Effect of 'Pan Masala' on the germ cells of male mice

Smokeless tobacco (paan and gutkha) consumption, prevalence, and contribution to oral cancer

Smokeless tobacco consumption, which is widespread throughout the world, leads to oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), which is a long-lasting and devastating condition of the oral cavity with the potential for malignancy. In this review, we mainly focus on the consumption of smokeless tobacco, such as paan and gutkha, and the role of these substances in the induction of OSMF and ultimately oral cancer. The list of articles to be examined was established using citation discovery tools provided by PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The continuous chewing of paan and swallowing of gutkha trigger progressive fibrosis in submucosal tissue. Generally, OSMF occurs due to multiple risk factors, especially smokeless tobacco and its components, such as betel quid, areca nuts, and slaked lime, which are used in paan and gutkha. The incidence of oral cancer is higher in women than in men in South Asian countries. Human oral epithelium cells experience carcinogenic and genotoxic effects from the slaked lime present in the betel quid, with or without areca nut. Products such as 3-(methylnitrosamino)-proprionitrile, nitrosamines, and nicotine initiate the production of reactive oxygen species in smokeless tobacco, eventually leading to fibroblast, DNA, and RNA damage with carcinogenic effects in the mouth of tobacco consumers. The metabolic activation of nitrosamine in tobacco by cytochrome P450 enzymes may lead to the formation of N-nitrosonornicotine, a major carcinogen, and micronuclei, which are an indicator of genotoxicity. These effects lead to further DNA damage and, eventually, oral cancer.

Identification of secretaglobin Scgb2a1 as a target for developmental reprogramming by BPA in the rat prostate

Secretoglobins are a superfamily of secreted proteins thought to participate in inflammation, tissue repair, and tumorigenesis. Secretoglobin family 2A member 1 (Scgb2a1) is a component of prostatein, a major androgen-binding protein secreted by the rat prostate. Using a rat model for developmental reprogramming of susceptibility to prostate carcinogenesis, we identified, by RNA-seq, that Scgb2a1 is significantly upregulated (>100-fold) in the prostate of adult rats neonatally exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), with increased gene expression confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation for histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation. Bisulfite analysis of both CpG islands located within 10 kb of the Scgb2a1 promoter identified significant hypomethylation of the CpG island upstream of the transcription start site of this gene in the reprogrammed prostate. These data suggest that expression of Scgb2a1 in the adult prostate could be epigenetically reprogrammed by BPA exposure during prostate development, with potential implications for cancer risk and response to chemotherapeutics associated with prostatein binding.

Impact of gestational diabetes and lactational insulin replacement on structure and secretory function of offspring rat ventral prostate

Clinical and experimental studies have shown that exposure to adverse conditions during the critical stages of embryonic, fetal or neonatal development lead to a significantly increased risk of later disease. Diabetes during pregnancy has been linked to increased risk of obesity and diabetes in offspring. Here, we investigated whether mild gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) followed or not by maternal insulin replacement affects the ventral prostate (VP) structure and function in male offspring at puberty and adulthood. Pregnant rats were divided into the following 3 groups: control (CT); streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes (D); and D plus insulin replacement during lactation (GDI). The male offspring from different groups were euthanized at postnatal day (PND) 60 and 120. Biometrical parameters, hormonal levels and prostates were evaluated. Mild-GDM promoted reduction in the glandular parenchyma and increased collagen deposition. Insulin replacement during lactation restored the VP morphology. Most importantly, mild-GDM decreased the androgen-induced secretory function as determined by prostatein expression, and insulin replacement reversed this effect. Our results demonstrated that mild GDM impairs VP parenchyma maturation, which is associated with an increase in the fibromuscular stroma compartment. Functionally, the reduction in the VP parenchyma decreases the glandular secretory activity as demonstrated by low expression of prostatein, a potent immunosuppressor factor that protects sperm from immunologic damage into the feminine reproductive tract. This change could lead to impairment of reproductive function in male offspring from diabetic mothers. Maternal insulin replacement during the weaning period apparently restores the prostate function in male offspring.

Arecoline induces TNF-alpha production and Zonula Occludens-1 redistribution in mouse Sertoli TM4 cells

Background

Arecoline, a major alkaloid in Areca nut has the ability to induce oxidative stress. The effect of Areca nut, arecoline on reducing sperm quality and quantity were documented previously using several animal models. Junction disruption by down-regulation of the junction-adhesive protein via oxidative stress is an important route mediating abnormal spermatogenesis. Therefore, in this present study, we investigated the functional role of arecoline on junctional proteins.

Results

To analyze direct effects of arecoline on testis cells, confluent mouse testicular Sertoli cell line TM4 was exposed to arecoline. Arecoline decreased insoluble zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) protein expression in TM4 cells, however, arecoline treatment increased TNF-alpha production in both TM4 and monocytic THP1 cells. In addition, ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 reversed arecoline effects on TNF-alpha and ZO-1.

Conclusions

Arecoline increases the production of TNF-alpha and induces protein redistribution of ZO-1. All these results explain the role of arecoline in male reproductive dysfunction, besides its cytotoxic induction.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12929-014-0093-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Histological and ultrastructural studies on the toxic effect of pan masala and its amelioration by Elettaria cardamomum

AIM

To investigate the histological and ultrastructural changes observed in pan masala intoxicated mammalian testes under the effect of cardamom.

METHODS

Male Swiss mice were given pan masala orally at a dose of 2% of the feed and cardamom at a dose of 0.2% of the feed. They were divided into three groups, control (Group I), pan masala-treated (Group II), and a combination of pan masala and cardamom-treated group (Group III). Histologically, the testes of Group II mice displayed degeneration of tubular epithelium, disruption of spermatogenesis, and a marked reduction in germ cells.

RESULTS

When cardamom was given, damage was less with fewer distorted cells and also improvement with normal tubules and spermatid differentiation in Group III. Ultrastructurally, pan masala-treated testes showed cytoplasmic vacuolation, shrinkage and pyknotic nuclei of spermatogonia, and abnormal acrosomal granules.

CONCLUSION

When cardamom was given, the amelioration process was more evident showing a comparable morphology with control.

Tobacco and areca nut chewing--reproductive impairments: an overview

A large number of people are using smokeless tobacco and areca nut worldwide. Sufficient data on tobacco smoking have harmful effect on human health and reproduction is available. However, data on the smokeless tobacco and areca nut use on human reproduction is scanty. This overview is an attempt to compose on the consumption of smokeless tobacco and areca nut on human reproduction and some relevant experimental data were also included. The existing studies suggest that tobacco and areca nut chewing alone, together or with other ingredients had reproductive toxic potential. Pregnant women using smokeless tobacco during pregnancy also had adverse effect on pregnancy and its outcome. Thus pregnant women must avoid consumption of any mixture containing areca nut and tobacco in order to protect the pregnancy and outcome. The data suggest that smokeless tobacco use is also harmful as smoking for reproduction and use of areca nut might have further compounded the problem.

Panmasala chewing induces deterioration in oral health and its implications in carcinogenesis

ABSTRACT Panmasala containing tobacco was introduced in the Indian market during the 1970s. Panmasala consists of areca nut (betel nut), catechu, lime, cardamom, spices, and unspecified flavoring agents, etc., with tobacco locally known as gutkha or without tobacco (Plain or sada), and consumed abundantly in India and also other parts of the world, predominantly in South East Asian countries. Available studies demonstrate that the habits of chewing panmasala gutkha or plain by students and adolesescents are on the increase, which may lead to deterioration of oral health and other organ systems. Based on the experimental as well as clinical studies available on panmasala as well as on different components of panmasala, this review suggests that it has the potential in causation of various oral diseases such as Oral Sub Mucosis Fibrosis (OSMF) and leucoplakia which may lead to oral cancer. Studies reviewed on these chewing mixtures also reveal that it is likely to be carcinogenic, as tobacco and areca nut have carcinogenic potential and both have encompassing addictive potential leading to dependence on chewing mixture containing areca nut and tobacco. These mixtures might not only lead to cancer but may also affect other organs of the body, including oral hard tissues in the form of dental attrition and sensitivity. There is a need to consider the potential health hazards associated with the habits of these products, especially oral cancer. More research is needed to find out early changes which could be reversible and also intervention measures through education to desist people in indulging in such habits.

Alkaloids from areca (betel) nuts and their effects on human sperm motility in vitro

An improved high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was established to rapidly and simultaneously determine 3 main alkaloids (arecoline, arecaidine, and guvacine) in areca (betel) nuts (AN), and 12 AN samples from the main betel palm growing areas on the Chinese Mainland were collected and determined. Semen samples from acceptable volunteers were treated in vitro with different concentrations of the 3 alkaloids to evaluate the effects on sperm motility (SM). Highly motile spermatozoa were selected from the samples and divided into 5 equal fractions. Various concentrations of each alkaloid were added to 4 of the 5 fractions, and 1 fraction was used as a control. All fractions were incubated for 4 h. A computer-aided sperm analysis system was used to measure 5 SM parameters, motility, average path velocity, straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, linearity, and amplitude of lateral head displacement. The results showed that the contents of the amount of alkaloids in AN differed markedly in different places in China and were higher in the kernel than in the husk, and higher in dried AN than in fresh AN. Arecoline had the strongest reduction effect on human SM and the effect was strongly dose dependent. Arecaidine had a much weaker reduction effect than arecoline, and guvacine had the least reduction effect. These findings also demonstrate that betel quid could have adverse effects on the gonadal functions of betel quid consumers.

Reproductive toxic potential of panmasala in male Swiss albino mice

Some ingredients of panmasala have the ability to penetrate the blood-testis barrier but the reproductive toxic potential of panmasala has not been studied. This study is aimed to assess the possible damage caused by panmasala to male reproductive system in mice. Swiss albino male mice were randomly divided into 7 groups receiving either standard control diet or panmasala-containing diet. Three doses (0.5%, 1.5% and 3%) of panmasala plain (PMP) as well as panmasala with tobacco (PMT)—gutkha were given for a period of 6 months. Assessment of organ weight, sperm count and morphology, spermatid count, sperm production, testicular 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activity and histology were conducted. A nonsignificant decrease in absolute and relative weight of testis and epididymis was observed. Spermatid count, sperm count and production were significantly decreased and 17β-HSD activity was found considerably declined at 3% of both PMP- and PMT-treated groups as compared to control. The histological observations revealed panmasala induced testicular damage. Abnormal morphology of sperm head shape was significantly elevated in higher doses of both types of panmasala-treated groups than control. The results suggests that panmasala has reproductive toxic potential and more alteration is seen with gutkha as compared to panmasala plain, indicating that similar effects might also be possible in humans.

Increased waist size and weight in relation to consumption of Areca catechu (betel-nut); a risk factor for increased glycaemia in Asians in east London

Type 2 diabetes is commoner in Asians than Caucasians. Many nitrosamines are diabetogenic, causing both type 2 and type 1 diabetes. Of CD1 mice fed with betel-nut or associated nitrosamines 8.5% develop glucose intolerance with marked obesity. Glycaemia and anthropometric risk markers for type 2 diabetes were therefore examined in relation to betel usage in 993 'healthy' Bangladeshis by one bilingual research-worker (N.M.). Of these, 12% had known diabetes. A further 145 of 187 subjects 'at-risk' of diabetes (spot glucose > 6.5 mmol/l < 2 h after food, or > 4.5 mmol/l > 2 h after food) had a second blood glucose sample taken; sixty-one were confirmed as 'at-risk', and had an oral glucose tolerance test; nine new diabetics were identified. Multiple regression analysis showed that spot blood glucose values decreased with time after eating (P = 0.0005) and increased independently with waist size (P = 0.0005) and age (P = 0.0005) without relationships to other aspects of the diet, season or smoking. Waist size was strongly related to betel usage independent of other factors such as age. Betel use interacted with sex, relating to increasing glycaemia only in females. Since waist and age were the major markers of increasing glycaemia we suggest that betel chewing, a habit common to about 10% of the world population (more than 200 million people) may contribute to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Long-term carcinogenicity of pan masala in Swiss mice

Carcinogenicity of pan masala, a dry powdered chewing mixture of areca nut, catechu, lime, spices and flavoring agents was evaluated by means of the long-term animal bio-assay 6- to 7-week old male and female S/RVCri mice were divided randomly into intermediate and lifetime exposure groups and fed normal diet without pan masala-(zero dose) or diet containing 2.5% and 5% pan masala. Animals in the intermediate-exposure group (n = 10/gender/dose group) were killed after 6, 12 or 18 months of treatment, while those in the lifetime-exposure group (n = 54/gender/dose group) were killed when moribund or at the termination of the experiment at 24 months. Several tissues were processed for histopathological examination. The body weight and survival rate of mice fed pan masala were lower than that of the controls. Histopathological observations of tissues from control animals did not reveal any neoplastic alterations. However, lifetime feeding of pan masala induced adenoma of the liver, stomach, prostate and sebaceous glands, also forestomach papilloma, liver hamartoma, hepatoma and hemangioma, carcinoma of the forestomach, adenocarcinoma of the lung and liver, and testicular lymphoma. Neoplastic lesions appeared mainly in the liver (n = 13), stomach (n = 3) and lung (n = 8). Lung adenocarcinoma, the most frequent malignant tumor type, was observed in 2/120 mice in the intermediate-exposure group and in 8/216 animals in the lifetime-exposure group. Statistical analysis of tumor-induction data revealed a significant dose-related increase in lung adenocarcinomas but not in liver and stomach neoplasms indicating that lung is the major target tissue for the carcinogenic action of pan masala.

Evaluation of carcinogenic/co-carcinogenic activity of a common chewing product, pan masala, in mouse skin, stomach and esophagus

Pan masala, a dry powdered mixture of areca nut, catechu, lime, unspecified spices and flavoring agents, has gained widespread popularity as a chewing substitute in India. In this study, the carcinogenic and tumor-promoting potential of an ethanolic pan masala extract (EPME) was determined using skin of S/RVCri-ba mice and forestomach and esophagus of ICRC mice as the target tissues. Carcinogenic activity of pan masala was tested by painting the mouse skin for 40 weeks with EPME or by gavage feeding for 6 months. Following initiation with 9,10-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA), carcinogenesis of mouse skin was promoted with different doses of EPME, while gastric- and esophageal-tumor-promoting activity was determined by administering EPME by gavage to animals initiated with diethylnitrosamine (DEN). The ability of EPME to effect progression of skin papilloma to carcinoma and cutaneous alterations after a single or multiple EPME treatment were also evaluated. EPME at 25 mg per dose promoted skin-papilloma formation between 30 and 40 weeks of treatment and enhanced the rate of conversion of papilloma to carcinoma. Induction of mild epidermal hyperplasia, dermal edema, increase in epidermal mitotic activity and the rate of epidermal and dermal DNA synthesis by EPME correlated well with its skin-tumor-promoting potential. In ICRC mice, EPME was inactive as a complete carcinogen, but effectively promoted the development of forestomach and esophageal papilloma and carcinoma in a concentration-dependent manner. The tumor incidence at 25 mg EPME per dose was comparable with that obtained in the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate(TPA)-treated group. The findings indicate that habitual pan-masala use may exert carcinogenic and co-carcinogenic influence.

A comparative clinico-pathological study of oral submucous fibrosis in habitual chewers of pan masala and betelquid

BACKGROUND

Oral submucous fibrosis associated with chewing of betel nut products has an estimated prevalence of 0.2-1.2% in India. The increasing use of pan masala/gutkha, a mix of tobacco and a less moist form of betelquid lacking the betel leaf, seems associated with an earlier age of onset of oral submucous fibrosis.

METHOD

A prospective study examined the in vivo effects of pan masala/gutkha and betelquid chewing on buccal mucosal cytology in 50 patients with oral submucous fibrosis and 40 controls.

RESULTS

The percentage of nucleolated intermediate cells or proliferative fraction of buccal mucosa cells was significantly higher in all habitual chewers than controls. Pan masala/gutkha chewers presented with oral submucous fibrosis after 2.7 +/- 0.6 y of use whereas the betelquid users presented with oral submucous fibrosis reported 8.6 +/- 2.3 y of use (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Habitual chewing of pan masala/gutkha is associated with earlier presentation of oral submucous fibrosis than betelquid use. Factors which may be responsible for these differences are the tobacco content, the absence of the betel leaf and its carotenes and the much higher dry weight of pan masala/gutkha.

Cyclophosphamide: review of its mutagenicity for an assessment of potential germ cell risks

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is used to treat a wide range of neoplastic diseases as well as some non-malignant ones such as rheumatoid arthritis. It is also used as an immunosuppressive agent prior to organ transplantation. CP is, however, a known carcinogen in humans and produces secondary tumors. There is little absorption either orally or intravenously and 10% of the drug is excreted unchanged. CP is activated by hepatic mixed function oxidases and metabolites are delivered to neoplastic cells via the bloodstream. Phosphoramide mustard is thought to be the major anti-neoplastic metabolite of CP while acrolein, which is highly toxic and is produced in equimolar amounts, is thought to be responsible for most of the toxic side effects. DNA adducts have been formed after CP treatment in a variety of in vitro systems as well as in rats and mice using 3H-labeled CP. 32P-postlabeling techniques have also been used in mice. However, monitoring of adducts in humans has not yet been carried out. CP has also been shown to induce unscheduled DNA synthesis in a human cell line. CP has produced mutations in base-pair substituting strains of Salmonella tryphimurium in the presence of metabolic activation, but it has been shown to be negative in the E. coli chromotest. It has also been shown to be positive in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in D7 strain for many endpoints but negative in D62.M for aneuploidy/malsegregation. It has produced positive responses in Drosophila melanogaster for various endpoints and in Anopheles stephensi. In somatic cells, CP has been shown to produce gene mutations, chromosome aberrations, micronuclei and sister chromatid exchanges in a variety of cultured cells in the presence of metabolic activation as well as sister chromatid exchanges without metabolic activation. It has also produced chromosome damage and micronuclei in rats, mice and Chinese hamsters, and gene mutations in the mouse spot test and in the transgenic lacZ construct of Muta Mouse. Increases in chromosome damage and gene mutations have been found in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of nurses, pharmacists and female workers occupationally exposured to CP during its production or distribution. Chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges and gene mutations have been observed in somatic cells of patients treated therapeutically with CP. In general, there is a maximum dose and an optimum time for the detection of genetic effects because the toxicity associated with high doses of CP will affect cell division. In germ cells, CP has been shown to induce genetic damage in mice, rats and hamsters although the vast majority of such studies have used male mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Pan masala--a genotoxic menace

Cytogenetic markers such as chromosome aberration (CA), sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleated cells (MNC) were used to assess the genotoxic potential of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) extract of pan masala with and without tobacco (PM-T and PM). Using in vitro short-term assays, the extracts were tested in the presence or absence of metabolic activation. In cultures without metabolic activation the extracts were found to increase the frequency of all the three parameters tested significantly, however those with activation elicited a weak response, implying that pan masalas contain solvent (DMSO)-soluble direct-acting mutagen.

Betel nut (Areca catechu) consumption and the induction of glucose intolerance in adult CD1 mice and in their F1 and F2 offspring

Many mutagenic nitroso compounds are also diabetogenic. Betel-nut (Areca catechu) chewing populations have an increased incidence of foregut cancers related to betel-nut nitrosamines which suggests that betel consumption could be diabetogenic. Young adult CD1 mice with a low spontaneous incidence of diabetes were fed betel nut in standard feed for 2-6 days. Single point (90 min) intra-peritoneal glucose tolerance tests were used to follow glucose tolerance up to 6 months of age. Glucose intolerance was defined as over 3 SD above mean control values. Glucose intolerance was found in 3 of 51 male and 4 of 33 female adult mice which were fed the betel diet (p < 0.01). Studies on the progeny of these mice are presented separately for animals studied in Aberdeen (Group 1) and London (Group 2). In matings of Group 1 betel-fed parents glucose intolerance was found in 4 of 25 male and 1 of 22 female F1 offspring, with significant hyperglycaemia in F1 males born to hyperglycaemic but not to normoglycaemic mothers (p < 0.01). In the F2 generation 4 of 23 males and 1 of 16 females and in the F3 generation 1 of 16 males and 0 of 20 females were glucose intolerant. In the Group 2 studies where betel-fed parents were mated to normal controls glucose intolerance was found in 10 of 35 male and 10 of 33 female F1 progeny (p < 0.005), and mean islet areas were increased in offspring of betel-fed parents (p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chromosome damaging effects of pan masala

Effects of aqueous extracts of a popular brand of pan masala with and without tobacco (PM-T and PM) were studied for short duration treatment employing an in vitro system. Metabolic activation with S9 mix was also included. Frequency of all the three cytogenetic endpoints viz., chromosome aberration (CA); sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and % micronucleated cells (% MNC) were found to be elevated significantly in a dose-dependent manner in cultures without metabolic activation. However, addition of S9 activation system resulted in suppression of chromosomal damage. Our findings indicate that pan masalas contain water soluble direct acting mutagens.

Evaluation of pan masala for toxic effects on liver and other organs

The acute and chronic oral toxicity of pan masala (betel quid without betel leaf) was assessed in gavage studies in rats. Clinical parameters (liver and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and alkaline phosphatase) and organ weights were measured. The results indicate that chronic feeding of pan masala impaired liver function, as indicated by changes in enzyme activity, and decreased relative weights of the gonads and brain.