A study of tobacco carcinogenesis. XLVII. Bioassays of vinylpyridines for genotoxicity and for tumorigenicity in A/J mice

3-Ethenylpyridine Measured in Urine of Active and Passive Smokers: A Promising Biomarker and Toxicological Implications

In studies of tobacco toxicology, including comparisons of different tobacco products and exposure to secondhand or thirdhand smoke, exposure assessment using biomarkers is often useful. Some studies have indicated that most of the toxicity of tobacco smoke is due to gas-phase compounds. 3-Ethenylpyridine (3-EP) is a major nicotine pyrolysis product occurring in the gas phase of tobacco smoke. It has been used extensively as an environmental tracer for tobacco smoke. 3-EP would be expected to be a useful tobacco smoke biomarker as well, but nothing has been published about its metabolism and excretion in humans. In this Article we describe a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) GC-MS/MS method for determination of 3-EP in human urine and its application to the determination of 3-EP in the urine of smokers and people exposed to secondhand smoke. We conclude that 3-EP is a promising biomarker that could be useful in studies of tobacco smoke exposure and toxicology. We also point out the paucity of data on 3-EP toxicity and suggest that additional studies are needed.

Adsorption of phenolic compounds from water by a novel ethylenediamine rosin-based resin: Interaction models and adsorption mechanisms

This study describes the adsorption performance of a novel ethylenediamine rosin-based resin (EDAR) for several industrially-important phenolic compounds. Its removal of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) from water was comparable to or better than many commercial resins, although it was less effective with other phenols (i. e., phenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol, and 4-methylphenol). Experimental conditions for batch adsorption of 4-NP by EDAR are evaluated, the adsorption kinetics is well described by the pseudo-second-order model (R² > 0.99) and isotherm follows the Langmuir isotherm model (R² > 0.99), with the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 82 mg g^-1 at pH 6.0 and 293 K. The thermodynamic parameters indicate that the adsorption is spontaneous and endothermic. Also, quantum chemistry calculations indicate involvement of hydrogen-bonding between 4-NP and amino groups of EDAR. 4-NP was efficiently desorbed from the loaded EDAR resin by 0.2 M HCl, and the resin could be recycled with only a small decrease in its initial adsorption capacities. Thus, EDAR is a promising adsorbent for the removal of 4-NP during water treatment.

The Weight of Evidence Does Not Support the Listing of Styrene as "Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen" in NTP's Twelfth Report on Carcinogens

Styrene was listed as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" in the twelfth edition of the National Toxicology Program's Report on Carcinogens based on what we contend are erroneous findings of limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals, and supporting mechanistic data. The epidemiology studies show no consistent increased incidence of, or mortality from, any type of cancer. In animal studies, increased incidence rates of mostly benign tumors have been observed only in certain strains of one species (mice) and at one tissue site (lung). The lack of concordance of tumor incidence and tumor type among animals (even within the same species) and humans indicates that there has been no particular cancer consistently observed among all available studies. The only plausible mechanism for styrene-induced carcinogenesis-a non-genotoxic mode of action that is specific to the mouse lung-is not relevant to humans. As a whole, the evidence does not support the characterization of styrene as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen," and styrene should not be listed in the Report on Carcinogens.

Styrene respiratory tract toxicity and mouse lung tumors are mediated by CYP2F-generated metabolites

Mice are particularly sensitive to respiratory tract toxicity following styrene exposure. Inhalation of styrene by mice results in cytotoxicity in terminal bronchioles, followed by increased incidence of bronchioloalveolar tumors, as well as degeneration and atrophy of nasal olfactory epithelium. In rats, no effects on terminal bronchioles are seen, but effects in the nasal olfactory epithelium do occur, although to a lesser degree and from higher exposure concentrations. In addition, cytotoxicity and tumor formation are not related to blood levels of styrene or styrene oxide (SO) as measured in chronic studies. Whole-body metabolism studies have indicated major differences in styrene metabolism between rats and mice. The major differences are 4- to 10-fold more ring-oxidation and phenylacetaldehyde pathways in mice compared to rats. The data indicate that local metabolism of styrene is responsible for cytotoxicity in the respiratory tract. Cytotoxicity is seen in tissues that are high in CYP2F P450 isoforms. These tissues have been demonstrated to produce a high ratio of R-SO compared to S-SO (at least 2.4 : 1). In other rat tissues the ratio is less than 1, while in mouse liver the ratio is about 1.1. Inhibition of CYP2F with 5-phenyl-1-pentyne prevents the styrene-induced cytotoxicity in mouse terminal bronchioles and nasal olfactory epithelium. R-SO has been shown to be more toxic to mouse terminal bronchioles than S-SO. In addition, 4-vinylphenol (ring oxidation of styrene) has been shown to be highly toxic to mouse terminal bronchioles and is also metabolized by CYP2F. In human nasal and lung tissues, styrene metabolism to SO is below the limit of detection in nearly all samples, and the most active sample of lung was approximately 100-fold less active than mouse lung tissue. We conclude that styrene respiratory tract toxicity in mice and rats, including mouse lung tumors, are mediated by CYP2F-generated metabolites. The PBPK model predicts that humans do not generate sufficient levels of these metabolites in the terminal bronchioles to reach a toxic level. Therefore, the postulated mode of action for these effects indicates that respiratory tract effects in rodents are not relevant for human risk assessment.

Application of the S-pyridylethylation reaction to the elucidation of the structures and functions of proteins

Cysteine (Cys) and cystine residues in proteins are unstable under conditions used for acid hydrolysis of peptide bonds. To overcome this problem, we proposed the use of the S-pyridylethylation reaction to stabilize Cys residues as pyridylethyl-cysteine (PEC) protein derivatives. This suggestion was based on our observation that two synthetic derivatives formed by pyridylethylation of the SH group of Cys with either 2-vinylpyridine (2-VP) or 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP), designated as S-beta-(2-pyridylethyl)-L-cysteine (2-PEC) and S-beta-(4-pyridylethyl)-L-cysteine (4-PEC), were stable under acid conditions used to hydrolyze proteins. This was also the case for protein-bound PEC groups. Since their discovery over 30 years ago, pyridylethylation reactions have been widely modified and automated for the analysis of many structurally different proteins at levels as low as 20 picomoles, to determine the primary structures of proteins and to define the influence of SH groups and disulfide bonds on the structures and functional, enzymatic, medical, nutritional, pharmacological, and toxic properties of proteins isolated from plant, microbial, marine, animal, and human sources. Pyridylethylation has been accepted as the best method for the modification of Cys residues in proteins for subsequent analysis and sequence determination. The reaction has also been proposed to measure D-Cys, homocysteine, glutathione, tryptophan, dehydroalanine, and furanthiol food flavors. This integrated overview of the diverse literature on these reactions emphasizes general concepts. It is intended to serve as a resource and guide for further progress based on the reported application of pyridylethylation reactions to more than 150 proteins.

Chronic toxicity/oncogenicity study of styrene in CD-1 mice by inhalation exposure for 104 weeks

Groups of 70 male and 70 female Charles River CD-1 mice were exposed whole body to styrene vapor at 0, 20, 40, 80 or 160 ppm 6 h per day 5 days per week for 98 weeks (females) or 104 weeks (males). The mice were observed daily; body weights, food and water consumption were measured periodically, a battery of hematological and clinical pathology examinations were conducted at weeks 13, 26, 52, 78 and 98 (females)/104 (males). Ten mice of each gender per group were pre-selected for necropsy after 52 and 78 weeks of exposure and the survivors of the remaining 50 of each gender per group were necropsied after 98 or 104 weeks. An extensive set of organs from the control and high-exposure mice were examined histopathologically, whereas target organs, gross lesions and all masses were examined in all other groups. Styrene had no effect on survival in males. Two high-dose females died (acute liver toxicity) during the first 2 weeks; the remaining exposed females had a slightly higher survival than control mice. Levels of styrene and styrene oxide (SO) in the blood at the end of a 6 h exposure during week 74 were proportional to exposure concentration, except that at 20 ppm the SO level was below the limit of detection. There were no changes of toxicological significance in hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis or organ weights. Mice exposed to 80 or 160 ppm gained slightly less weight than the controls. Styrene-related non-neoplastic histopathological changes were found only in the nasal passages and lungs. In the nasal passages of males and females at all exposure concentrations, the changes included respiratory metaplasia of the olfactory epithelium with changes in the underlying Bowman's gland; the severity increased with styrene concentration and duration of exposure. Loss of olfactory nerve fibers was seen in mice exposed to 40, 80 or 160 ppm. In the lungs, there was decreased eosinophilia of Clara cells in the terminal bronchioles and bronchiolar epithelial hyperplasia extending into alveolar ducts. Increased tumor incidence occurred only in the lung. The incidence of bronchioloalveolar adenomas was significantly increased in males exposed to 40, 80 or 160 ppm and in females exposed to 20, 40 and 160 ppm. The increase was seen only after 24 months. In females exposed to 160 ppm, the incidence of bronchiolo-alveolar carcinomas after 24 months was significantly greater than in the controls. No difference in lung tumors between control and styrene-exposed mice was seen in the intensity or degree of immunostaining, the location of tumors relative to bronchioles or histological type (papillary, solid or mixed). It appears that styrene induces an increase in the number of lung tumors seen spontaneously in CD-1 mice.

Animal models used to test the interactions between infectious agents and products of cigarette smoked implicated in sudden infant death syndrome

Animal test systems are reviewed that have relevance to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are reviewed. These test interactions between infectious agents (or their toxins) and products of cigarette smoke. Infectious agents implicated in SIDS include members of the enterobacteria and clostridia, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Smoking is thought to be the single most preventable cause of SIDS. Tobacco smoke contains many extremely toxic products including cyanide and nicotine. Many animal test systems are available to examine the potency of bacterial toxins and smoke-derived components. These include mice, hamsters, rats and chick embryos. Such systems reveal synergy between bacterial toxins, especially endotoxin and superantigens. They have also demonstrated potentiation of low levels of bacterial toxin by low levels of both nicotine and its primary metabolite, cotinine. These findings suggest a possible causal explanation for the fact that passive exposure to cigarette smoke is a risk factor in sudden infant death syndrome.