 30 microns in diameter). A similar protocol without performance of PH before pyrolysate administration gave a positive result only for the IQ-treated group indicating that cell proliferation is essential during the low-dose, one-shot initiation step. IQ was found to be two to three times more potent in inducing GST-P+ foci using both protocols. The current approach could find application in practical carcinogenicity screening of chemicals, for which only small amounts are available.