Toxicity and carcinogenicity study in F344 rats following 2 years of whole-body exposure to naphthalene vapors

Impact of Aging and Ergothioneine Pre-treatment on Naphthalene Toxicity in Lung

Aging increases susceptibility to lung disease, but the topic is understudied, especially in relation to environmental exposures with the bulk of rodent studies using young adults. This study aims to define the pulmonary toxicity of naphthalene (NA) and the impacts of a dietary antioxidant, ergothioneine (ET), in the liver and lungs of middle-aged mice. NA causes a well-characterized pattern of conducting airway epithelial injury in the lung in young adult mice, but NA's toxicity has not been characterized in middle-aged mice, aged 1 - 1.5 years. ET is a dietary antioxidant that is synthesized by bacteria and fungi. The ET transporter (ETT), SLC22A4, is upregulated in tissues that experience high levels of oxidative stress. In this study, middle-aged male and female C57BL/6J mice, maintained on an ET-free synthetic diet from conception, were gavaged with 70mg/kg of ET for five consecutive days. On day 8, the mice were exposed to a single intraperitoneal NA dose of 50, 100, 150, or 200mg/kg. At 24hours post NA injection samples were collected and analyzed for ET concentration and reduced (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) concentrations. Histopathology, morphometry, and gene expression were examined. Histopathology of mice exposed to 100mg/kg of NA suggests reduction in toxicity in the terminal airways of both male (p ≤ 0.001) and female (p ≤ 0.05) middle-aged mice by the ET pretreatment. Our findings in this study are the first to document the toxicity of NA in middle-aged mice and show some efficacy of ET in reducing NA toxicity.

Pathogenesis of chemically induced nasal cavity tumors in rodents: contribution to adverse outcome pathway

The pathogenesis of nasal cavity tumors induced in rodents has been critically reviewed. Chemical substances that induce nasal cavity tumors in rats, mice, and hamsters were searched in the National Toxicology Program (NTP), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and Japan Bioassay Research Center (JBRC) databases, in addition to PubMed. Detailed data such as animal species, administration routes, and histopathological types were extracted for induced nasal cavity tumors. Data on non-neoplastic lesions were also extracted. The relationship between the tumor type and non-neoplastic lesions at equivalent sites was analyzed to evaluate tumor pathogenesis. Genotoxicity data were also analyzed. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent lesion, regardless of the dosing route, and its precursor lesions were squamous metaplasia and/or respiratory epithelial hyperplasia, similar to squamous cell papilloma. The precursor lesions of adenocarcinoma, the second most frequent tumor type, were mainly olfactory epithelial hyperplasia, whereas those of adenoma were respiratory epithelial lesions. These pathways were consistent among species. Our results suggest that the responsible lesions may be commonly linked with chemically-induced cytotoxicity in each tumor type, irrespective of genotoxicity, and that the pathways may largely overlap between genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogens. These findings may support the documentation of adverse outcome pathways (AOPs), such as cytotoxicity, leading to nasal cavity tumors and the integrated approaches to testing and assessment (IATA) for non-genotoxic carcinogens.

Genotoxicity assessment in HepaRG™ cells as a new approach methodology follow up to a positive response in the human TK6 cell micronucleus assay: Naphthalene case study

We are evaluating the use of metabolically competent HepaRG™ cells combined with CometChip® for DNA damage and the micronucleus (MN) assay as a New Approach Methodology (NAM) alternative to animals for follow up genotoxicity assessment to in vitro positive genotoxic response. Naphthalene is genotoxic in human TK6 cells inducing a nonlinear dose-response for the induction of micronuclei in the presence of rat liver S9. of naphthalene. In HepaRG™ cells, naphthalene genotoxicity was assessed using either 6 (CometChip™) or 12 concentrations of naphthalene (MN assay) with the top dose used for assessment of genotoxicity for the Comet and MN assay was 1.25 and 1.74 mM respectively, corresponding to approximately 45% cell survival. In contrast to human TK6 cell with S9, naphthalene was not genotoxic in either the HepaRG™ MN assay or the Comet assay using CometChip®. The lack of genotoxicity in both the MN and comet assays in HepaRG™ cells is likely due to Phase II enzymes removing phenols preventing further bioactivation to quinones and efficient detoxication of naphthalene quinones or epoxides by glutathione conjugation. In contrast to CYP450 mediated metabolism, these Phase II enzymes are inactive in rat liver S9 due to lack of appropriate cofactors causing a positive genotoxic response. Rat liver S9-derived BMD10 over-predicts naphthalene genotoxicity when compared to the negative genotoxic response observed in HepaRG™ cells. Metabolically competent hepatocyte models like HepaRG™ cells should be considered as human-relevant NAMs for use genotoxicity assessments to reduce reliance on rodents.

Associations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure and its interaction with XRCC1 genetic polymorphism with lung cancer: A case-control study

Humans are extensively exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) daily via multiple pathways. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that occupational exposure to PAHs increases the risk of lung cancer, but related studies in the general population are limited. Hence, we conducted a case-control study among the Chinese general population to investigate the associations between PAHs exposure and lung cancer risk and analyze the modifications of genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes. In this study, we enrolled 122 lung cancer cases and 244 healthy controls in Wuhan, China. Urinary PAHs metabolites were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and rs25487 in X-ray repair cross-complementation 1 (XRCC1) gene was genotyped by the Agena Bioscience MassARRAY System. Then, multivariable logistic regression models were performed to estimate the potential associations. We found that urinary hydroxynaphthalene (OH-Nap), hydroxyphenanthrene (OH-Phe) and the sum of hydroxy PAHs (∑OH-PAHs) levels were significantly higher in lung cancer cases than those in controls. After adjusting for gender, age, BMI, smoking status, smoking pack-years, drinking status and family history, urinary ∑OH-Nap and ∑OH-Phe levels were positively associated with lung cancer risk, with dose-response relationships. Compared with those in the lowest tertiles, individuals in the highest tertiles of ∑OH-Nap and ∑OH-Phe had a 2.13-fold (95% CI: 1.10, 4.09) and 2.45-fold (95% CI: 1.23, 4.87) increased risk of lung cancer, respectively. Effects of gender, age, smoking status and smoking pack-years on the associations of PAHs exposure with lung cancer risk were shown in the subgroup analysis. Furthermore, associations of urinary ∑OH-Nap and ∑OH-PAHs levels with lung cancer risk were modified by XRCC1 rs25487 (P_interaction ≤ 0.025), and were more pronounced in wild-types of rs25487. These findings suggest that environmental exposure to naphthalene and phenanthrene is associated with increased lung cancer risk, and polymorphism of XRCC1 rs25487 might modify the naphthalene exposure-related lung cancer effect.

A Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model for Naphthalene With Inhalation and Skin Routes of Exposure

Naphthalene, a volatile organic compound present in moth repellants and petroleum-based fuels, has been shown to induce toxicity in mice and rats during chronic inhalation exposures. Although simpler default methods exist for extrapolating toxicity points of departure from animals to humans, using a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to perform such extrapolations is generally preferred. Confidence in PBPK models increases when they have been validated using both animal and human in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) data. A published inhalation PBPK model for naphthalene was previously shown to predict rodent PK data well, so we sought to evaluate this model using human PK data. The most reliable human data available come from a controlled skin exposure study, but the inhalation PBPK model does not include a skin exposure route; therefore, we extended the model by incorporating compartments representing the stratum corneum and the viable epidermis and parameters that determine absorption and rate of transport through the skin. The human data revealed measurable blood concentrations of naphthalene present in the subjects prior to skin exposure, so we also introduced a continuous dose-rate parameter to account for these baseline blood concentration levels. We calibrated the three new parameters in the modified PBPK model using data from the controlled skin exposure study but did not modify values for any other parameters. Model predictions then fell within a factor of 2 of most (96%) of the human PK observations, demonstrating that this model can accurately predict internal doses of naphthalene and is thus a viable tool for use in human health risk assessment.

Contribution of Pulmonary CYP-mediated Bioactivation of Naphthalene to Airway Epithelial Injury in the Lung

Previous studies have established that cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) in both liver and lung are capable of bioactivating naphthalene (NA), an omnipresent air pollutant and possible human carcinogen, in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to examine the specific contribution of pulmonary CYPs in airway epithelial cells to NA-induced airway toxicity. We used a lung-Cpr-null mouse model, which undergoes doxycycline-induced, Cre-mediated deletion of the Cpr (a redox partner of all microsomal CYPs) gene specifically in airway epithelial cells. In 2-month-old lung-Cpr-null mice, Cpr deletion occurred in 75%-82% of epithelial cells of conducting airways. The extent of NA-induced acute lung toxicity (as indicated by total protein concentration and lactate dehydrogenase activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid collected at 24-h after initiation of a 4-h, nose-only, 10-ppm NA inhalation exposure) was substantially lower (by 37%-39%) in lung-Cpr-null mice, compared with control littermates. Moreover, the extent of cellular proliferation (as indicated by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation) was noticeably lower in both proximal and distal airways (by 59% and 65%, respectively) of NA-treated lung-Cpr-null mice, compared with control littermates, at 2-day post-NA inhalation exposure. A similar genotype-related difference in the extent of postexposure cell proliferation was also observed in mice exposed to NA via intraperitoneal injection at 200 mg/kg. These results directly validate the hypothesis that microsomal CYP enzymes in airway epithelial cells play a large role in causing injury to airway epithelia following exposure to NA via either inhalation or intraperitoneal route.

Health Effects of Naphthalene Exposure: A Systematic Evidence Map and Analysis of Potential Considerations for Dose-Response Evaluation

BACKGROUND

Naphthalene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that has been associated with health effects, including cancer. As the state of the science on naphthalene toxicity continues to evolve, updated toxicity reference value(s) may be required to support human health risk assessment.

OBJECTIVES

We present a systematic evidence map of studies that could be used to derive toxicity reference value(s) for naphthalene.

METHODS

Human and animal health effect studies and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models were identified from a literature search based on populations, exposures, comparators, and outcomes (PECO) criteria. Human and animal studies meeting PECO criteria were refined to a smaller subset considered most informative for deriving chronic reference value(s), which are preferred for assessing risk to the general public. This subset was evaluated for risk of bias and sensitivity, and the suitability of each study for dose-response analysis was qualitatively assessed. Lowest observed adverse effect levels (LOAELs) were extracted and summarized. Other potentially relevant studies (e.g., mechanistic and toxicokinetic studies) were tracked as supplemental information but not evaluated further. Existing reference values for naphthalene are also summarized.

RESULTS

We identified 26 epidemiology studies and 16 animal studies that were considered most informative for further analysis. Eleven PBPK models were identified. The available epidemiology studies generally had significant risk of bias and/or sensitivity concerns and were mostly found to have low suitability for dose-response analysis due to the nature of the exposure measurements. The animal studies had fewer risk of bias and sensitivity concerns and were mostly found to be suitable for dose-response analysis.

CONCLUSION

Although both epidemiological and animal studies of naphthalene provide weight of evidence for hazard identification, the available animal studies appear more suitable for reference value derivation. PBPK models and mechanistic and toxicokinetic data can be applied to extrapolate these animal data to humans, considering mode of action and interspecies metabolic differences. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7381.

Metabolism and Lung Toxicity of Inhaled Naphthalene: Effects of Postnatal Age and Sex

Human exposure to naphthalene (NA), an acute lung toxicant and possible human carcinogen, is primarily through inhalation. Acute lung toxicity and carcinogenesis are thought to be related because the target sites for both are similar. To understand susceptibility of the developing lung to cytotoxicity of inhaled NA, we exposed neonatal (7 days), juvenile (3 weeks), and adult mice to 5 or 10 ppm NA vapor for 4 h. We measured vacuolated airway epithelium morphometrically, quantified NA and NA-glutathione levels in plasma and lung, and quantified gene expression in microdissected airways. NA inhalation caused airway epithelial cytotoxicity at all ages, in both sexes. Contrary to a previous study that showed the greatest airway epithelial cytotoxicity in neonatal mice following intraperitoneal NA injection, we observed the most extensive airway epithelial toxicity in older, juvenile, animals exposed to NA by inhalation. Juvenile female animals were the most susceptible. Furthermore, NA inhalation in juvenile animals resulted in damage to conducting airway Club cells that was greater in proximal versus distal airways. We also found NA tissue burden and metabolism differed by age. Gene expression pathway analysis was consistent with the premise that female juvenile mice are more predisposed to damage; DNA damage and cancer pathways were upregulated. Our data demonstrate special susceptibility of young, juvenile mice to NA inhalation-induced cytotoxicity, highlight the importance of route of exposure and airway location in toxicity of chemicals in the developing lung, and provide metabolic and molecular insights for further identification of mechanisms underlying age and sex differences in NA toxicity.

Toxicokinetic Interaction between Hepatic Disposition and Pulmonary Bioactivation of Inhaled Naphthalene Studied Using Cyp2abfgs-Null and CYP2A13/2F1-Humanized Mice with Deficient Hepatic Cytochrome P450 Activity

Previous studies using Cyp2abfgs-null (lacking all genes of the Cyp2a, 2b, 2f, 2g, and 2s subfamilies), CYP2A13/2F1-humanized, and liver-Cpr-null (LCN) mice showed that although hepatic cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes are essential for systemic clearance of inhaled naphthalene (a possible human carcinogen), both hepatic and extrahepatic P450 enzymes may contribute to naphthalene-induced lung toxicity via bioactivation. Herein, we aimed to further understand the toxicokinetics of inhaled naphthalene in order to provide a basis for predicting the effects of variations in rates of xenobiotic disposition on the extent of target tissue bioactivation. We assessed the impact of a hepatic deficit in naphthalene metabolism on the toxicokinetics of inhaled naphthalene using newly generated Cyp2abfgs-null-and-LCN and CYP2A13/2F1-humanized-and-LCN mice. We determined plasma, lung, and liver levels of naphthalene and naphthalene-glutathione conjugate, a biomarker of naphthalene bioactivation, over time after naphthalene inhalation. We found that the loss of hepatic naphthalene metabolism severely decreased naphthalene systemic clearance and caused naphthalene to accumulate in the liver and other tissues. Naphthalene release from tissue, as evidenced by the continued increase in plasma naphthalene levels after termination of active inhalation exposure, was accompanied by prolonged bioactivation of naphthalene in the lung. In addition, transgenic expression of human CYP2A13/2F1 in the respiratory tract caused a reduction in plasma naphthalene levels (by 40%, relative to Cyp2abfgs-null-and-LCN mice) and corresponding decreases in naphthalene-glutathione levels in the lung in mice with hepatic P450 deficiency, despite the increase in local naphthalene-bioactivating P450 activity. Thus, the bioavailability of naphthalene in the target tissue has a significant effect on the extent of naphthalene bioactivation in the lung. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: In this study, we report several novel findings related to the toxicokinetics of inhaled naphthalene, the ability of which to cause lung carcinogenesis in humans is a current topic for risk assessment. We show the accumulation of naphthalene in the liver and lung in mice with compromised hepatic cytochrome P450 (P450) activity; the ability of tissue-stored naphthalene to redistribute to the circulation after termination of active inhalation exposure, prolonging exposure of target tissues to naphthalene; and the ability of non-CYP2ABFGS enzymes of the lung to bioactivate naphthalene. These results suggest potentially large effects of deficiencies in hepatic P450 activity on naphthalene tissue burden and bioactivation in human lungs.

Naphthalene genotoxicity: DNA adducts in primate and mouse airway explants

Naphthalene (NA) is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and possible human carcinogen that forms tumors in rodents with tissue/regional and species selectivity. This study seeks to determine whether NA is able to directly adduct DNA in an ex vivo culture system. Metabolically active lung tissue was isolated and incubated in explant culture with carbon-14 labeled NA (0, 25, 250 μM) or 1,2-naphthoquinone (NQ), followed by AMS analyses of metabolite binding to DNA. Despite relatively low metabolic bioactivation in the primate airway, dose-dependent NA-DNA adduct formation was detected. More airway adducts were detected in female mice (4.7-fold) and primates (2.1-fold) than in males of the same species. Few adducts were detected in rat airway or nasal epithelium. NQ, which is a metabolic product of NA, proved to be even more potent, with levels of adduct formation 70-80-fold higher than seen when tissues were incubated with the parent compound NA. This is the first study to demonstrate NA-DNA adduct formation at a site of carcinogenesis, the mouse lung. Adducts were also detected in non-human primate lung and with a NQ metabolite of NA. Taken together, this suggests that NA may contribute to in vivo carcinogenesis through a genotoxic mechanism.

Naphthalene DNA Adduct Formation and Tolerance in the Lung

Naphthalene (NA) is a respiratory toxicant and possible human carcinogen. NA is a ubiquitous combustion product and significant component of jet fuel. The National Toxicology Program found that NA forms tumors in two species, in rats (nose) and mice (lung). However, it has been argued that NA does not pose a cancer risk to humans because NA is bioactivated by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase enzymes that have very high efficiency in the lung tissue of rodents but low efficiency in the lung tissue of humans. It is thought that NA carcinogenesis in rodents is related to repeated cycles of lung epithelial injury and repair, an indirect mechanism. Repeated in vivo exposure to NA leads to development of tolerance, with the emergence of cells more resistant to NA insult. We tested the hypothesis that tolerance involves reduced susceptibility to the formation of NA-DNA adducts. NA-DNA adduct formation in tolerant mice was examined in individual, metabolically-active mouse airways exposed ex vivo to 250 μΜ 14C-NA. Ex vivo dosing was used since it had been done previously and the act of creating a radioactive aerosol of a potential carcinogen posed too many safety and regulatory obstacles. Following extensive rinsing to remove unbound 14C-NA, DNA was extracted and 14C-NA-DNA adducts were quantified by AMS. The tolerant mice appeared to have slightly lower NA-DNA adduct levels than non-tolerant controls, but intra-group variations were large and the difference was statistically insignificant. It appears the tolerance may be more related to other mechanisms, such as NA-protein interactions in the airway, than DNA-adduct formation.

Periodic characterization of alkyl-naphthalenes in stack gas and ambient air around a medical waste incinerator

Due to the subtle occurrence of environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) pollution from incinerators, it is seldom considered a significant source of PAH pollution. However, considering the recent build-up of toxics in urban air, this may be a serious concern around the incinerator vicinity due to the potential consequences of PAHs on human health. Hence, this study determined 11 alkyl-naphthalene contributions from a hospital waste incinerator (HWI_0) into ambient air receptor points (HWI_1 to HWI_5) for a 1-year period: June 2014-May 2015. The HWI_0 and ambient gases were sampled using filter-sorbent sampling system and polyurethane foam (PUF) passive samplers, respectively, and all alkyl-naphthalenes were determined using GC-MS. Results showed that the source concentrations were in the range of 0-14.0 ng/m³ and generally higher than the receptor points. The receptor point concentration trends were mainly HWI_1 > HWI_2 ≥ HWI_3 ≥ HWI_5 ≥ HWI_4. Multivariate receptor model analysis suggested high correlations between source and the receptor points though there might be some significant contributions from other emission sources. The average monthly concentrations (∑alkyl-naphthalene) at HWI_0 and the receptors HWI_1, HWI_2, HWI_3, HWI_4 and HWI_5 were 67.4 ± 24.3, 57.9 ± 20.1, 42.8 ± 16.9, 39.7 ± 12.2, 36.5 ± 22.2 and 37.8 ± 15.4 ng/m³, respectively. Though these concentrations were lower than the estimated minimal risk level (MRL) for chronic inhalation exposure to naphthalene and its derivatives 0.003 mg/m³, continuous exposure to these pollutants might result in chronic effects. Finally, this study may be used to evaluate the environmental contribution of alkyl-naphthalenes from typical medical waste incinerator in Nigeria.

Do 16 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Represent PAH Air Toxicity?

Estimation of carcinogenic potency based on analysis of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ranked by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the most popular approach within scientific and environmental air quality management communities. The majority of PAH monitoring projects have been focused on particle-bound PAHs, ignoring the contribution of gas-phase PAHs to the toxicity of PAH mixtures in air samples. In this study, we analyzed the results of 13 projects in which 88 PAHs in both gas and particle phases were collected from different sources (biomass burning, mining operation, and vehicle emissions), as well as in urban air. The aim was to investigate whether 16 particle-bound U.S. EPA priority PAHs adequately represented health risks of inhalation exposure to atmospheric PAH mixtures. PAH concentrations were converted to benzo(a)pyrene-equivalent (BaPeq) toxicity using the toxic equivalency factor (TEF) approach. TEFs of PAH compounds for which such data is not available were estimated using TEFs of close isomers. Total BaPeq toxicities (∑88BaPeq) of gas- and particle-phase PAHs were compared with BaPeq toxicities calculated for the 16 particle-phase EPA PAH (∑16EPABaPeq). The results showed that 16 EPA particle-bound PAHs underrepresented the carcinogenic potency on average by 85.6% relative to the total (gas and particle) BaPeq toxicity of 88 PAHs. Gas-phase PAHs, like methylnaphthalenes, may contribute up to 30% of ∑88BaPeq. Accounting for other individual non-EPA PAHs (i.e., benzo(e)pyrene) and gas-phase PAHs (i.e., naphthalene, 1- and 2-methylnaphthalene) will make the risk assessment of PAH-containing air samples significantly more accurate.

Human CYP2A13 and CYP2F1 Mediate Naphthalene Toxicity in the Lung and Nasal Mucosa of CYP2A13/2F1-Humanized Mice

BACKGROUND

The potential carcinogenicity of naphthalene (NA), a ubiquitous environmental pollutant, in human respiratory tract is a subject of intense debate. Chief among the uncertainties in risk assessment for NA is whether human lung CYP2A13 and CYP2F1 can mediate NA's respiratory tract toxicity.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to assess the in vivo function of CYP2A13 and CYP2F1 in NA bioactivation and NA-induced respiratory tract toxicity in mouse models.

METHODS

Rates of microsomal NA bioactivation and the effects of an anti-CYP2A antibody were determined for lung and nasal olfactory mucosa (OM) from Cyp2abfgs-null, CYP2A13-humanized, and CYP2A13/2F1-humanized mice. The extent of NA respiratory toxicity was compared among wild-type, Cyp2abfgs-null, and CYP2A13/2F1-humanized mice following inhalation exposure at an occupationally relevant dose (10 ppm for 4 hr).

RESULTS

In vitro studies indicated that the NA bioactivation activities in OM and lung of the CYP2A13/2F1-humanized mice were primarily contributed by, respectively, CYP2A13 and CYP2F1. CYP2A13/2F1-humanized mice showed greater sensitivity to NA than Cyp2abfgs-null mice, with greater depletion of nonprotein sulfhydryl and occurrence of cytotoxicity (observable by routine histology) in the OM, at 2 or 20 hr after termination of NA exposure, in humanized mice. Focal, rather than gross, lung toxicity was observed in Cyp2abfgs-null and CYP2A13/2F1-humanized mice; however, the extent of NA-induced lung injury (shown as volume fraction of damaged cells) was significantly greater in the terminal bronchioles of CYP2A13/2F1-humanized mice than in Cyp2abfgs-null mice.

CONCLUSION

CYP2F1 is an active enzyme. Both CYP2A13 and CYP2F1 are active toward NA in the CYP2A13/2F1-humanized mice, where they play significant roles in NA-induced respiratory tract toxicity. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP844.

Impact of hepatic P450-mediated biotransformation on the disposition and respiratory tract toxicity of inhaled naphthalene

We determined whether a decrease in hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 activity would impact lung toxicity induced by inhalation exposure to naphthalene (NA), a ubiquitous environmental pollutant. The liver-Cpr-null (LCN) mouse showed decreases in microsomal metabolism of NA in liver, but not lung, compared to wild-type (WT) mouse. Plasma levels of NA and NA-glutathione conjugates (NA-GSH) were both higher in LCN than in WT mice after a 4-h nose-only NA inhalation exposure at 10ppm. Levels of NA were also higher in lung and liver of LCN, compared to WT, mice, following exposure to NA at 5 or 10ppm. Despite the large increase in circulating and lung tissue NA levels, the level of NA-GSH, a biomarker of NA bioactivation, was either not different, or only slightly higher, in lung and liver tissues of LCN mice, relative to that in WT mice. Furthermore, the extent of NA-induced acute airway injury, judging from high-resolution lung histopathology and morphometry at 20h following NA exposure, was not higher, but lower, in LCN than in WT mice. These results, while confirming the ability of extrahepatic organ to bioactivate inhaled NA and mediate NA's lung toxicity, suggest that liver P450-generated NA metabolites also have a significant, although relatively small, contribution to airway toxicity of inhaled NA. This hepatic contribution to the airway toxicity of inhaled NA may be an important risk factor for individuals with diminished bioactivation activity in the lung.

A combined approach for enhancing the stability of recombinant cis-dihydrodiol naphthalene dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida G7 allowed for the structural and kinetic characterization of the enzyme

The second enzyme of the naphthalene degradation pathway in Pseudomonas putida G7 is NahB, a dehydrogenase that converts cis-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene to 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene. We report the cloning, optimization of expression, purification, kinetic studies and preliminary structural characterization of the recombinant NahB. The nahB gene was cloned into a T7 expression vector and the enzyme was overexpressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) as an N-terminal hexa-histidine-tagged protein (6xHis-NahB). Using methods of enhancing protein stability in solution, we tested different expression, cell lysis, and purification protocols with and without ligand supplementation. The protein stability was evaluated by dynamic light scattering and circular dichroism spectroscopy assays. Best-derived protocols (expression at 18 °C, cell lysis with homogenizer, and three purification steps) were used to produce 20 mg of homogeneous 6xHis-NahB per liter of culture. The secondary and quaternary structures of 6xHis-NahB were assessed by circular dichroism and size-exclusion chromatography experiments, respectively. The enzyme was NAD⁺-dependent and active at pH 7.0 and 9.4 for the oxidation of the substrate. The Michaelis-Menten parameters determined at pH 7.0 and 25 °C for the substrate and cofactor, presented respective K_m values of 6 and 350 μM, and a k_cat value of 8.3 s^-1. Furthermore, we identified conditions for the crystallization of 6xHis-NahB. X-ray diffraction data were collected from a single 6xHis-NahB crystal which diffracted to 2.21 Å. The crystal belongs to space group I222, with unit-cell parameters a = 63.62, b = 69.50, and c = 117.47 Å. The tertiary structure of 6xHis-NahB was determined using the molecular replacement method. Further structural refinement is currently underway.

Naphthalene cytotoxicity in microsomal epoxide hydrolase deficient mice

Naphthalene (NA) is a ubiquitous pollutant to which humans are widely exposed. 1,2-Dihydro-1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene (NA-dihydrodiol) is a major metabolite of NA generated by microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH). To investigate the role of the NA-dihydrodiol and subsequent metabolites (i.e. 1,2-naphthoquinone) in cytotoxicity, we exposed both male and female wild type (WT) and mEH null mice (KO) to NA by inhalation (5, 10, 20 ppm for 4h). NA-dihydrodiol was ablated in the KO mice. High-resolution histopathology was used to study site-specific cytotoxicity, and formation of naphthalene metabolites was measured by HPLC in microdissected airways. Swollen and vacuolated airway epithelial cells were observed in the intra- and extrapulmonary airways of all mice at and below the current OSHA standard (10 ppm). Female mice may be more susceptible to this acute cytotoxicity. In the extrapulmonary airways, WT mice were more susceptible to damage than KO mice, indicating that the metabolites associated with mEH-mediated metabolism could be partially responsible for cytotoxicity at this site. The level of cytotoxicity in the mEH KO mice at all airway levels suggests that non-mEH metabolites are contributing to NA cellular damage in the lung. Our results indicate that the apparent contribution of mEH-dependent metabolites to toxicity differs by location in the lung. These studies suggest that metabolites generated through the mEH pathway may be of minor importance in distal airway toxicity and subsequent carcinogenesis from NA exposure.

Investigation of the genotoxicity of substances migrating from polycarbonate replacement baby bottles to identify chemicals of high concern

Due to the worldwide concern that bisphenol A might act as an endocrine disruptor, alternative materials for polycarbonate (PC) have been introduced on the European market. However, PC-replacement products might also release substances of which the toxicological profile--including their genotoxic effects--has not yet been characterized. Because a thorough characterization of the genotoxic profile of all these substances is impossible in the short term, a strategy was developed in order to prioritize those substances for which additional data are urgently needed. The strategy consisted of a decision tree using hazard information related to genotoxicity. The relevant information was obtained from the database of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), in silico prediction tools (ToxTree and Derek Nexus(TM)) and the in vitro Vitotox(®) test for detecting DNA damage. By applying the decision tree, substances could be classified into different groups, each characterized by a different probability to induce genotoxic effects. Although none of the investigated substances could be unequivocally identified as genotoxic, the presence of genotoxic effects could neither be excluded for any of them. Consequently, all substances require more data to investigate the genotoxic potential. However, the type and the urge for these data differs among the substances.

Hypothesis-based weight-of-evidence evaluation and risk assessment for naphthalene carcinogenesis

Inhalation of naphthalene causes olfactory epithelial nasal tumors in rats (but not in mice) and benign lung adenomas in mice (but not in rats). The limited available human data have not identified an association between naphthalene exposure and increased respiratory cancer risk. Assessing naphthalene's carcinogenicity in humans, therefore, depends entirely on experimental evidence from rodents. We evaluated the respiratory carcinogenicity of naphthalene in rodents, and its potential relevance to humans, using our Hypothesis-Based Weight-of-Evidence (HBWoE) approach. We systematically and comparatively reviewed data relevant to key elements in the hypothesized modes of action (MoA) to determine which is best supported by the available data, allowing all of the data from each realm of investigation to inform interpretation of one another. Our analysis supports a mechanism that involves initial metabolism of naphthalene to the epoxide, followed by GSH depletion, cytotoxicity, chronic inflammation, regenerative hyperplasia, and tumor formation, with possible weak genotoxicity from downstream metabolites occurring only at high cytotoxic doses, strongly supporting a non-mutagenic threshold MoA in the rat nose. We also conducted a dose-response analysis, based on the likely MoA, which suggests that the rat nasal MoA is not relevant in human respiratory tissues at typical environmental exposures. Our analysis illustrates how a thorough WoE evaluation can be used to support a MoA, even when a mechanism of action cannot be fully elucidated. A non-mutagenic threshold MoA for naphthalene-induced rat nasal tumors should be considered as a basis to determine human relevance and to guide regulatory and risk-management decisions.

A review of PAH exposure from the combustion of biomass fuel and their less surveyed effect on the blood parameters

Many epidemiological studies from all over the world have reported that populations of rural and urban environments differ in their health issues due to the differences in the countrywide pollution pattern. In developing countries, various occupational cohorts and subsections of the population in urban and rural areas are routinely exposed to several environmentally widespread contaminants. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of over hundred different compounds and have ubiquitous presence in rural and urban environments. Smoke from the combustion of biomass fuel contains a high concentration of carcinogenic PAHs, which are related with several human morbidities. The sources and types of biomass fuel are diverse and wide in distribution. Limited numbers of literature reports have focused the significant impact of PAHs on several components of blood, both in human and wildlife. The toxicity of PAHs to rapidly dividing cells (e.g., bone marrow cells) and other tissues is largely attributed to their reactive oxygenated metabolites, potential of causing oxidative stress, and the adducts of their metabolites with DNA. This review aims to encompass the blood-related effects of PAHs and associated human health risks-an aspect that needs further research-on the population of developing countries of the world in particular.

Lung adenocarcinomas: comparison between mice and men

A few human tumor types have been modeled in mice using genetic or chemical tools. The final goal of these efforts is to establish models that mimic not only the location and cellular origin of human cancers but also their genetic aberrations and morphologic appearances. The latter has been neglected by most investigators, and comparative histopathology of human versus mouse cancers is not readily available. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that some human malignancies comprise a whole spectrum of cancer subtypes that differ molecularly and morphologically. Lung cancer is a paradigm that appears not only as non-small cell and small-cell lung cancer but comprises a plethora of subtypes with distinct morphologic features. This review discusses species-specific and common morphological features of non-small cell lung cancer in mice and humans. Potential inconsistencies and the need for refined genetic tools are discussed in the context of a comparative analysis between commonly employed RAS-induced mouse tumors and human lung cancers.

Transcriptional responses in the rat nasal epithelium following subchronic inhalation of naphthalene vapor

Male and female Fischer 344 rats were exposed to naphthalene vapors at 0 (controls), 0.1, 1, 10, and 30ppm for 6h/d, 5 d/wk, over a 90-day period. Following exposure, the respiratory epithelium and olfactory epithelium from the nasal cavity were dissected separately, RNA was isolated, and gene expression microarray analysis was conducted. Only a few significant gene expression changes were observed in the olfactory or respiratory epithelium of either gender at the lowest concentration (0.1ppm). At the 1.0ppm concentration there was limited evidence of an oxidative stress response in the respiratory epithelium, but not in the olfactory epithelium. In contrast, a large number of significantly enriched cellular pathway responses were observed in both tissues at the two highest concentrations (10 and 30ppm, which correspond to tumorigenic concentrations in the NTP bioassay). The nature of these responses supports a mode of action involving oxidative stress, inflammation and proliferation. These results are consistent with a dose-dependent transition in the mode of action for naphthalene toxicity/carcinogenicity between 1.0 and 10ppm in the rat. In the female olfactory epithelium (the gender/site with the highest incidences of neuroblastomas in the NTP bioassay), the lowest concentration at which any signaling pathway was significantly affected, as characterized by the median pathway benchmark dose (BMD) or its 95% lower bound (BMDL) was 6.0 or 3.7ppm, respectively, while the lowest female olfactory BMD values for pathways related to glutathione homeostasis, inflammation, and proliferation were 16.1, 11.1, and 8.4ppm, respectively. In the male respiratory epithelium (the gender/site with the highest incidences of adenomas in the NTP bioassay), the lowest pathway BMD and BMDL were 0.4 and 0.3ppm, respectively, and the lowest male respiratory BMD values for pathways related to glutathione homeostasis, inflammation, and proliferation were 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9ppm, respectively. Using a published physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to estimate target tissue dose relevant to the proposed mode of action (total naphthalene metabolism per gram nasal tissue), the lowest transcriptional BMDLs from this analysis equate to human continuous naphthalene exposure at approximately 0.3ppm. It is unlikely that significant effects of naphthalene or its metabolites will occur at exposures below this concentration.

A hybrid CFD-PBPK model for naphthalene in rat and human with IVIVE for nasal tissue metabolism and cross-species dosimetry

A PBPK model for naphthalene in the rat and human that incorporates a hybrid CFD-PBPK description of the upper respiratory tract was developed to support cross-species dosimetry comparisons of naphthalene concentrations and tissue normalized rate of metabolism in the nasal respiratory and olfactory epithelium, lung and liver. In vitro measurements of metabolic rates from microsomal incubations published for rat and monkey (surrogate for human) were scaled to the specific tissue based on the tissue microsomal content and volume of tissue. The model reproduces time courses for naphthalene blood concentrations from intravenous and inhalation exposures in rats and upper respiratory tract extraction data in both naïve rats and rats pre-treated to inhibit nasal metabolism. This naphthalene model was applied to estimate human equivalent inhalation concentrations (HECs) corresponding to several NOAELs or LOAELs for the non-cancer effects of naphthalene in rats. Two approaches for cross-species extrapolation were compared: (1) equivalence based on tissue naphthalene concentration and (2) equivalence based on amount metabolized per minute (normalized to tissue volume). At the NOAEL of 0.1 ppm, the regional gas dosimetry ratio (RGDR) based on naphthalene concentration was 0.18 for the dorsal olfactory region; however, the RGDR rises to 5.4 when based on the normalized amount metabolized due to the lower of expression of CYP isozymes in the nasal epithelium of primates and humans. The resulting HEC is 0.12 ppm (0.63 mg/m(3)) continuous exposure at the rat NOAEL of 0.1 ppm (6 h/day, 5 days/week).

Cytotoxicity of naphthalene toward cells from target and non-target organs in vitro

Chronic inhalation exposure to high concentrations of naphthalene produced nasal tumors in rats and lung tumors in female mice. Naphthalene bioactivation is required for target organ toxicity and cytotoxicity in target organs may be involved in tumor development. The present studies characterized the dose-response relationships for naphthalene-induced glutathione (GSH) depletion, effects on cellular ATP, and cytotoxicity in cells from both target (lung, nasal epithelium) and non-target (liver) organs in vitro using cells from F-344 rats, B6C3F1 mice and humans. The cells were incubated with various concentrations of naphthalene in sealed glass flasks for 3h, then placed in monolayer culture in fresh media for 24h to examine the repair or progression of damage. Naphthalene was a low potency cytotoxicant in vitro, with 500 μM frequently observed as a no-observed adverse effect concentration or lowest observed adverse effect concentration. Naphthalene exposure produced dose-dependent decreases in cellular GSH, ATP and viability in rat, mouse and human hepatocytes at concentrations >500 μM. Human nasal respiratory epithelial cells exhibited greater naphthalene cytotoxicity than rat or mouse nasal respiratory epithelial cell preparations. Rat nasal respiratory epithelial cell preparations metabolized naphthalene through pathways leading to the preferential formation of 1,2-naphthoquinone GSH conjugates rather than 1,4-naphthoquinone GSH conjugates observed in rat hepatocytes or mouse nasal respiratory epithelial cells, consistent with the suggestion that this bioactivation pathway may be involved in rat nasal tumor development. Naphthalene exposures of ≥500 μM decreased cellular GSH and ATP in rat, mouse and human lung cell preparations. The variability of the responses of the human lung cell preparations was consistent with the known variability of CYP activities in human lung tissue. The results of these studies can be used as the basis for future studies of the mechanisms involved in naphthalene-induced cytotoxicity and the relevance of the bioactivation pathways for human exposure to naphthalene.

Essential role of the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2A5 in olfactory mucosal toxicity of naphthalene

Naphthalene (NA), a ubiquitous environmental pollutant that can cause pulmonary and nasal toxicity in laboratory animals, requires cytochrome P450 (P450)-mediated metabolic activation to cause toxicity. Our recent study using a Cyp2f2-null mouse showed that CYP2F2 plays an essential role in NA-induced lung toxicity, but not in NA-induced nasal toxicity. The aim of this study was to determine whether mouse CYP2A5, abundantly expressed in nasal olfactory mucosa (OM) and the liver, but less in the lung, plays a major role in the bioactivation and toxicity of NA in the OM. We found, by comparing Cyp2a5-null and wild-type (WT) mice, that the loss of CYP2A5 expression led to substantial decreases in rates of NA metabolic activation by OM microsomes. The loss of CYP2A5 did not cause changes in systemic clearance of NA (at 200 mg/kg, i.p.). However, the Cyp2a5-null mice were much more resistant than were WT mice to NA-induced nasal toxicity (although not lung toxicity), when examined at 24 hours after NA dosing (at 200 mg/kg, i.p.), or to NA-induced depletion of total nonprotein sulfhydryl in the OM (although not in the lung), examined at 2 hours after dosing. Thus, mouse CYP2A5 plays an essential role in the bioactivation and toxicity of NA in the OM, but not in the lung. Our findings further illustrate the tissue-specific nature of the role of individual P450 enzymes in xenobiotic toxicity, and provide the basis for a more reliable assessment of the potential risks of NA nasal toxicity in humans.

Characteristic molecular signature for the early detection and prediction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rat liver

Predictions of toxicity are central for the assessment of chemical toxicity, and the effects of environmental toxic compounds are still a major issue for predicting potential human health risks. Among the various environmental toxicants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important class of environmental pollutant, and many PAHs are known or suspected carcinogens. In the present study, to investigate whether characteristic expression profiles of PAHs exist in rat liver and whether a characteristic molecular signature can discriminate and predict among different PAHs at an early exposure time, we analyzed the genome-wide expression profiles of rat livers exposed to PAHs [benzo[a]anthracene (BA), benzo[a]pyrene (BP), phenanthrene (PA) and naphthalene (NT)]. At early time-point PAH exposure, large-scale gene expression analysis resulted in characteristic molecular signatures for each PAH, and supervised analysis identified 1183 outlier genes as a distinct molecular signature discerning PAHs from the normal control group. We identified 158 outlier genes as early predictive and surrogate markers for predicting each tested PAH by combination of two different multi-classification algorithms with 100% accuracy through a leave-one out cross-validation method. In conclusion, the characteristic gene expression signatures from a rat model system could be used as predictable and discernible gene-based biomarkers for the detection and prediction of PAHs, and these molecular markers may provide insights into the underlying mechanisms for genotoxicity of exposure to PAHs from environmental aspect.

Urinary naphthol metabolites and chromosomal aberrations in 5-year-old children

BACKGROUND

Exposure to naphthalene, an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)-classified possible carcinogen and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), is widespread, though resulting health effects are poorly understood. Metabolites of naphthalene, 1- and 2-naphthol, are measurable in urine and are biomarkers of personal exposure. Chromosomal aberrations, including translocations, are established markers of cancer risk and a biodosimeter of clastogenic exposures. Although prenatal (maternal) PAH exposure predicts chromosomal aberrations in cord blood, few studies have examined chromosomal aberrations in school-age children and none has examined their association with metabolites of specific PAHs.

METHODS

Using Whole Chromosome Paint Fluorescent in situ Hybridization, we documented chromosomal aberrations including translocations, in 113 five-year-old urban minority children and examined their association with concurrent concentrations of PAH metabolites measured in urine.

RESULTS

We report that in lymphocytes, the occurrence and frequency of chromosomal aberrations including translocations are associated with levels of urinary 1- and 2-naphthol. When doubling the levels of urinary naphthols, gender-adjusted OR for chromosomal aberrations are 1.63 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.21-2.19] and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.02-2.04) for 1- and 2-naphthol, respectively; and for translocations OR = 1.55 (95% CI, 1.11-2.17) and 1.92 (95% CI, 1.20-3.08) for 1- and 2-naphthol, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that markers of exposure to naphthalene in children are associated with translocations in a dose-related manner, and that naphthalene may be a clastogen.

IMPACT

Indoor exposure to elevated levels of naphthalene is prevalent in large regions of the world. This study is the first to present an association between a marker of naphthalene exposure and a precarcinogenic effect in humans.

Determination of cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of naphthalene, 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol on human lymphocyte culture

Naphthalene, a bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, has toxic effects on animals and humans. Although recent studies stressed on the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of naphthalene and its metabolites on eukaryotic cells, there is a big controversy among the results of these studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of naphthalene and its metabolites on the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in the human lymphocytes in the culture. The genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of naphthalene and its metabolites, 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol, were studied using cytotoxicity test (lactate dehydrogenase and cell proliferation (WST-1) assays) and DNA fragmentation assay (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay). Naphthalene and its metabolites had no significant cytotoxic effect on treated samples when compared with untreated ones. This result was also confirmed by WST-1 assay. In the TUNEL assay, DNA fragmentation was induced significantly by all concentrations of naphthalene and 2-naphthol and 50 and 100 µM concentrations of 1-naphthol ( p < 0.05 or 0.001). In the DNA fragmentation, the most effective dose of 2-naphthol (63%) was 100 µM, when compared with negative control group (13%). These results suggest that naphthalene and its metabolites, 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol, may cause DNA damage on human lymphocytes.

Dose-response assessment of naphthalene-induced genotoxicity and glutathione detoxication in human TK6 lymphoblasts

The dose-response relationship for the induction of micronuclei (MN) and the impact of glutathione (GSH) detoxication on naphthalene-induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were investigated in human TK6 cells. TK6 cells were exposed to 10 concentrations ranging from 0.0625 to 30μM naphthalene in the presence of β-naphthoflavone- and phenobarbital (βNP/PB)-induced rat liver S9 with a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-generating system. Three approaches were used to identify a no-observed-effect level (NOEL) for naphthalene-induced genotoxicity: (1) laboratory criteria of ≥ twofold increase over the concurrent solvent controls (NOEL = 10μM), (2) ANOVA with Bonferroni correction (NOEL = 2.5μM), and (3) the benchmark dose approach (BMCL(10) = 3.35μM). The NOEL and point of departure micronucleus frequency for naphthalene-induced MN are between the tested naphthalene concentrations of 2.5-10.0μM in this experimental system. Supplementation of the exposure system with physiological relevant concentrations of 5mM GSH eliminated naphthalene-induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity; no increased cytotoxicity or genotoxicity was observed at concentrations of up to 500μM naphthalene in the presence of GSH compared with 2.5-10.0μM in the absence of GSH. Naphthalene bioactivation by βNP/PB-induced rat liver S9 exhibits a nonlinear dose-response for the induction of MN in TK6 cells with a NOEL of 2.5-10μM that in the presence of GSH is shifted upward greater than 50- to 200-fold. These data demonstrate a nonlinear dose-response for naphthalene-induced genotoxicity that is eliminated by GSH, and both observations should be considered when assessing human risk from naphthalene exposures.

Nasal epithelial lesions in F344 rats following a 90-day inhalation exposure to naphthalene

Naphthalene (NA) was shown to be carcinogenic, causing respiratory epithelial adenoma in the nasal cavity of male F344 rats and olfactory epithelial neuroblastoma in female F344 rats at exposure concentrations of 10-60 ppm in a 2-year inhalation study conducted by the National Toxicology Program. To explore the exposure-response relationship and threshold for nasal epithelial effects in F344 rats, a 90-day (6 h/d, 5 d/wk) inhalation study was conducted at 0, 0.1, 1, 10 and 30 ppm NA vapor. Group size for nasal cavity histopathology was 10/sex with an additional 10/sex evaluated 4 wk post-exposure. NA exposure concentrations were measured by GC/MS, and aerosol testing verified that solid NA particles were not present. There were no NA exposure-related clinical observations and mild decreases in body weight (<10%) and food/water consumption were observed primarily in the 30 ppm rats. Rat heads were cross-sectioned at six levels for microscopic examination. There were no nasal cavity lesions related to NA exposure in rats of the 0.1 ppm group. Minimal hyperplasia was observed in the transitional/respiratory epithelium of rats exposed to 1 ppm. Mild hyperplasia and minimal squamous metaplasia were observed in the respiratory epithelium of rats exposed to 10 or 30 ppm. Lesions in the olfactory epithelium were observed only in rats of the 10 or 30 ppm groups and consisted of degeneration, necrosis, areas of re-epithelialization and basal cell hyperplasia. There was remarkable recovery of effects after 4 weeks, but residual olfactory epithelial degeneration and basal cell hyperplasia were still evident.

Generation and characterization of a Cyp2f2-null mouse and studies on the role of CYP2F2 in naphthalene-induced toxicity in the lung and nasal olfactory mucosa

The CYP2F enzymes, abundantly expressed in the respiratory tract, are active toward many xenobiotic compounds, including naphthalene (NA). However, the precise roles of these enzymes in tissue-selective chemical toxicity have been difficult to resolve. A Cyp2f2-null mouse was generated in this study by disrupting the Cyp2f2 fourth exon. Homozygous Cyp2f2-null mice, which had no CYP2F2 expression and showed no changes in the expression of other P450 genes examined, were viable and fertile and had no in utero lethality or developmental deficits. The loss of CYP2F2 expression led to substantial decreases in the in vitro catalytic efficiency of microsomal NA epoxygenases in lung (up to ~160-fold), liver (~3-fold), and nasal olfactory mucosa (OM; up to ~16-fold), and significant decreases in rates of systemic NA (300 mg/kg i.p.) clearance. The Cyp2f2-null mice were largely resistant to NA-induced cytotoxicity, when examined at 24 h after NA dosing (at 300 mg/kg i.p.), and to NA-induced depletion of total nonprotein sulfhydryl (NPSH), examined at 2 h after dosing, in the lungs. In contrast, the loss of CYP2F2 expression did not alleviate NA-induced NPSH depletion or tissue toxicity in the OM. Mouse CYP2F2 clearly plays an essential role in the bioactivation and toxicity of NA in the lung but not in the OM. The Cyp2f2-null mouse should be valuable for studies on the role of CYP2F2 in the metabolism and toxicity of numerous other xenobiotic compounds and for future production of a CYP2F1-humanized mouse.

p53 codon 271 CGT to CAT mutant fraction does not increase in nasal respiratory and olfactory epithelia of rats exposed to inhaled naphthalene

A 2-year rat tumor bioassay testing whole body exposure to naphthalene (NA) vapor found a significant increase in nasal respiratory epithelial adenomas in male rats and in olfactory epithelial neuroblastomas in female rats. To obtain mechanistic insight into NA-induced nasal carcinogenesis, NA dose-response was characterized in nasal epithelium using a tumor-relevant endpoint. Specifically, levels of p53 codon 271 CGT to CAT mutation were measured in nasal respiratory and olfactory epithelium of NA-exposed male and female rats by allele-specific competitive blocker-PCR (ACB-PCR). Male and female, 8-9 week-old F344 rats (5 rats/group) were exposed to 0, 0.1, 1.0, 10, and 30ppm NA vapor for 13 weeks (6h/day, 5 days/week). The geometric mean p53 mutant fraction (MF) levels in nasal epithelium of control treatment groups ranged between 2.05 × 10(-5) and 3.05 × 10(-5). No significant dose-related changes in p53 mutant fraction (MF) were observed in the olfactory or respiratory epithelia of female rats. However, statistically significant treatment-related differences were observed in male respiratory and olfactory epithelium, with the p53 MF in the respiratory epithelium of male rats exposed to 30ppm NA significantly lower than that in controls. Further, a significant trend of decreasing p53 MF with increasing dose was observed in the male respiratory epithelium. Of the tissue types analyzed, respiratory epithelium is the most sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of NA, suggesting cytotoxicity may be responsible for the loss of p53 mutation. Because ACB-PCR has been used successfully to detect the effects of known mutagenic carcinogens, the absence of any significant increases in p53 MF associated with NA exposure adds to the weight of evidence that NA does not operate through a directly mutagenic mode of action.

Formation of covalently bound protein adducts from the cytotoxicant naphthalene in nasal epithelium: species comparisons

BACKGROUND

Naphthalene is a volatile hydrocarbon that causes dose-, species-, and cell type-dependent cytotoxicity after acute exposure and hyperplasia/neoplasia after lifetime exposures in rodents. Toxicity depends on metabolic activation, and reactive metabolite binding correlates with tissue and site susceptibility.

OBJECTIVES

We compared proteins adducted in nasal epithelium from rats and rhesus macaques in vitro.

METHODS

Adducted proteins recovered from incubations of nasal epithelium and 14C-naphthalene were separated by two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and imaged to register radioactive proteins. We identified proteins visualized by silver staining on complementary non-radioactive gels by peptide mass mapping.

RESULTS

The levels of reactive metabolite binding in incubations of rhesus ethmo-turbinates and maxillo-turbinates are similar to those in incubations of target tissues, including rat septal/-olfactory regions and murine dissected airway incubations. We identified 40 adducted spots from 2D gel separations of rat olfactory epithelial proteins; 22 of these were non-redundant. In monkeys, we identified 19 spots by mass spectrometry, yielding three non-redundant identifications. Structural proteins (actin/tubulin) were prominent targets in both species.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study we identified potential target proteins that may serve as markers closely associated with toxicity. The large differences in previously reported rates of naphthalene metabolism to water-soluble metabolites in dissected airways from mice and monkeys are not reflected in similar differences in covalent adduct formation in the nose. This raises concerns that downstream metabolic/biochemical events are very similar between the rat, a known target for naphthalene toxicity and tumorigenicity, and the rhesus macaque, a species similar to the human.

Free flow electrophoresis separation and AMS quantitation of C-naphthalene-protein adducts

Naphthalene is a volatile aromatic hydrocarbon to which humans are exposed from a variety of sources including mobile air sources and cigarette smoke. Naphthalene produces dose- (concentration) dependent injury to airway epithelial cells of murine lung which is observed at concentrations well below the current occupational exposure standard. Toxicity is dependent upon the cytochrome P450 mediated metabolic activation of the parent substrate to unstable metabolites which become bound covalently to tissue proteins. Nearly 70 proteins have been identified as forming adducts with reactive naphthalene metabolites using in vitro systems but very little work has been conducted in vivo because reasonably large amounts (100 μCi) of (14)C labeled parent compound must be administered to generate detectable adduct levels on storage phosphor screens following separation of labeled proteins by 2 D gel electrophoresis. The work described here was done to provide proof of concept that protein separation by free flow electrophoresis followed by AMS detection of protein fractions containing protein bound reactive metabolites would provide adducted protein profiles in animals dosed with trace quantities of labeled naphthalene. Mice were administered 200 mg/kg naphthalene intraperitoneally at a calculated specific activity of 2 DPM/nmol (1 pCi/nmol) and respiratory epithelial tissue was obtained by lysis lavage 4 hr post injection. Free flow electrophoresis (FFE) separates proteins in the liquid phase over a large pH range (2.5-11.5) using low molecular weight acids and bases to modify the pH. The apparatus separates fractions into standard 96-well plates that can be used in other protein analysis techniques. The buffers of the fractions have very high carbon content, however, and need to be dialyzed to yield buffers compatible with (14)C-AMS. We describe the processing techniques required to couple FFE to AMS for quantitation of protein adducts.

Nasal olfactory epithelial lesions in F344 and SD rats following 1- and 5-day inhalation exposure to naphthalene vapor

The exposure-response relationship and threshold for nasal epithelial effects of naphthalene (NP) vapor in F344 and SD rats were investigated in 1-day (6 hours) and 5-day (6 h/d) studies at concentration ranges of 0 to 30 ppm. Lesions related to 1-day exposure were predominantly necrosis of the olfactory epithelium (OE). The severity of OE lesions was concentration dependent and ranged from minimal (< or =1 ppm) to marked (10-30 ppm). In the 5-day study, degeneration of OE was observed in both strains, both sexes, with increasing incidence and severity that correlated with concentration. The epithelial degeneration lesion was minimal to moderate in severity. At 0.1 ppm, minimal OE lesions were observed in female SD rats only (20% incidence). Animals exposed to 10 ppm NP followed by 14 days without exposure also had OE lesions, but of lower severity, showing evidence of good recovery. In both studies, differences between sex or strain were not remarkable.

Depurinating naphthalene-DNA adducts in mouse skin related to cancer initiation

Naphthalene has been shown to be a weak carcinogen in rats. To investigate its mechanism of metabolic activation and cancer initiation, mice were topically treated with naphthalene or one of its metabolites, 1-naphthol, 1,2-dihydrodiolnaphthalene (1,2-DDN), 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene (1,2-DHN), and 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ). After 4 h, the mice were sacrificed, the treated skin was excised, and the depurinating and stable DNA adducts were analyzed. The depurinating adducts were identified and quantified by ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, whereas the stable adducts were quantified by (32)P-postlabeling. For comparison, the stable adducts formed when a mixture of the four deoxyribonucleoside monophosphates was treated with 1,2-NQ or enzyme-activated naphthalene were also analyzed. The depurinating adducts 1,2-DHN-1-N3Ade and 1,2-DHN-1-N7Gua arise from reaction of 1,2-NQ with DNA. Similarly, the major stable adducts appear to derive from the 1,2-NQ. The depurinating DNA adducts are, in general, the most abundant. Therefore, naphthalene undergoes metabolic activation to the electrophilic ortho-quinone, 1,2-NQ, which reacts with DNA to form depurinating adducts. This is the same mechanism as other weak carcinogens, such as the natural and synthetic estrogens, and benzene.

Upper respiratory tract uptake of naphthalene

Naphthalene is a nasal toxicant and carcinogen in the rat. Upper respiratory tract (URT) uptake of naphthalene was measured in the male and female F344 rat at exposure concentrations of 1, 4, 10, or 30 ppm at inspiratory flow rates of 150 or 300 ml/min. To assess the potential importance of nasal cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolism, groups of rats were pretreated with the CYP inhibitor 5-phenyl-1-pentyne (PP) (100 mg/kg, ip). In vitro metabolism of naphthalene was similar in nasal tissues from both genders and was reduced by 80% by the inhibitor. URT uptake in female rats was concentration dependent with uptake efficiencies (flow 150 ml/min) of 56, 40, 34, and 28% being observed at inspired concentrations of 1, 4, 10, and 30 ppm, respectively. A similar effect was observed in male rats (flow 150 ml/min) with uptake efficiencies of 57, 49, 37, and 36% being observed. Uptake was more efficient in the male than female rat, likely due to their larger size (226 vs. 144 g). Uptake of naphthalene was significantly reduced by inhibitor pretreatment with the effect being greater at the lower inspired concentrations. Specifically, in pretreated female rats (150 ml/min), URT uptake averaged 25, 29, and 26% at inspired concentrations of 4, 10, and 30 ppm, respectively. Thus, the concentration dependence of uptake was virtually abolished by PP pretreatment. These results provide evidence that nasal CYP metabolism of naphthalene contributes to URT scrubbing of this vapor and is also involved in the concentration dependence of uptake that is observed.

Toxicity and metabolism of methylnaphthalenes: comparison with naphthalene and 1-nitronaphthalene

Naphthalene and close structural analogues have been shown to cause necrosis of bronchiolar epithelial cells in mice by both inhalation exposure and by systemic administration. Cancer bioassays of naphthalene in mice have demonstrated a slight increase in bronchiolar/alveolar adenomas in female mice, and in inflammation and metaplasia of the olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity. Similar work in rats demonstrated a significant, and concentration-dependent increase in the incidence of respiratory epithelial adenomas and neuroblastomas in the nasal epithelium of both male and female rats. Although the studies on the acute toxicity of the methylnaphthalene derivatives are more limited, it appears that the species selective toxicity associated with naphthalene administration also is observed with methylnaphthalenes. Chronic administration of the methylnaphthalenes, however, failed to demonstrate the same oncogenic potential as that observed with naphthalene. The information available on the isopropylnaphthalene derivatives suggests that they are not cytotoxic. Like the methylnaphthalenes, 1-nitronaphthalene causes lesions in both Clara and ciliated cells. However, the species selective lung toxicity observed in the mouse with both naphthalene and the methylnaphthalenes is not seen with 1-nitronaphthalene. With 1-nitronaphthalene, the rat is far more susceptible to parenteral administration of the compound than mice. The wide-spread distribution of these compounds in the environment and the high potential for low level exposure to humans supports a need for further work on the mechanisms of toxicity in animal models with attention to whether these processes are applicable to humans. Although it is tempting to suppose that the toxicity and mechanisms of toxicity of the alkylnaphthalenes and nitronaphthalenes are similar to naphthalene, there is sufficient published literature to suggest that this may not be the case. Certainly the enzymes involved in the metabolic activation of each of these substrates are likely to differ. The available data showing extensive oxidation of the aromatic nucleus of naphthalene, nitronaphthalene and the methylnaphthalenes (with some oxidation of the methyl group) contrast with the isopropylnaphthalene derivatives, where the major metabolites involve side chain oxidation. Overall, these data support the view that ring epoxidation is a key step in the process involved in cytotoxicity. Whether the epoxide itself or a downstream metabolite mediates the toxic effects is still not clear even with naphthalene, the best studied of this group of compounds. Additional work is needed in several areas to further assess the potential human health consequences of exposure to these agents. These studies should involve the definition of the extent and severity of methylnaphthalene toxicity after single dose exposures with attention to both the nasal and respiratory epithelia. The cytochromes P450 responsible for the initial activation of these agents in rodents with subsequent complimentary studies in primate models should help determine whether key metabolic processes responsible for toxicity occur also in primates. Finally, the precise involvement of reactive metabolite formation and adduction of cellular proteins in toxicity will be important in not only assessing the potential for human toxicity, but also in developing an understanding of the genetic and environmental factors which could alter the toxicity of these agents.

Urinary naphthalene and phenanthrene as biomarkers of occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

OBJECTIVES

The study investigated the utility of unmetabolised naphthalene (Nap) and phenanthrene (Phe) in urine as surrogates for exposures to mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

METHODS

The report included workers exposed to diesel exhausts (low PAH exposure level, n = 39) as well as those exposed to emissions from asphalt (medium PAH exposure level, n = 26) and coke ovens (high PAH exposure level, n = 28). Levels of Nap and Phe were measured in urine from each subject using head space-solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Published levels of airborne Nap, Phe and other PAHs in the coke-producing and aluminium industries were also investigated.

RESULTS

In post-shift urine, the highest estimated geometric mean concentrations of Nap and Phe were observed in coke-oven workers (Nap: 2490 ng/l; Phe: 975 ng/l), followed by asphalt workers (Nap: 71.5 ng/l; Phe: 54.3 ng/l), and by diesel-exposed workers (Nap: 17.7 ng/l; Phe: 3.60 ng/l). After subtracting logged background levels of Nap and Phe from the logged post-shift levels of these PAHs in urine, the resulting values (referred to as ln(adjNap) and ln(adjPhe), respectively) were significantly correlated in each group of workers (0.71 < or = Pearson r < or = 0.89), suggesting a common exposure source in each case. Surprisingly, multiple linear regression analysis of ln(adjNap) on ln(adjPhe) showed no significant effect of the source of exposure (coke ovens, asphalt and diesel exhaust) and further suggested that the ratio of urinary Nap/Phe (in natural scale) decreased with increasing exposure levels. These results were corroborated with published data for airborne Nap and Phe in the coke-producing and aluminium industries. The published air measurements also indicated that Nap and Phe levels were proportional to the levels of all combined PAHs in those industries.

CONCLUSION

Levels of Nap and Phe in urine reflect airborne exposures to these compounds and are promising surrogates for occupational exposures to PAH mixtures.

Protective effect of resveratrol against naphthalene-induced oxidative stress in mice

OBJECTIVE

This investigation confirms the role of free radicals in naphthalene-induced toxicity and elucidates the mechanism of resveratrol (RVT).

METHODS

Both male and female BALB-c mice were administered with naphthalene (100 mg/kg, i.p.) for 30 days, either along with saline or along with RVT (10mg/kg, orally). At the end of the experiment, following treatment and sacrifice of animals by decapitation, lung, liver and kidney tissue samples were taken for histological examination or determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and collagen contents. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were measured in the serum samples, while TNF-alpha, IL-beta, IL-6 and total antioxidant capacity (AOC) were assayed in plasma samples.

RESULTS

Naphthalene administration caused a significant decrease in tissue GSH and plasma AOC, which was accompanied with significant increases in tissue MDA and collagen levels and MPO activity. Moreover, the pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-alpha, IL-beta, IL-6), LDH activity, AST, ALT, creatinine and BUN levels were significantly increased in the naphthalene group. On the other hand, RVT treatment reversed all these biochemical indices as well as histopathological alterations induced by naphthalene.

CONCLUSIONS

Oxidative mechanisms play an important role in naphthalene-induced tissue damage, and RVT, by inhibiting neutrophil infiltration, balancing oxidant-antioxidant status, and regulating the generation of inflammatory mediators, ameliorates oxidative organ injury due to naphthalene toxicity.

An adjustment factor for mode-of-action uncertainty with dual-mode carcinogens: the case of naphthalene-induced nasal tumors in rats

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guidelines for cancer risk assessment recognize that some chemical carcinogens may have a site-specific mode of action (MOA) involving mutation and cell-killing-induced hyperplasia. The guidelines recommend that for such dual MOA (DMOA) carcinogens, judgment should be used to compare and assess results using separate "linear" (genotoxic) versus "nonlinear" (nongenotoxic) approaches to low-level risk extrapolation. Because the guidelines allow this only when evidence supports reliable risk extrapolation using a validated mechanistic model, they effectively prevent addressing MOA uncertainty when data do not fully validate such a model but otherwise clearly support a DMOA. An adjustment-factor approach is proposed to address this gap, analogous to reference-dose procedures used for classic toxicity endpoints. By this method, even when a "nonlinear" toxicokinetic model cannot be fully validated, the effect of DMOA uncertainty on low-dose risk can be addressed. Application of the proposed approach was illustrated for the case of risk extrapolation from bioassay data on rat nasal tumors induced by chronic lifetime exposure to naphthalene. Bioassay data, toxicokinetic data, and pharmacokinetic analyses were determined to indicate that naphthalene is almost certainly a DMOA carcinogen. Plausibility bounds on rat-tumor-type-specific DMOA-related uncertainty were obtained using a mechanistic two-stage cancer risk model adapted to reflect the empirical link between genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of the most potent identified genotoxic naphthalene metabolites, 1,2- and 1,4-naphthoquinone. Bound-specific adjustment factors were then used to reduce naphthalene risk estimated by linear extrapolation (under the default genotoxic MOA assumption), to account for the DMOA exhibited by this compound.

Naphthalene metabolism in relation to target tissue anatomy, physiology, cytotoxicity and tumorigenic mechanism of action

This report provides a summary of deliberations conducted under the charge for members of Module C Panel participating in the Naphthalene State-of-the-Science Symposium (NS(3)), Monterey, CA, October 9-12, 2006. The panel was charged with reviewing the current state of knowledge and uncertainty about naphthalene metabolism in relation to anatomy, physiology and cytotoxicity in tissues observed to have elevated tumor incidence in these rodent bioassays. Major conclusions reached concerning scientific claims of high confidence were that: (1) rat nasal tumor occurrence was greatly enhanced, if not enabled, by adjacent, histologically related focal cellular proliferation; (2) elevated incidence of mouse lung tumors occurred at a concentration (30 ppm) cytotoxic to the same lung region at which tumors occurred, but not at a lower and less cytotoxic concentration (tumorigenesis NOAEL=10 ppm); (3) naphthalene cytotoxicity requires metabolic activation (unmetabolized naphthalene is not a proximate cause of observed toxicity or tumors); (4) there are clear regional and species differences in naphthalene bioactivation; and (5) target tissue anatomy and physiology is sufficiently well understood for rodents, non-human primates and humans to parameterize species-specific physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models for nasal and lung effects. Critical areas of uncertainty requiring resolution to enable improved human cancer risk assessment were considered to be that: (1) cytotoxic naphthalene metabolites, their modes of cytotoxic action, and detailed low-dose dose-response need to be clarified, including in primate and human tissues, and neonatal tissues; (2) mouse, rat, and monkey inhalation studies are needed to better define in vivo naphthalene uptake and metabolism in the upper respiratory tract; (3) in vivo validation studies are needed for a PBPK model for monkeys exposed to naphthalene by inhalation, coupled to cytotoxicity studies referred to above; and (4) in vivo studies are needed to validate a human PBPK model for naphthalene. To address these uncertainties, the Panel proposed specific research studies that should be feasible to complete relatively promptly. Concerning residual uncertainty far less easy to resolve, the Panel concluded that environmental, non-cytotoxic exposure levels of naphthalene do not induce tumors at rates that can be predicted meaningfully by simple linear extrapolation from those observed in rodents chronically exposed to far greater, cytotoxic naphthalene concentrations.

In vitro toxicity of naphthalene, 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol and 1,4-naphthoquinone on human CFU-GM from female and male cord blood donors

In animal models, naphthalene toxicity has been studied in different target organs and has been shown to be gender-dependent and metabolism related. In humans, it is readily absorbed and is metabolised by several cytochrome P450's. Naphthalene and its metabolites can cross the placental barrier and consequently may affect foetal tissues. The aim of this study was to compare the in vitro toxicity of naphthalene and its metabolites, 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol and 1,4-naphthoquinone, on human haematopoietic foetal progenitors (CFU-GM) derived from newborn male and female donors. The mRNA expression of Cyp1A2 and Cyp3A4 was also evaluated. Naphthalene did not affect CFU-GM proliferation, while 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol and particularly 1,4-naphthoquinone strongly inhibited the clonogenicity of progenitors, from both male and female donors. mRNA of Cyp1A2 and Cyp3A4 was not expressed neither at the basal level, nor after naphthalene treatment, while treatment with 1,4-naphthoquinone induced expression of both enzymes in both genders, with Cyp1A2 being expressed four times more than Cyp3A4. Female CFU-GM was significantly more sensitive to 1,4-naphthoquinone than male and after treatment both enzymes were expressed twice as much as in the male precursors. These results suggest that a gender-specific 1,4-naphthoquinone metabolic pathway may exist, which gives rise to unknown toxic metabolites.