Mucosal damage and γ-H2AX formation in the rat urinary bladder induced by aromatic amines with structures similar to o-toluidine and o-anisidine

Although aromatic amines are widely used as raw materials for dyes, some, such as o-toluidine and o-anisidine, have shown concerning results regarding carcinogenicity in the urinary bladder. We have recently developed a short-term detection method for bladder carcinogens using immunohistochemistry for γ-H2AX, a DNA damage marker. Here, using this method, we evaluated aromatic amines with structures similar to o-toluidine and o-anisidine for bladder mucosal damage and potential carcinogenicity. In total, 17 aromatic amines were orally administered to male F344 rats for 28 days, and histopathological examination and γ-H2AX immunostaining of the urinary bladder were performed. Histopathological analysis revealed that seven aromatic amines, including 4-chloro-o-toluidine (4-CT), o-aminoazotoluene, 2-aminobenzyl alcohol (ABA), o-acetotoluidine (o-AT), 3,3'-dimethoxybenzidine, 4-aminoazobenzene (AAB), and 4,4'-methylenedianiline (MDA), induced various bladder lesions, such as hemorrhage, necrosis, and urothelial hyperplasia. The morphological characteristics of mucosal damage induced by these substances were divided into two major types: those resembling o-toluidine and those resembling o-anisidine. Six of these aromatic amines, excluding MDA, also caused significant increases in γ-H2AX formation in the bladder urothelium. Interestingly, 4-CT did not cause mucosal damage or γ-H2AX formation at the lower dose applied in previous carcinogenicity studies. These results showed for the first time that o-AT and ABA, metabolites of o-toluidine, as well as AAB caused damage to the bladder mucosa and suggested that they may be bladder carcinogens. In addition, 4-CT, which was thought to be a noncarcinogen, was found to exhibit bladder toxicity upon exposure to high doses, indicating that this compound may contribute to bladder carcinogenesis.

Genotoxic and carcinogenic products arising from reductive transformations of the azo dye, Disperse Yellow 7

Selected aromatic azo and benzidine based dyes are priority compounds under the Government of Canada's Chemical Management Plan (CMP) for environmental risk assessments. Organic compounds undergo chemical and biological transformations when they interact with environmental matrices and biotic species; identifying the transformation products is thus a critical component of the risk assessment process. Here, we used zero valent iron (ZVI) to initiate the reduction of the diazo compound dye Disperse Yellow 7 (DY 7). Using state-of-the-art accurate mass Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time of Flight-Mass Spectroscopy (LC-QToF-MS), four transformation products were conclusively identified, while a fifth product was tentatively ascertained. The conclusively established transformation products included p-phenylenediamine (p-PDA, a known genotoxin), 4-aminoazobenzene (4-AAB, a category 2 carcinogen) and 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP, a category 1 human carcinogen). 4-ABP is thought to form via a benzidine rearrangement; this is the first report of DY 7 undergoing a benzidine rearrangement. Given the importance of reduction processes in the metabolism of organic contaminants by aquatic species, we used LC-MS/MS to analyze sediment samples that had been generated previously upon exposure of Western clawed frogs (Silurana tropicalis) to DY 7 (at exposure levels where cellular stress was observed in S. tropicalis). We found p-PDA, 4-AAB, and 4-ABP were present in all exposures, but not in any of the sediment controls, demonstrating that upon release of DY 7 to the aquatic environment, sediment dwelling organisms will metabolize DY 7 to generate known (and suspected) human carcinogens, including through a previously unreported in vivo benzidine rearrangement to produce 4-ABP.

Quantitative correlation with carcinogenic potency of different short term tests

The following short term parameters evaluating essentially genotoxic effects were considered: liver DNA alkaline fragmentation (DFI), morphological transformation in hamster embryo cells (TPI), and mutagenicity in the Ames' test (MPI). The internal consistency of the carcinogenicity data (OPI) was rather high (r approximately or equal to 0.8). The correlation with OPI of DFI and MPI was statistically significant but rather modest, about 0.4-0.5. The best correlation between OPI and TPI was 0.65. This level of correlation was observed only when some kind of dose-response relationship for transformation could be established. When comparisons were attempted for exactly the same 27 compounds for all three tests, a general decrease in predictability was observed. This could be mainly due to problems of representation of the ideal population of chemicals using small samples. The more general problem of the quantitative approach to the predictability of short term tests was also discussed.

Lack of carcinogenicity in mice of 4,4-'diaminobenzanilide and 4,4'-diaminoazobenzene, two intermediates used in the manufacture of azo dyes

4,4'-Diaminobenzanilide and 4,4'-diaminoazobenzene were administered in the diet to BALB/c mice at 100, 300 and 600 ppm dose levels for 60 weeks. The animals were kept under observation until 140 weeks of age when the experiment was terminated. Control and treated groups developed the pattern of tumours usually observed in BALB/c mice. No tumour type at any site was related to treatment.