Use of 5-azacitidine for therapy-related myeloid neoplasms in patients with concomitant active neoplastic disease

BACKGROUND

Patients diagnosed with therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (TRMN) with concomitant active neoplastic disorder (CAND) are usually proposed for best supportive care (BSC). We evaluated the feasibility of using 5-azacytidine (AZA) in this setting.

METHODS

All patients referred to Gustave Roussy between 2010 and 2015 for TRMN diagnosis (less than 30% blast) and eligible for AZA treatment were included. Patients with CAND proposed for BSC were also described. Patient's outcomes were analyzed based on the presence or not of a CAND.

RESULTS

Fifty-two patients with TRMN were analyzed, including 19 patients with CAND (14 eligible for AZA) and 33 without CAND eligible for AZA. The 5 patients with CAND ineligible for AZA had a worst performance status (p=0.016) at diagnosis and a shorter overall survival (OS) (0.62 months). Baseline characteristics of patients eligible for AZA were similar in the 2 groups except a trend for best performance status in patients with CAND (p=0.06). Overall response rate (71.4% vs 60.3%), transfusion independence (50.0% vs 45.5%) and OS (12.7 months vs 10.8 months) were similar between patients with and without CAND respectively (p=ns).

CONCLUSION

Here we report the feasibility and efficacy of AZA for selected patients with TRMN and a CAND.

Comparison of Selected Pulmonary Responses of Rats, Mice, and Syrian Golden Hamsters to Inhaled Pigmentary Titanium Dioxide

We present a preliminary report of a bioassay designed to compare and contrast selected pulmonary responses of female B6C3F1 mice, Fischer 344 rats, and Syrian golden hamsters to inhaled pigmentary titanium dioxide (TiO2). Animals were administered 10, 50, or 250 mg/m(3) TiO2 for 6 h/day and 5 days/wk, for 13 wk. Recovery groups were held for an additional 4-, 13-, or 26-wk period. Following exposure and at each recovery time, TiO2 burdens in the lung and lung-associated lymph nodes were determined. A separate group of animals was used at each time point to assess the inflammatory response of the lung by assaying total protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and cytologic examination of cells recovered in BALF. Burdens (mg/mg dry weight) of TiO2 in the lung following exposure to 10, 50, or 250 mg/m(3) TiO2 were 5.2, 53.5, and 170.2 for the mouse; 7.1, 45.1, and 120.4 for the rat; and 2.6, 14.9, and 120.3 for the hamster. With time after exposure, lung burdens of TiO2 particles were decreased and lymph-node burdens increased. Changes in the hamsters' burdens were more rapid than those in mice and rats. Increases in BALF cell numbers (macrophages and neutrophils) and in total protein were observed in all 3 species following exposure to 50 and 250 mg/m(3) TiO2, with the magnitude of response being the grea test in the rat. These responses remained elevated relative to control levels at 26 wk postexposure. Histopathologic examination of lungs showed a concentration-dependent retention pattern of particles that varied by species. Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of alveolar epithelium along with alveolar metaplastic and fibrotic changes were observed in rats exposed to 250 mg/m(3) TiO2. Alveolar epithelial proliferative changes were associated with inflammation in mice and hamsters, but the metaplastic and fibrotic changes noted in rats were not present in similarly exposed mice or hamsters. These data suggest that rats exposed subchronically to extremely high concentrations of pigmentary TiO2 differ from mice and hamsters in their cellular responses in the lung as well as in the way they clear and sequester particles. These differences may partly explain the differential outcome of pulmonary responses in various rodent species following chronic inhalation exposure to poorly soluble particles.

Tumor invasion induced by oxidative stress is dependent on membrane ADAM 9 protein and its secreted form

Oxidative stress plays a role in the regulation of cancer cell metastasis which involves cell invasion and adhesion that could be supported by ADAM proteins through the activities of their metalloprotease and disintegrin domains. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could act through the induction of ADAM9 protein in some cancer cells. Indeed, Western blot analysis for ADAM9 performed on A549 cells exposed to H(2) O(2) reveals a dose-dependent induction of two proteins (80 and 68 kDa) correlated with a sharp increase of the ADAM protease activity measured in supernatant while the activity measured on the cell layer was slightly affected. The 80kDa protein corresponds to the mature form of ADAM9. Immunoprecipitation analysis performed on concentrated supernatants revealed that the 68 kDa protein is a secreted form of ADAM9. When exposed to H(2) O(2) , A549 cells cocultured with confluent endothelial vascular cells resulted in a 5.5 fold (p < 0.001) increase in the number of adherent cells. Similarly, matrigel assay revealed a 3.25 fold (p < 0.01) increase in the number of invasive cells. The suppression of ADAM9 expression by specific small interfering RNA reduced oxidative stress-induced invasiveness and adhesiveness. These functions could be mediated by an interaction between ADAM9 and β1 integrin because each of them were inhibited when the experiment is performed in presence of mAbs targeting ADAM9 ectodomain or β1-integrin. These results emphasize the importance of oxidative stress in the regulation of cancer cell metastasis and suggest that ADAM9 and its secreted isoform can be important determinants in the ability of cancer cells to disseminate.

Measurement of tumor-associated mutations in the nasal mucosa of rats exposed to varying doses of formaldehyde

This study examined the potential induction of tumor-associated mutations in formaldehyde-exposed rat nasal mucosa using a sensitive method, allele-specific competitive blocker-PCR (ACB-PCR). Levels of p53 codon 271 CGT to CAT and K-Ras codon 12 GGT to GAT mutations were quantified in nasal mucosa of rats exposed to formaldehyde. In addition, nasal mucosa cell proliferation was monitored because regenerative cell proliferation is considered a key event in formaldehyde-induced carcinogenesis. Male F344 rats (6-7 weeks old, 5 rats/group) were exposed to 0, 0.7, 2, 6, 10, and 15 ppm formaldehyde for 13 weeks (6 h/day, 5 days/week). ACB-PCR was used to determine levels of p53 and K-Ras mutations. Although two of five untreated rats had measureable spontaneous p53 mutant fractions (MFs), most nasal mucosa samples had p53 MFs below 10(-5). All K-Ras MF measurements were below 10(-5). No dose-related increases in p53 or K-Ras MF were observed, even though significant increases in bromodeoxyuridine incorporation demonstrated induced cell proliferation in the 10 and 15 ppm formaldehyde-treatment groups. Therefore, induction of tumor-associated p53 mutation likely occurs after several other key events in formaldehyde-induced carcinogenesis.

Distribution of DNA adducts caused by inhaled formaldehyde is consistent with induction of nasal carcinoma but not leukemia

Inhaled formaldehyde is classified as a known human and animal carcinogen, causing nasopharyngeal cancer. Additionally, limited epidemiological evidence for leukemia in humans is available; however, this is inconsistent across studies. Both genotoxicity and cytotoxicity are key events in formaldehyde nasal carcinogenicity in rats, but mechanistic data for leukemia are not well established. Formation of DNA adducts is a key event in initiating carcinogenesis. Formaldehyde can induce DNA monoadducts, DNA-DNA cross-links, and DNA protein cross-links. In this study, highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-selected reaction monitoringmethods were developed and [(13)CD(2)]-formaldehyde exposures utilized, allowing differentiation of DNA adducts and DNA-DNA cross-links originating from endogenous and inhalation-derived formaldehyde exposure. The results show that exogenous formaldehyde induced N(2)-hydroxymethyl-dG monoadducts and dG-dG cross-links in DNA from rat respiratory nasal mucosa but did not form [(13)CD(2)]-adducts in sites remote to the portal of entry, even when five times more DNA was analyzed. Furthermore, no N(6)-HO(13)CD(2)-dA adducts were detected in nasal DNA. In contrast, high amounts of endogenous formaldehyde dG and dA monoadducts were present in all tissues examined. The number of exogenous N(2)-HO(13)CD(2)-dG in 1- and 5-day nasal DNA samples from rats exposed to 10-ppm [(13)CD(2)]-formaldehyde was 1.28 +/- 0.49 and 2.43 +/- 0.78 adducts/10(7) dG, respectively, while 2.63 +/- 0.73 and 2.84 +/- 1.13 N(2)-HOCH(2)-dG adducts/10(7) dG and 3.95 +/- 0.26 and 3.61 +/- 0.95 N(6)-HOCH(2)-dA endogenous adducts/10(7) dA were present. This study provides strong evidence supporting a genotoxic and cytotoxic mode of action for the carcinogenesis of inhaled formaldehyde in respiratory nasal epithelium but does not support the biological plausibility that inhaled formaldehyde also causes leukemia.

Genomic signatures and dose-dependent transitions in nasal epithelial responses to inhaled formaldehyde in the rat

Repeated and acute exposure studies assessed time and concentration-dependencies of nasal responses to formaldehyde. Exposures were to 0, 0.7, 2, and 6 ppm for 6 h/day, 5 days/week for up to 3 weeks. Neither cell proliferation nor histopathology was observed at 0.7 ppm. At 6 ppm, cell proliferation increased at the end of the first week (day 5), but not at the end of week 3 (day 15). Squamous metaplasia occurred at day 5; epithelial hyperplasia occurred at both day 5 and day 15. In microarray studies, no genes were altered at 0.7 ppm. At 2 ppm, 15 genes were changed on day 5; only half of them were changed at 6 ppm. No genes were changed significantly at 2 ppm at day 15. The pattern of gene changes at 2 and 6 ppm, with transient squamous metaplasia at day 5, indicated tissue adaptation and reduced tissue sensitivity by day 15. The acute study included an additional concentration (15 ppm) and an instillation group (40 microl, 400 mM per nostril). Three times more genes were affected by instillation than inhalation. U-shaped dose responses were noted in the acute study for many genes that were also altered at 2 ppm on day 5. On the basis of cellular component gene ontology benchmark dose analysis, the most sensitive changes were for genes were associated with extracellular components and plasma membrane. With formaldehyde, there are temporal and concentration-dependent transitions in epithelial responses and genomic signatures between 0.7 and 6 ppm. Low concentrations primarily affect extracellular matrix or external plasma membrane portions of the epithelium.

A method to integrate benchmark dose estimates with genomic data to assess the functional effects of chemical exposure

The use of genomic technology for assessing health risks associated with chemical exposure has significant potential, but its direct application has proven to be challenging for the toxicology and risk assessment communities. In this study, a method was established for analyzing dose-response microarray data using benchmark dose (BMD) calculations and gene ontology (GO) classification. Gene expression changes in the rat nasal epithelium following acute formaldehyde exposure were used as a case study. The gene expression data were first analyzed using a one-way ANOVA to identify genes that showed significant dose-response behavior. These genes were then fit to a series of four statistical models (linear, second-degree polynomial, third-degree polynomial, and power models) and the least complex model that best described the data was selected. The genes were matched to their associated GO categories, and the average BMD and benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL) were calculated for each GO category. The results were used to identify doses at which individual cellular processes were altered. For the formaldehyde exposures, the BMD estimates for the GO categories related to cell proliferation and DNA damage were similar to those measured in previous studies using cell labeling indices and DNA-protein cross-links and consistent with the BMD estimated for rat nasal tumors. The method represents a significant advance in applying genomic information to risk assessment by allowing a comprehensive survey of molecular changes associated with chemical exposure and providing the capability to identify reference doses at which particular cellular processes are altered.

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-induced interstitial fibrosis in the lungs of rats is associated with increased levels of PDGF mRNA and the formation of unique intercellular carbon structures that bridge alveolar macrophages in situ

Background

Nanotechnology is a rapidly advancing industry with many new products already available to the public. Therefore, it is essential to gain an understanding of the possible health risks associated with exposure to nanomaterials and to identify biomarkers of exposure. In this study, we investigated the fibrogenic potential of SWCNT synthesized by chemical vapor deposition using cobalt (Co) and molybdenum (Mo) as catalysts. Following a single oropharyngeal aspiration of SWCNT in rats, we evaluated lung histopathology, cell proliferation, and growth factor mRNAs at 1 and 21 days post-exposure. Comparisons were made to vehicle alone (saline containing a biocompatible nonionic surfactant), inert carbon black (CB) nanoparticles, or vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) as a known inducer of fibrosis.

Results

SWCNT or CB caused no overt inflammatory response at 1 or 21 days post-exposure as determined by histopathology and evaluation of cells (>95% macrophages) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. However, SWCNT induced the formation of small, focal interstitial fibrotic lesions within the alveolar region of the lung at 21 days. A small fraction of alveolar macrophages harvested by BAL from the lungs of SWCNT-exposed rats at 21 days were bridged by unique intercellular carbon structures that extended into the cytoplasm of each macrophage. These "carbon bridge" structures between macrophages were also observed in situ in the lungs of SWCNT-exposed rats. No carbon bridges were observed in CB-exposed rats. SWCNT caused cell proliferation only at sites of fibrotic lesion formation as measured by bromodeoxyuridine uptake into alveolar cells. SWCNT increased platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A, PDGF-B, and PDGF-C mRNA levels significantly at 1 day as measured by Taqman quantitative real-time RT-PCR. At 21 days, SWCNT did not increase any mRNAs evaluated, while V₂O₅ significantly increased mRNAs encoding PDGF-A, -B, and -C chains, PDGF-Rα, osteopontin (OPN), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that SWCNT do not cause lung inflammation and yet induce the formation of small, focal interstital fibrotic lesioins in the alveolar region of the lungs of rats. Of greatest interest was the discovery of unique intercellular carbon structures composed of SWCNT that bridged lung macrophages. These "carbon bridges" offer a novel and easily identifiable biomarker of exposure.

Osteopontin expression in particle-induced lung disease

Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted cytokine with cell adhesive and chemoattractive functions whose expression is induced by a variety of environmental toxicants. It has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several pulmonary granulomatous and fibrotic conditions. For these reasons the authors investigated OPN expression in experimental particle-induced lung disease using a titanium dioxide exposure model in the rat. Under exposure conditions that resulted in fibroproliferative lung disease, rats had significant increases in total lung OPN mRNA expression and increased levels of OPN protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) prior to the development of lesions. OPN immunoreactivity studies of lesion development provide evidence that this multifunctional cytokine may be important in the pathogenesis of particle-induced lung disease. Findings suggest that OPN may serve as an important biomarker for particle-induced lung disease.

Pulmonary responses of mice, rats, and hamsters to subchronic inhalation of ultrafine titanium dioxide particles

A multispecies, subchronic, inhalation study comparing pulmonary responses to ultrafine titanium dioxide (uf-TiO(2)) was performed. Female rats, mice, and hamsters were exposed to aerosol concentrations of 0.5, 2.0, or 10 mg/m(3) uf-TiO(2) particles for 6 h/day, 5 days/week, for 13 weeks. Following the exposure period, animals were held for recovery periods of 4, 13, 26, or 52 weeks (49 weeks for the uf-TiO(2)-exposed hamsters) and, at each time point, uf-TiO(2) burdens in the lung and lymph nodes and selected lung responses were examined. The responses studied were chosen to assess a variety of pulmonary parameters, including inflammation, cytotoxicity, lung cell proliferation, and histopathological alterations. Retained lung burdens increased in a dose-dependent manner in all three species and were at a maximum at the end of exposures. Mice and rats had similar retained lung burdens at the end of the exposures when expressed as mg uf-TiO(2)/mg dry lung, whereas hamsters had retained lung burdens that were significantly lower. Lung burdens in all three species decreased with time after exposure, and, at the end of the recovery period, the percentage of the lung particle burden remaining in the 10 mg/m(3) group was 57, 45, and 3% for rat, mouse, and hamster, respectively. The retardation of particle clearance from the lungs in mice and rats of the 10 mg/m(3) group indicated that pulmonary particle overload had been achieved in these animals. Pulmonary inflammation in rats and mice exposed to 10 mg/m(3) was evidenced by increased numbers of macrophages and neutrophils and increased concentrations of soluble markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The initial neutrophil response in rats was greater than in mice, whereas the relative increase of macrophages was less than in mice. The neutrophilic response of rats, but not mice, declined in a time-dependent manner correlating with declining lung burdens; however, the fraction of recovered neutrophils at 52 weeks postexposure was equivalent in the two species. Consistent increases in soluble indicators of toxicity in the BALF (LDH and protein) occurred principally in rats and mice exposed to 10 mg/m(3) and diminished with time postexposure. There were no significant changes in cellular response or with markers indicating toxicity in hamsters, reflecting the capacity of these animals to rapidly clear particles from the lung. Progressive epithelial and fibroproliferative changes were observed in rats of the 10 mg/m(3) group. These lesions consisted of foci of alveolar epithelial proliferation of metaplastic epithelial cells (so-called alveolar bronchiolization) circumscribing aggregated foci of heavily particle-laden macrophages. The observed epithelial proliferative changes were also manifested in rats as an increase in alveolar epithelial cell labeling in cell proliferation studies. Associated with these foci of epithelial proliferation were interstitial particle accumulation and alveolar septal fibrosis. These lesions became more pronounced with increasing time postexposure. Epithelial, metaplastic, and fibroproliferative changes were not noted in either mice or hamsters. In summary, there were significant species differences in the pulmonary responses to inhaled uf-TiO(2) particles. Under conditions where the lung uf-TiO(2) burdens were equivalent, rats developed a more severe inflammatory response than mice and, subsequently, developed progressive epithelial and fibroproliferative changes. Clearance of particles from the lung was markedly impaired in mice and rats exposed to 10 mg/m(3) uf-TiO(2), whereas clearance in hamsters did not appear to be affected at any of the administered doses. These data are consistent with the results of a companion study using inhaled pigmentary (fine mode) TiO(2) (Bermudez et al., 2002) and demonstrate that the pulmonary responses of rats exposed to ultrafine particulate concentrations likely to induce pulmonary overload are different from similarly exposed mice and hamsters. These differences can be explained both by pulmonary respy response and by particle dosimetry differences among these rodent species.

Pleural dosimetry and pathobiological responses in rats and hamsters exposed subchronically to MMVF 10a fiberglass

Interspecies differences in pulmonary and pleural responses to the inhalation of natural mineral and synthetic vitreous fibers have been observed in chronic and subchronic studies. However, the reasons for these differences are not clearly understood. There are also fiber-specific differences in the outcome of chronic inhalation exposure to natural mineral and synthetic vitreous fibers. Whether these differences are dependent upon the ability of these fibers to translocate to the pleural space is unknown. The present study was conducted to compare retained fiber burdens and selected pathological responses in the pleural compartments of rats and hamsters following subchronic inhalation of MMVF 10a fiberglass, a fiber negative for tumorigenesis or fibrosis in chronic studies. Fischer 344 rats and Syrian golden hamsters were exposed for 4 or 12 weeks by nose-only inhalation at nominal aerosol mass concentrations of 45 mg/m3 (610 WHO fibers/cc). Pulmonary fiber burdens and pulmonary inflammatory responses were greater in rats than in hamsters. The total number of fibers in the lung was approximately three orders of magnitude greater than in the pleural compartment. Pleural burdens in the hamster (160 fibers/cm2 surface area) were significantly greater than burdens in similarly exposed rats (60 fibers/cm2 surface area) following 12 weeks of exposure. With time postexposure, pleural burdens decreased in hamsters but were essentially unchanged in rats. Pleural inflammatory responses in both species were minimal. In rats, pleural inflammation was characterized by increased numbers of macrophages and increases in mesothelial cell replication during the period of fiber exposure. In contrast, hamsters had increased numbers of macrophages and lymphocytes, and mesothelial-cell replication indices were elevated on the parietal pleura of the costal wall and diaphragm, with some of these responses persisting through 12 weeks of postexposure recovery. Taken together, the results suggest that differences among rodent species in pleural responses to inhaled fibers are due to a delivered dose of fibers and to the biological responses to the presence of the fibers.

Long-term pulmonary responses of three laboratory rodent species to subchronic inhalation of pigmentary titanium dioxide particles

Female mice, rats, and hamsters were exposed to 10, 50, or 250 mg/m(3) pigmentary titanium dioxide (p-TiO(2)) particles for 6 h per day and 5 days per week for 13 weeks with recovery groups held for an additional 4, 13, 26, or 52 weeks postexposure (46 weeks for the p-TiO(2)-exposed hamsters). At each time point p-TiO(2) burdens in the lung and lymph nodes and selected lung responses were examined. The responses studied were chosen to assess a variety of pulmonary parameters, including inflammation, cytotoxicity, lung cell proliferation, and histopathologic alterations. Burdens of p-TiO(2) in the lungs and in the lung-associated lymph nodes increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Retained lung burdens following exposure were greatest in mice. Rats and hamsters had similar lung burdens immediately postexposure when assessed as milligrams of p-TiO(2) per gram of dried lung. Particle retention data suggested that pulmonary overload was achieved in both rats and mice at the exposure levels of 50 and 250 mg/m(3). Under the conditions of the present study, hamsters were better able to clear p-TiO(2) particles than were similarly exposed mice and rats. Pulmonary histopathology revealed both species and concentration-dependent differences in p-TiO(2) particle retention patterns. Inflammation was noted in all three species at 50 and 250 mg/m(3), as evidenced by increases in macrophage and neutrophil numbers and in soluble indices of inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF; rats > mice, hamsters). In mice and rats, the BALF inflammatory responses remained elevated relative to controls throughout the entire postexposure recovery period in the most highly exposed animals. In comparison, inflammation in hamsters eventually disappeared, even at the highest exposure dose, due to the more rapid clearance of particles from the lung. Pulmonary lesions were most severe in rats, where progressive epithelial- and fibroproliferative changes were observed in the 250 mg/m(3) group. These epithelial proliferative changes were also manifested in rats as an increase in alveolar epithelial cell labeling in cell proliferation studies. Associated with these foci of epithelial proliferation were interstitial particle accumulation and alveolar septal fibrosis. In summary, there were significant species differences in pulmonary responses to inhaled p-TiO(2) particles. Under conditions in which the lung p-TiO(2) burdens were similar and likely to induce pulmonary overload, rats developed a more severe and persistent pulmonary inflammatory response than either mice or hamsters. Rats also were unique in the development of progressive fibroproliferative lesions and alveolar epithelial metaplasia in response to 90 days of exposure to a high concentration of p-TiO(2) particles.

Novel enzyme activities and functional plasticity revealed by recombining highly homologous enzymes

BACKGROUND

Directed evolution by DNA shuffling has been used to modify physical and catalytic properties of biological systems. We have shuffled two highly homologous triazine hydrolases and conducted an exploration of the substrate specificities of the resulting enzymes to acquire a better understanding of the possible distributions of novel functions in sequence space.

RESULTS

Both parental enzymes and a library of 1600 variant triazine hydrolases were screened against a synthetic library of 15 triazines. The shuffled library contained enzymes with up to 150-fold greater transformation rates than either parent. It also contained enzymes that hydrolyzed five of eight triazines that were not substrates for either starting enzyme.

CONCLUSIONS

Permutation of nine amino acid differences resulted in a set of enzymes with surprisingly diverse patterns of reactions catalyzed. The functional richness of this small area of sequence space may aid our understanding of both natural and artificial evolution.

Treatment of wobbler syndrome in dogs with electroacupuncture

Based on favorable experiences with acupuncture for the treatment of hind limbs paralysis, lumbo-sacral alterations, and other spinal cord problems; a clinical trial, involving 40 dogs affected with wobbler syndrome was carried out. Patients were graded in three categories according to the severity of each case and then randomly divided in two groups. Both groups contained all three grades. Group 1 (20 dogs) was treated using orthodox medical and surgical interventions, while Group 2 (20 dogs) were treated mainly with electroacupuncture, and in few cases with surgical intervention as well. The study was carried out in a three-year period. Acupuncture treatments were given every other day delivering 150 to 300 mVolts at 125 Hz, equivalents to approximately 20 microAmps, in ten acupuncture points per treatment. Deep needle insertion was used. Overall per cent success in Group I was only 20%, while in group II the corresponding value was 85%. The number of acupuncture treatments required to achieve full recovery in Group II was dependent upon the severity of the case, as follows: Grade I: 18.5 +/- 2.5; Grade II: 25 +/- 5.4; and Grade III: 34 +/- 6.7 (r = 0.962). No adverse effects were observed with acupuncture. The use of this technique is proposed for large-scale clinical trials.

Protein Carbonyls in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid in Mice, Rats and Hamsters Following Inhalation of Pigmentary Titanium Dioxide Particles

Elevation of protein carbonyls has been implicated in the clinical setting as a result of oxidant damage associated with a number of disease states in both humans and laboratory animals. Protein carbonyls, the product of oxidative modification of amino acid residues, may result from macrophage and neutrophil inflammatory responses to inhaled particles. We hypothesized that increased levels of protein carbonyl groups in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) may serve as a biomarker of oxidative stress in rodents exposed to extremely high airborne concentrations of poorly soluble particles (PSP) of low toxicity. The objective of the present study was to compare the BALF protein carbonyl levels in three rodent species following a subchronic PSP exposure known to result in pulmonary pathology in chronically exposed rats under similar conditions. Female Fischer 344 rats, B6C3F1 mice, and Syrian golden hamsters were identically exposed by whole-body inhalation to concentrations of aerosolized pigmentary titanium dioxide (TiO2)(MMAD and GSD, 1.42 and 1.3 μm, respectively) for 6 h/day and 5 days/wk for 13 wk. Groups of animals were exposed to 0, 10, 50, or 250 mg/m(3) of pigmentary TiO2. Levels of protein carbonyl groups in BALF were measured at the termination of the 13-wk exposure with an ELISA assay utilizing a 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine fluorescent probe. Protein carbonyl levels were elevated in rats at both the mid and high dose (50 and 250 mg/m(3)), while in mice and hamster the levels were elevated only at the high dose (250 mg/m(3)). The elevations in protein carbonyl levels paralleled changes in BALF-associated cytologic and biochemical inflammatory indices, including total protein levels and neutrophil counts. Inflammatory changes in all three species were limited to animals exposed to the highest concentrations of particles. Rats were the only species tested that had coincidental elevation of both protein carbonyls and a high inflammatory response measured in BALF following the 50-mg/m(3) exposure. These results suggest that the measurement of protein carbonyl groups in BALF may be a useful biomarker of particle-induced oxidant change, although this endpoint should be used in conjunction with other oxidative endpoints as a total assessment of oxidant stress.

In-stent restenosis. Acute and long-term outcomes after excimer laser coronary angioplasty

OBJECTIVE

With the increased use of intracoronary stents, in-stent restenosis has become a clinically significant drawback in invasive cardiology. We retrospectively assessed the short- and long-term outcomes after excimer laser coronary angioplasty of in-stent restenosis.

METHODS

Twenty-five patients with 33 incidents of in-stent restenosis treated with excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) were analyzed. Sixty-six percent were males, mean age of 73 +/- 11 years, and 83% were functional class III-IV (NYHA). ELCA was performed using 23 concentric and 10 eccentric catheters with a diameter of 1.6-2.2 mm, followed by balloon angioplasty (PTCA) and ultrasound monitoring. The procedure was performed in the following vessels: left anterior descending artery, 10; left circumflex artery, 8; right coronary artery, 6; left main coronary artery, 2; and venous bypass graft, 7.

RESULTS

The ELCA was successful in 71% of the cases, and PTCA was 100% successful. The diameter of the treated vessels was 3.44 +/- 0.5 mm; the minimal luminal diameter (MLD) increased from 0.30 mm pre-ECLA to 1.97 mm post-ELCA, and to 2.94 mm post-PTCA (p < 0.001). The percent stenosis was reduced from 91.4 +/- 9.5% before ECLA to 42.3 +/- 14.9% after ELCA and to 14.6 +/- 9.3% after PTCA (p < 0.001). Seventeen (68%) patients were asymptomatic at 6 months and 15 (60%) at 1 year. New restenosis rates were 8/33 (24.2%) at 6 months and 9/33 (27.3%) at 12 months.

CONCLUSION

ELCA is safe and effective for the treatment of in-stent restenosis. In the present sample, a slight increase in new restenotic lesions between 6 and 12 months was found.

Comparison of pulmonary and pleural responses of rats and hamsters to inhaled refractory ceramic fibers

The present study was designed to determine whether pleural fiber burdens or subchronic pleural fibroproliferative and inflammatory changes can help explain the marked interspecies differences in pleural fibrosis and mesothelioma that are observed following long-term inhalation of RCF-1 ceramic fibers by rats and hamsters. Fischer 344 rats and Syrian golden hamsters were exposed to RCF-1 for 4 h per day, 5 days per week, for 12 consecutive weeks. Lung and pleural fiber burdens were characterized during and after exposure. For all time points, approximately 67% of fibers associated with lung tissues from both rats and hamsters were longer than 5 microns in length. In comparison, fibers longer than 5 microns recovered from the pleural compartment, following a 12-week exposure and 12 weeks of recovery, accounted for 13% (hamsters) and 4% (rats) of the distribution. In the 12 weeks after the cessation of exposure, the number of fibers longer than 5 microns in length remained constant in the hamster at approximately 150 fibers per cm2 pleura. This was 2 to 3 times the corresponding fiber surface density in the rat. Significant pulmonary and pleural inflammation was detected at all time points and for both species. DNA synthesis by pleural mesothelial cells was quantified by bromodeoxyuridine uptake following 3 days of labeling. Labeling indices were higher in hamsters than in rats, both for RCF-1-exposed and filtered air-control animals and was highest for the parietal surface of the pleura. Significantly greater collagen deposition was measured in the visceral pleura of hamsters 12 weeks post-exposure but was not significantly elevated in rats. These findings demonstrate that subchronic inhalation exposure to RCF-1 induces pleural inflammation, mesothelial-cell turnover, pleural fibrosis, and an accumulation of fibers with a length greater than 5 microns in the hamster. The accumulation of long fibers in the pleural space may contribute to the pathology observed in the hamster following chronic inhalation of RCF-1, whereas the presence of short, thin fibers may play a role in the acute-phase biological response seen in both species.

Rat pleural mesothelial cells adapted to serum-free medium as a model for the study of growth factor effects

Mesothelial cells are the putative progenitors of mesotheliomas and cell lines have been used as tools to study the responses of these cells to various stimuli, including growth factors. The present study was undertaken to develop a rat mesothelial cell line capable of sustained growth under serum-free conditions with the object of avoiding the possible confounding effects of undefined serum components. Responses of mesothelial cells to epidermal growth factor were shown to differ under serum-free versus low-serum culture conditions. In contrast, a cell line, SFM1, adapted to growth in serum-free medium was characterized and found to exhibit responses to growth factors similar to the responses reported for human cell lines. This new line should prove to be a useful model for the study of these cells in vitro.

DNA shuffling of a family of genes from diverse species accelerates directed evolution

DNA shuffling is a powerful process for directed evolution, which generates diversity by recombination, combining useful mutations from individual genes. Libraries of chimaeric genes can be generated by random fragmentation of a pool of related genes, followed by reassembly of the fragments in a self-priming polymerase reaction. Template switching causes crossovers in areas of sequence homology. Our previous studies used single genes and random point mutations as the source of diversity. An alternative source of diversity is naturally occurring homologous genes, which provide 'functional diversity'. To evaluate whether natural diversity could accelerate the evolution process, we compared the efficiency of obtaining moxalactamase activity from four cephalosporinase genes evolved separately with that from a mixed pool of the four genes. A single cycle of shuffling yielded eightfold improvements from the four separately evolved genes, versus a 270- to 540-fold improvement from the four genes shuffled together, a 50-fold increase per cycle of shuffling. The best clone contained eight segments from three of the four genes as well as 33 amino-acid point mutations. Molecular breeding by shuffling can efficiently mix sequences from different species, unlike traditional breeding techniques. The power of family shuffling may arise from sparse sampling of a larger portion of sequence space.

Comparison of pleural responses of rats and hamsters to subchronic inhalation of refractory ceramic fibers

In the present subchronic study, we compared pleural inflammation, visceral pleural collagen deposition, and visceral and parietal pleural mesothelial cell proliferation in rats and hamsters identically exposed to a kaolin-based refractory ceramic fiber, (RCF)-1 by nose-only inhalation exposure, and correlated the results to translocation of fibers to the pleural cavity. Fischer 344 rats and Syrian golden hamsters were exposed to 650 fibers/cc of RCF-1, for 4 hr/day, 5 days/week for 12 weeks. Following 4 and 12 weeks of exposure, and after a 12-week recovery period, pleural lavage fluid was analyzed for cytologic and biochemical evidence of inflammation. Visceral and parietal pleural mesothelial cell proliferation was assessed by immunocytochemical detection of bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Pleural collagen was quantitated using morphometric analysis of lung sections stained with Sirius Red. Fiber-exposed rats and hamsters had qualitatively similar pleural inflammation at each time point. Mesothelial cell proliferation was more pronounced in hamsters than in rats at each time point and at each site. In both species, the mesothelial cell labeling index was highest in the parietal pleural mesothelial cells lining the surface of the diaphragm at each time point. Hamsters but not rats had significantly elevated collagen in the visceral pleura at the 12-week postexposure time point. Fibers were found in the pleural cavities of both species at each time point. These fibers were generally short and thin. These results suggest that mesothelial cell proliferation and fibroproliferative changes in the pleura of rodents following short-term inhalation exposure are associated with fiber translocation to the pleura and may be predictive of chronic pleural disease outcomes following long-term exposure.

Pulmonary and pleural responses in Fischer 344 rats following short-term inhalation of a synthetic vitreous fiber. I. Quantitation of lung and pleural fiber burdens

The pleura is an important target tissue of fiber-induced disease, although it is not known whether fibers must be in direct contact with pleural cells to exert pathologic effects. In the present study, we determined the kinetics of fiber movement into pleural tissues of rats following inhalation of RCF-1, a ceramic fiber previously shown to induce neoplasms in the lung and pleura of rats. Male Fischer 344 rats were exposed by nose-only inhalation to RCF-1 at 89 mg/m3 (2645 WHO fibers/cc), 6 hr/day for 5 consecutive days. On Days 5 and 32, thoracic tissues were analyzed to determine pulmonary and pleural fiber burdens. Mean fiber counts were 22 x 10(6)/lung (25 x 10(3)/pleura) at Day 5 and 18 x 10(6)/lung (16 x 10(3)/pleura) at Day 32. Similar geometric mean lengths (GML) and diameters (GMD) of pulmonary fiber burdens were observed at both time points. Values were 5 microns for GML (geometric standard deviation GSD approximately 2.3) and 0.3 micron for GMD (GSD approximately 1.9), with correlations between length and diameter (tau) of 0.2-0.3. Size distributions of pleural fiber burdens at both time points were approximately 1.5 microns GML (GSD approximately 2.0) and 0.09 micron GMD (GSD approximately 1.5; tau approximately 0.2-0.5). Few fibers longer than 5 microns were observed at either time point. These findings demonstrate that fibers can rapidly translocate to pleural tissues. However, only short, thin (< 5 microns in length) fibers could be detected over the 32-day time course of the experiment.

Pulmonary and pleural responses in Fischer 344 rats following short-term inhalation of a synthetic vitreous fiber. II. Pathobiologic responses

The pleura is a target site for toxic effects induced by a variety of fibrous particulates, including both natural mineral and man-made vitreous fibers. We examined selected cytological and biochemical indicators of inflammation in both the pleural compartment and pulmonary parenchyma in F344 rats following inhalation of RCF-1, a kaolin-based ceramic fiber. Male F344 rats were exposed by inhalation to 89 mg/m3 (2645 WHO fibers/cc) RCF-1 6 hr/day for 5 consecutive days. In lung parenchyma, cytological and biochemical inflammatory responses occurred rapidly following exposure. In contrast, pleural responses were delayed in onset and of a much smaller magnitude than those observed in lung. At both Day 1 and Day 28 postexposure, increased quantities of lactate dehydrogenase, N-acetyl glucosaminidase, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and neutrophils were present in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These responses were attenuated at the latter time point. No significant responses were detected in pleural lavage fluid until 28 days following exposure, at which time elevated numbers of macrophages and eosinophils, but not neutrophils, were observed. Increased albumin and fibronectin were also observed in PLF at this latter time point. These findings demonstrate that the onset of pleural and pulmonary responses following inhalation of RCF-1 are temporally separated and that pleural injury may increase in severity with time following exposure. The increase in severity of pleural inflammation found in the postexposure period cannot be readily explained by fiber translocation.

Expression of insulin-like growth factor II in spontaneously immortalized rat mesothelial and spontaneous mesothelioma cells: a potential autocrine role of insulin-like growth factor II

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are polypeptides that play an important role in cellular proliferation and differentiation. The present study examines the role of IGFs in the growth of mesothelial cells. Cell lines derived from normal rat mesothelium as well as lines derived from spontaneous rat mesotheliomas were found to express RNA transcripts for IGF-II. In contrast, cell lines derived from asbestos-induced rat mesotheliomas did not express this growth factor. All cell lines expressed receptors for IGF-I and IGF-II, as well as insulin receptors. Coexpression of IGF-II and its cognate receptor suggested that IGF-II was acting as an autocrine growth factor in the spontaneously immortalized cells and the cells derived from the spontaneous tumors. The biological activity of IGF-II secreted by the cell lines into conditioned medium could be neutralized using an IGF-II-specific antibody. Growth was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner; at the highest antibody concentration used (100 micrograms anti-IGF-II/ml), cell growth was decreased to 47% of control values. This inhibition was partially reversible by treatment of the cultures with IGF-II (91% of the control). These data suggest that IGF-II expression may be involved in the spontaneous alteration of rat mesothelial cells and may function as an autocrine or paracrine growth factor to modulate the growth of these cells in vitro and in vivo. Ubiquitous expression of IGF-II by cells that have not been exposed to asbestos and the lack of IGF-II expression by asbestos-transformed cells suggest that the mechanisms of changes in growth factor expression differ in mesothelial cells transformed by different pathways.

Immunohistochemical localization of p53, PCNA, and TGF-alpha proteins in formaldehyde-induced rat nasal squamous cell carcinomas

Mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene is a common event in many human cancers and has been specifically associated with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the human skin and respiratory tract. Alterations in the p53 gene have also been identified in certain rodent tumors, including formaldehyde-induced nasal squamous cell carcinomas. Overexpression of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) is associated with carcinomas of the head and neck and respiratory tract in human patients and formaldehyde-induced rat nasal squamous cell carcinomas. Sections of rat noses containing tumors and other formaldehyde-induced lesions from rats exposed to 15 ppm formaldehyde vapor were examined using immunohistochemical techniques to detect and identify potential relationships between the presence and distribution of p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and TGF-alpha proteins. The five tumors that had p53 mutations were for mutant p53 protein by immunohistochemistry and three of six tumors with no detected p53 mutations were also immunoreactive for p53 protein. The presence, pattern, and distribution of p53 staining in tissue sections depended on the morphology of the lesion. PCNA immunoreactivity was strikingly similar in pattern and distribution to p53 immunoreactivity. The pattern and distribution of immunoreactivity for TGF-alpha did not directly correlate with the other markers. Mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene may be an important step in the progression of formaldehyde-induced nasal carcinogenesis in the rat. This study demonstrated that immunohistochemistry is a useful tool for the identification of sites within tumors that might have p53 mutations.

Autocrine growth stimulation by transforming growth factor alpha in asbestos-transformed rat mesothelial cells

Although the association between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma development has been established for decades, very little is known regarding the molecular mechanism(s) by which asbestos fibers induce this disease. In this series of experiments, the potential for transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) to act as an autocrine growth factor in transformed mesothelial cells was examined in rats, a model system frequently used to assess the tumorigenic potential of fibrous particulates. Both asbestos-transformed cells and spontaneously transformed cells expressed functional EGF receptors, although only the asbestos-transformed cells expressed TGF-alpha. Expression of TGF-alpha transcripts was correlated with secretion of picogram amounts of growth factor into conditioned medium by the asbestos-transformed cells. In addition, whereas TGF-alpha inhibited the growth of spontaneously transformed mesothelial cells, it stimulated the growth of asbestos-transformed cells. Neutralizing antibody that recognized TGF-alpha secreted by the asbestos-transformed cells was able to inhibit the growth of these cells. Taken together, these data indicate that TGF-alpha acts as an autocrine growth factor for asbestos-transformed rat mesothelial cells. Therefore, in asbestos-transformed mesothelial cells, altered production and responsiveness to TGF-alpha distinguish these cells from spontaneously transformed mesothelial cells. These data suggest that differences in mesothelioma etiology may be reflected in differences in the molecular alterations present in these tumors.

Mesothelial cell proliferation induced by intrapleural instillation of man-made fibers in rats and hamsters

Long-term inhalation exposure to a biopersistent man-made ceramic fiber (RCF 1) results in a high incidence of pleural mesotheliomas in Syrian golden hamsters but not in identically exposed rats. To understand better the mechanisms involved in the intraspecies pathobiology of fiber-exposed mesothelium, the ability of the two different man-made fibers to induce cell proliferation in hamster and rat pleural mesothelial cells was investigated. Three dose levels of either glass fibers (MMVF 10) or ceramic fibers (RCF 1) were instilled intrapleurally into male Fischer 344 rats and male Syrian Golden hamsters. Rats and hamsters were exposed to approximately equal numbers of long thin fibers per kilogram of body weight using a single intrapleural instillation. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was administered via an implanted osmotic pump, and mesothelial cell proliferation was assessed at 7 and 28 days postinstillation (PI) using immunocytochemical visualization of labeled S-phase cells. Both rats and hamsters exhibited dose-dependent increases in proliferation of pleural mesothelial cells following exposure to both fiber types. Interspecies differences in mesothelial cell proliferation were noted for fiber type and pleural site. At 28 days PI, RCF-induced mesothelial cell proliferation was found to be more pronounced in hamsters than in rats in the caudal visceral pleural. Comparing both fibers either by equal mass or by equal fiber numbers, mesothelial cell proliferation in RCF 1-treated animals was higher than in animals exposed to MMVF 10, especially in hamsters, and may be a factor in the difference in mesothelioma induced by the two fibers. The higher sustained (28 day) mesothelial cell proliferation in the visceral pleural of hamsters exposed to RCF may contribute to the species-specific differences in mesothelioma incidence found in long-term rodent inhalation studies.

Pleural lesions in Syrian golden hamsters and Fischer-344 rats following intrapleural instillation of man-made ceramic or glass fibers

The mesothelium is a target of the toxic and carcinogenic effects of certain natural mineral and man-made fibers. Long-term inhalation of a ceramic fiber (RCF-1) results in a high incidence of pleural mesotheliomas in Syrian golden hamsters but not in identically exposed Fischer-344 rats. The present study compared the histopathology of the early pleural response in rats and hamsters instilled with artificial fibers. Groups of Syrian golden hamsters and Fischer-344 rats were instilled with ceramic (RCF-1) or glass (MMVF-10) fibers directly into the pleural space. Each species received approximately equal numbers of long, thin fibers per g body weight. Fiber-induced lesions were compared 7 and 28 days postinstillation. Both hamsters and rats developed qualitatively similar dose-dependent inflammatory lesions that were not fiber-type specific. Both species developed fibrosis in conjunction with inflammation in the visceral pleura, but a striking interspecies difference was noted in the pattern of mesothelial cell response. Hamsters developed greater surface mesothelial cell proliferation and had focal aggregates of mesothelial cells embedded deep within regions of visceral pleural fibrosis. It is hypothesized from the present study that the marked fiber-induced proliferative mesothelial cell response of the hamster visceral pleura may explain the high number of pleural mesotheliomas found in long-term fiber studies in this species.

Characterization of cell lines derived from formaldehyde-induced nasal tumors in rats

Cell lines derived from formaldehyde-induced nasal tumors in Fischer 344 rats were established. All of the lines were found to be epithelial and aneuploid and to express keratin, transforming growth factor-alpha, and epidermal growth factor receptor transcripts. Two of four lines were tumorigenic upon injection into nude mice, and these lines also contained point mutations in the p53 suppressor gene. The data indicate that these lines possess characteristics that make them a valuable tool for the study of chemically induced respiratory tract carcinogenesis.

p53 mutations in formaldehyde-induced nasal squamous cell carcinomas in rats

Formaldehyde induces squamous cell carcinomas in the nasal passages of rats following chronic inhalation exposure at concentrations of > or = 10 ppm. We have examined the complementary DNA of the tumor suppressor gene p53 from 11 primary formaldehyde-induced tumors for mutation using DNA sequence analysis. A polymerase chain reaction-amplified fragment of the rat p53 complementary DNA containing the evolutionarily conserved regions II-V was directly sequenced from each tumor. Point mutations in the p53 complementary DNA sequence were found in 5 of 11 of the tumors analyzed. These data demonstrate p53 point mutations in formaldehyde-induced squamous cell carcinomas and indicate a common alteration in certain rat and human squamous cell carcinomas of the respiratory tract.

Identification of heptanal and nonanal in bronchoalveolar lavage from rats exposed to low levels of ozone

Heptanal and nonanal are identified from in vitro studies as potential biomarkers of exposure to ozone, the former resulting from ozonation of palmitoleic acid and the latter from oleic acid. An analytical method is developed based on derivatization using O-pentafluorobenzylhydroxylamine HCl and gas chromatography. These molecules also are present in the lung lavage of Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to 1.3 ppm ozone for 10 hr. These results suggest aldehydes may be useful dosimeters for ozone and indicate that unsaturated fatty acids in the lung lining fluid layer undergo ozonation in vivo.

Characterization of platelet-derived growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor expression in asbestos-induced rat mesothelioma

Although altered expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a hallmark of human mesothelioma, expression of PDGF receptors has not been characterized in this cell type. In addition, the expression of this growth factor and its cognate receptor in rodent mesothelioma has not been investigated. In this study, examination of transformed mesothelial cells derived from asbestos-induced rat mesotheliomas revealed that these cells expressed high affinity PDGF receptors (Kd = 0.5 nM) and receptor number was 1.6 x 10(5)/cell. Western analysis using antibodies specific for either the alpha-type or beta-type PDGF receptor and Northern analysis using probes specific for alpha- and beta-type receptor RNA transcripts indicated that these cells expressed beta-type PDGF receptors but that alpha-type receptors could not be detected. However, when the mesothelioma-derived cells were examined for the expression of PDGF, no expression of this growth factor could be detected. The transformed cells expressed no detectable A- or B-chain PDGF RNA transcripts; and using a competitive enzyme immunoassay specific for isoforms containing the B chain of PDGF and a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay specific for A-chain-containing isoforms, neither AA, nor AB, nor BB isoforms of this growth factor could be detected in medium conditioned by these cells. The absence of alterations in PDGF expression in rat mesothelioma, in contrast to the data for the human disease, suggests that the production of this growth factor by transformed mesothelial cells may be species specific.

Trisomy of rat chromosome 1 associated with mesothelial cell transformation

Identification of specific chromosomal aberrations in transformed mesothelial cells is an important step in elucidating the mechanism of transformation of these cells which are targets for occupational and environmental carcinogens, such as asbestos fibers. Cytogenetic analysis of normal rat mesothelial cell lines revealed that at late passage (p20-p34), trisomy of chromosome 1 was present in greater than 80% of the cells in four spontaneously immortalized lines examined, whereas at early passage (p8-p10), only 15-44% of the cells had trisomy 1. Trisomy of chromosome 1 had increased in the population as a function of passage, suggesting that cells with trisomy 1 had a selective growth advantage under in vitro culture conditions and that this alteration was associated with transformation. A commercially available rat mesothelial cell line (4/4 RM4, ATCC), was also found to have a duplication of a portion of the long arm of chromosome 1. To determine if chromosome 1 alterations have relevance to the transformed phenotype in vivo, a neoplastic cell line was established from a spontaneous rat mesothelioma. At passage 15, trisomy of chromosome 1 was observed in 26% of the metaphases in this line. However, when these cells were injected into nude mice, 99% of the cells from the resulting tumor contained an additional copy of chromosome 1. Therefore, trisomy 1 also conferred a selective growth advantage in vivo and/or was associated with the malignant subpopulation in the tumor derived cell line. These studies suggest that chromosome 1 contains a gene(s) involved in transformation of rat mesothelial cells.

Examination of potential mechanisms of carcinogenicity of 1,4-dioxane in rat nasal epithelial cells and hepatocytes

Several long-term studies with 1,4-dioxane (dioxane) have shown it to induce liver tumors in mice, and nasal and liver tumors in rats when administered in amounts from 0.5 to 1.8% in the drinking water (Argus et al. 1965; Kociba et al. 1974; National Cancer Institute, 1978). In order to examine potential mechanisms of action, chemically-induced DNA repair (as an indicator of DNA reactivity) and cell proliferation (as an indicator of promotional activity) were examined in nasal turbinate epithelial cells and hepatocytes of male Fischer-344 rats treated with dioxane. Neither dioxane nor 1,4-dioxane-2-one, one of the proposed metabolites, exhibited activity in the in vitro primary rat hepatocyte DNA repair assay, even from cells that had been isolated from animals given either 1 or 2% dioxane in the drinking water for 1 week to induce enzymes that might be responsible for producing genotoxic metabolites. No activity was seen in the in vivo hepatocyte DNA repair assay in animals given a single dose of up to 1000 mg/kg dioxane or up to 2% dioxane in the drinking water for 1 week. Treatment of rats with 1.0% dioxane in the drinking water for 5 days yielded no increase in liver/body weight nor induction of palmitoyl CoA oxidase, indicating that dioxane does not fit into the class of peroxisomal proliferating carcinogens. The percentage of cells in DNA synthesis phase (S-phase) was determined by administration of 3H-thymidine and subsequent quantitative histoautoradiography. The hepatic labeling index (LI) did not increase at either 24 or 48 h following a single dose of 1000 mg/kg dioxane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Expression of growth factor and growth factor receptor RNA in rat pleural mesothelial cells in culture

Mineral fiber-induced pleural mesothelioma in the rat is a suitable model for asbestos-induced mesothelioma in humans. A proposed mechanism for the genesis of mesotheliomas is the initiation of an autocrine pathway leading to unregulated growth of the mesothelium. To understand if changes in the expression of mRNA of critical growth factors and receptors occur in target mesothelial cells, it is first necessary to characterize the pattern of expression of these genes in normal mesothelial cells. Rat mesothelial cells were isolated from the parietal pleura and strains of these cells were propagated in vitro. The cells were diploid, had epithelial gross morphology and ultrastructure, and coexpressed keratins and vimentin. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the cells expressed transforming growth factor beta 1 and fibroblast growth factor. Transcripts for transforming growth factor alpha, platelet-derived growth factor A-chain, and platelet-derived growth factor B-chain were not detected. Receptors for platelet-derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and insulin were detected. Although normal mesothelial cells express receptors for these growth factors, no production of their corresponding ligands by these cells could be detected, suggesting that autocrine stimulation of growth via the production of such factors may be specific to transformed mesothelial cells.

The induction of DNA-strand breaks and unscheduled DNA synthesis in F-344 rat hepatocytes following in vivo administration of caprolactam or benzoin

Benzoin (ZOIN) and caprolactam (CAP) were administered by gavage to Fischer 344 rats at a dose of 750 mg/kg and the hepatocytes isolated 12, 24 or 48 h after treatment. The isolated hepatocytes were subsequently examined for the induction of DNA-strand breaks (SB) and unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS). Neither ZOIN nor CAP induced SB or UDS in hepatocytes, however ZOIN did induce an increase in the fraction of cells in S-phase 24 h after treatment. These results correlate well with the observed lack of carcinogenicity of these compounds.

A protocol and guide for the in vivo rat hepatocyte DNA-repair assay

The in vivo rat hepatocyte DNA-repair assay is a valuable tool in assessing the genotoxic activity of chemical agents. An advantage of the system is that it reflects the complex patterns of uptake, distribution, metabolism, detoxification and excretion that actually occur in the whole animal. This article provides a typical procedure and guidelines for conducting the rat in vivo hepatocyte DNA-repair assay.

A protocol and guide for the in vitro rat hepatocyte DNA-repair assay

The in vitro rat-hepatocyte DNA-repair assay is a valuable tool in assessing the genotoxic activity of chemical agents. An advantage of the assay is that the target cells themselves are metabolically competent, so that the patterns of metabolic activation and detoxification closely reflect those in the whole animal. This article provides a typical procedure and guidelines for conducting the rat in vitro hepatocyte DNA-repair assay.

Formaldehyde mutagenesis and formation of DNA-protein crosslinks in human lymphoblasts in vitro

Human lymphoblasts were exposed in vitro to various concentrations of formaldehyde (HCHO) in single and multiple treatment regimens to determine relative mutagenic efficiency. Single treatments of HCHO (0-150 microM X 2 h) resulted in a nonlinear increase in induced mutant fraction at the thymidine kinase locus with increasing slope at concentrations above 125 microM. Only HCHO exposures of 125 microM X 2 h or greater produced significant effects on the growth rate of the lymphoblasts. Cultures were also exposed to either three treatments of 50 microM X 2 h, five treatments of 30 microM X 2 h, or ten treatments of 15 microM X 2 h; multiple treatments were administered on different days. These multiple treatments resulted in increases in mutant fraction, although their combined effect was less than a single treatment of equivalent concentration X time (150 microM X 2 h). Exposure of lymphoblasts to four treatments of 150 microM X 2 h HCHO failed to induce mutations at the ouabain resistance locus. Cultures of lymphoblasts receiving a single treatment of HCHO (0-600 microM X 2 h) were analyzed by the alkaline elution technique to detect the presence of DNA-protein crosslinks. HCHO treatment resulted in a significant nonlinear increase in DNA-protein crosslinks at concentrations greater than 50 microM X 2 h, which correlated with the onset of significant toxicity in this cell line. Holding the culture for 24 h resulted in complete removal of the crosslinks. These data indicate that both the induction of mutations and the formation of DNA-protein crosslinks by HCHO are nonlinear functions in human lymphoblasts and occur at overlapping concentration ranges.

Assessment of the genotoxic effects of methyl chloride in human lymphoblasts

The activity of methyl chloride was measured in 4 genotoxicity assays. In an established human lymphoblast line, a 3-h treatment with 0-5% methyl chloride resulted in a dose-related increase in mutant fraction at the thymidine kinase locus and induction of sister-chromatid exchange. No increase in DNA damage, as measured by alkaline elution, was detected in the lymphoblasts at concentrations of methyl chloride shown to be mutagenic. Also, a concentration-related increase in 8-azaguanine-resistant fraction in Salmonella typhimurium was observed following a 3-h treatment with atmospheres containing 0-20% methyl chloride. Thus, methyl chloride is a weak, direct-acting mutagen for bacteria and human cells in culture.

The assessment of DNA damage and repair in rat nasal epithelial cells

A methodology for the isolation and culture of rat nasal turbinates was developed with the aim of studying chemically-induced genotoxic effects in the nasal epithelium. DNA damage, as assessed by alkaline elution, and unscheduled DNA synthesis, as measured by quantitative autoradiography, were observed in the cells of the respiratory and olfactory epithelium as a result of in vitro treatment with methyl methanesulfonate. The capacity of nasal epithelium to metabolize the promutagen dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) was demonstrated by the induction of both DNA strand breakage and the induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis. Although a response was observed in all of the epithelia examined, differences in response to DMN were observed that were not attributable to the differences in the cell types present (e.g., respiratory versus olfactory epithelium). The respiratory epithelial cells of the maxilloturbinate were found to be resistant to the induction of DNA damage at concentrations of 0.5 and 1.0 mM DMN, whereas the respiratory epithelial cells of the nasoturbinates were susceptible. In contrast, the response of the olfactory epithelium was similar to the response observed in the cells of the nasoturbinates. These techniques should prove valuable in assessing chemically-induced DNA damage and repair in this target tissue.

Lack of genotoxic activity of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) in rat and human hepatocytes

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is a widely used plasticizer which has been reported to induce a statistically significant increase in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas in female Fischer-344 rats (8/50) when administered in the diet at 12 000 p.p.m. for two years. Numerous studies with cells in culture have failed to show any genotoxic activity associated with DEHP. Because DEHP induces multiple changes in the liver, such as peroxisomal proliferation, it was possible that these alterations could result in genotoxic effects in the treated whole animal that would not be seen in cells in culture. Accordingly, the ability of DEHP to induce DNA damage or repair was examined in rat hepatocytes in vivo and in vitro and in human hepatocytes in vitro. Unscheduled DNA synthesis was measured by incorporation of [3H]thymidine into primary hepatocyte cultures immediately isolated from treated animals or hepatocyte cultures incubated directly with DEHP. DNA damage was measured by alkaline elution of cellular DNA from the same cultures. In vivo-in vitro treatment regimens were: (i) female rats, 12 000 p.p.m. DEHP in the diet for 30 days; (ii) female rats, 12 000 p.p.m. in the diet for 30 days, followed by 500 mg/kg DEHP by gavage 2 h before sacrifice; (iii) male rats, 500 mg/kg DEHP by gavage 2, 12, 24, or 48 h before sacrifice; and (iv) male rats, 150 mg/kg/day by gavage for 14 days. In vitro conditions were 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 mM DEHP in the cultures for 18 h. Primary cultures of human hepatocytes were prepared from freshly discarded surgical material and exposed to the same concentration of DEHP. Concentrations up to 0.5 mM mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, a principal metabolite of DEHP, were also examined in the human hepatocyte assay. No chemically induced DNA damage or repair was observed in vivo or in vitro in rat or human hepatocytes under any of the conditions employed. However, an increase in the percentage of cells in S-phase in the animals given DEHP was observed. These data indicate that DEHP does not exhibit direct genotoxic activity in the animals even with a treatment regimen which eventually produced tumors in a long term bioassay, and that both rat and human hepatocytes are similar in their lack of a genotoxic response to DEHP exposure in culture.

Measurement of genotoxic activity in multiple tissues following inhalation exposure to dimethylnitrosamine

Chemically-induced DNA repair was measured as unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in selected tissues isolated from rats following in vivo exposure to inhaled dimethylnitrosamine (DMN). UDS was evaluated in epithelial cells from rat nasal turbinates and trachea, in hepatocytes and in pachytene spermatocytes from the same treated animal. At nominal concentrations of 500 and 1000 ppm of DMN in air, chemically-induced DNA repair was observed in the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory system. DMN also entered the circulation, as evidenced by a strong DNA-repair response in hepatocytes. No DNA repair was observed in pachytene spermatocytes indicating either that DMN or its active metabolites did not reach the testes in sufficient concentration to induce DNA repair or that the testes lacked the capability to metabolically activate the compound. These results illustrate the potential of this approach to assess the organ-specific genotoxicity of environmental chemicals.