Evidence for an epigenetic mode of action in organochlorine pesticide hepatocarcinogenicity: a lack of genotoxicity in rat, mouse, and hamster hepatocytes

Genetic toxicity assessment using liver cell models: past, present, and future

Genotoxic compounds may be detoxified to non-genotoxic metabolites while many pro-carcinogens require metabolic activation to exert their genotoxicity in vivo. Standard genotoxicity assays were developed and utilized for risk assessment for over 40 years. Most of these assays are conducted in metabolically incompetent rodent or human cell lines. Deficient in normal metabolism and relying on exogenous metabolic activation systems, the current in vitro genotoxicity assays often have yielded high false positive rates, which trigger unnecessary and costly in vivo studies. Metabolically active cells such as hepatocytes have been recognized as a promising cell model in predicting genotoxicity of carcinogens in vivo. In recent years, significant advances in tissue culture and biological technologies provided new opportunities for using hepatocytes in genetic toxicology. This review encompasses published studies (both in vitro and in vivo) using hepatocytes for genotoxicity assessment. Findings from both standard and newly developed genotoxicity assays are summarized. Various liver cell models used for genotoxicity assessment are described, including the potential application of advanced liver cell models such as 3D spheroids, organoids, and engineered hepatocytes. An integrated strategy, that includes the use of human-based cells with enhanced biological relevance and throughput, and applying the quantitative analysis of data, may provide an approach for future genotoxicity risk assessment.

A Perspective Discussion on Rising Pesticide Levels and Colon Cancer Burden in Brazil

Agriculture is a mainstay of many developing countries’ economy, such as Brazil. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Brazil is the major global consumer of pesticides. Irrespective of the fact that the International Agency for Research on Cancer suggests that pesticides promote human cancer risk, a prospective study reports that colorectal cancer (CRC) burden will increase in developing countries by approximately 60% in the coming decades. Here, we review the literature and public data from the Brazilian Federal Government to explore why pesticides levels and new cases of colon cancer (CC) are rising rapidly in the country. CC incidence is the second most common malignancy in men and women in the South and the Southeast of Brazil. However, while these regions have almost doubled their pesticide levels and CC mortality in 14 years, the amount of sold pesticides increased 5.2-fold with a corresponding 6.2-fold increase in CC mortality in Northern and Northeastern states. Interestingly, mortality from endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases are rapidly increasing, in close resemblance with the pesticide detection levels in food. Taken together, we discuss the possibility that pesticides might alter the risk of CC.

Hypolipidemics Carcinogenicity and Extrapolation of Experimental Results for Human Safety Assessments

Dyslipoproteinemias represent a group of disorders closely related to alterations of cholesterol and triglycerides. The alterations of these lipids are considered important risk factors in coronary heart disease and indicate the need for clinically effective and safe drugs.

Hypolipidemic agent therapy, however, does not appear without risk since the administration of these agents is by necessity, on a long-term basis. In the conduct of animal safety studies with some hypolipidemics, hyperplastic nodules or tumors developed in the liver of rodents. Data from the literature seem to indicate that the tumor response in rodents varies with the type of hypolipidemic drug administered. This paper summarizes the studies with the new lipid-regulating agent gemfibrozil. Aside from conventional long-term studies in rodents, the ultrastructural aspects of the liver were analyzed in several species and genotoxicity assays and short-term tests for hepatocarcinogenicity were conducted. Thus, it was possible to obtain an overview of these biological phenomena in order to allow for safety extrapolations. The biological behavior of these liver nodules showed that gemfibrozil and clofibrate-induced hepatocytes had not undergone malignant transformation. Further, the phenomenon of peroxisome proliferation, a characteristic event that follows hypolipidemic administration in rodents, was not confirmed in primate or human liver. Peroxisome proliferation has been linked to the process of hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents, although genotoxicity assays were negative and initiation/promotion tests failed to elicit tumors or nodules in a system where hepatocarcinogens manifest their activity.

Thus, hypolipidemics such as gemfibrozil or Clofibrate may possess low tumorigenic potential with low risk due to the lack of correlation between these tests. Nevertheless, these agents are indicated for specific lipoprotein phenotype alteration with the resulting clinical benefits.

Hypolipidemics Carcinogenicity and Extrapolation of Experimental Results for Human Safety Assessments

Dyslipoproteinemias represent a group of disorders closely related to alterations of cholesterol and triglycerides. The alterations of these lipids are considered important risk factors in coronary heart disease and indicate the need for clinically effective and safe drugs.

Hypolipidemic agent therapy, however, does not appear without risk since the administration of these agents is by necessity, on a long-term basis. In the conduct of animal safety studies with some hypolipidemics, hyperplastic nodules or tumors developed in the liver of rodents. Data from the literature seem to indicate that the tumor response in rodents varies with the type of hypolipidemic drug administered. This paper summarizes the studies with the new lipid-regulating agent gemfibrozil. Aside from conventional long-term studies in rodents, the ultrastructural aspects of the liver were analyzed in several species and genotoxicity assays and short-term tests for hepatocarcinogenicity were conducted. Thus, it was possible to obtain an overview of these biological phenomena in order to allow for safety extrapolations. The biological behavior of these liver nodules showed that gemfibrozil and clofibrate-induced hepatocytes had not undergone malignant transformation. Further, the phenomenon of peroxisome proliferation, a characteristic event that follows hypolipidemic administration in rodents, was not confirmed in primate or human liver. Peroxisome proliferation has been linked to the process of hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents, although genotoxicity assays were negative and initiation/promotion tests failed to elicit tumors or nodules in a system where hepatocarcinogens manifest their activity.

Thus, hypolipidemics such as gemfibrozil or clofibrate may possess low tumorigenic potential with low risk due to the lack of correlation between these tests. Nevertheless, these agents are indicated for specific lipoprotein phenotype alteration with the resulting clinical benefits.

Identification of novel inhibitors of DNA methylation by screening of a chemical library

In order to discover new inhibitors of the DNA methyltransferase 3A/3L complex, we used a medium-throughput nonradioactive screen on a random collection of 1120 small organic compounds. After a primary hit detection against DNA methylation activity of the murine Dnmt3A/3L catalytic complex, we further evaluated the EC50 of the 12 most potent hits as well as their cytotoxicity on DU145 prostate cancer cultured cells. Interestingly, most of the inhibitors showed low micromolar activities and little cytotoxicity. Dichlone, a small halogenated naphthoquinone, classically used as pesticide and fungicide, showed the lowest EC50 at 460 nM. We briefly assessed the selectivity of a subset of our new inhibitors against hDNMT1 and bacterial Dnmts, including M. SssI and EcoDam, and the protein lysine methyltransferase PKMT G9a and the mode of inhibition. Globally, the tested molecules showed a clear preference for the DNA methyltransferases, but poor selectivity among them. Two molecules including Dichlone efficiently reactivated YFP gene expression in a stable HEK293 cell line by promoter demethylation. Their efficacy was comparable to the DNMT inhibitor of reference 5-azacytidine.

Pesticides and human chronic diseases: evidences, mechanisms, and perspectives

Along with the wide use of pesticides in the world, the concerns over their health impacts are rapidly growing. There is a huge body of evidence on the relation between exposure to pesticides and elevated rate of chronic diseases such as different types of cancers, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson, Alzheimer, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), birth defects, and reproductive disorders. There is also circumstantial evidence on the association of exposure to pesticides with some other chronic diseases like respiratory problems, particularly asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, chronic nephropathies, autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematous and rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and aging. The common feature of chronic disorders is a disturbance in cellular homeostasis, which can be induced via pesticides' primary action like perturbation of ion channels, enzymes, receptors, etc., or can as well be mediated via pathways other than the main mechanism. In this review, we present the highlighted evidence on the association of pesticide's exposure with the incidence of chronic diseases and introduce genetic damages, epigenetic modifications, endocrine disruption, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response (UPR), impairment of ubiquitin proteasome system, and defective autophagy as the effective mechanisms of action.

Carcinogen induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in mouse hepatocytes

Mouse primary liver cell cultures were examined for evidence of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) following treatment with the carcinogens; dimethylnitrosamine (DMNA), diethylnitrosamine (DENA), 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF), N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), benzo(a)pyrene (BP), dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA), 1,1,-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane (DDT), safrole, diethylstilbestrol (DES), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and dieldrin and the noncarcinogens; dimethylformamide (DMF), fluorene, and pyrene. Mouse hepatocyte cultures were simultaneously treated with three concentrations of each compound and 3H-thymidine. After 24 hrs, cells were fixed and processed for autoradiography. 3H-thymidine incorporation in both experimental and control cell nuclei, as evidenced by autoradiographic grains, was quantitated microscopically. DMNA, DENA, 2-AAF, MNNG, BP, AFB1 and DMBA significantly increased UDS over untreated cells at all concentrations studied. DDT, DMF, fluorene, pyrene, safrole, DES, and dieldrin were negative for UDS in all concentrations examined. DMNA, 2-AAF and MNNG were also studied for UDS induction in 2 hr old, 1 day old and 4 day old cultures. A progressive decrease in UDS with increased time after plating was found in DMNA and 2-AAF treated cultures. After 4 days DMNA and 2-AAF induced UDS only at the highest concentrations examined (10(-3) M and 10(-4) M respectively). MNNG induced UDS at all time periods and concentrations sampled. An attempt to enhance the sensitivity of the UDS assay by inducing the mixed function oxidative enzyme activity in the hepatocytes with phenobarbital administered in vivo resulted in no statistically significant increase in UDS with DMNA, 2-AAF, MNNG, DDT, and dieldrin when compared with cells from non-induced animals.

Down-regulation of particulate protein kinase Cepsilon and up-regulation of nuclear activator protein-1 DNA binding in liver following in vivo exposure of B6C3F1 male mice to heptachlor epoxide

The effects of in vivo administration of the cyclodiene tumor promoter heptachlor epoxide on mouse liver protein kinase C were studied in male B6C3F1 mice by protein kinase C activity assays and Western blotting under conditions known to increase the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma because protein kinase C is thought to be critical in phorbol ester-induced tumor promotion. Under these test conditions, 20 ppm dietary heptachlor epoxide for 1-20 days increased cytosolic and decreased particulate total protein kinase C activities, while 10 ppm had no effect. Further, total cytosolic and particulate protein kinase C activities were decreased within 1 hour by 10 mg/kg intraperitoneal (i.p.) heptachlor epoxide. Western blotting showed that conventional protein kinase Calpha and beta isoforms were unaffected by heptachlor epoxide. Particulate novel protein kinase Cepsilon, however, was selectively down-regulated by 1, 10, and 20 ppm dietary heptachlor epoxide, whereas the cytosolic isoform was decreased by 1 and 10 ppm heptachlor epoxide for 10 days. The high-dose treatment for 24 hours also decreased particulate novel protein kinase Cepsilon but increased the cytosolic titer. These results demonstrate that this isoform is unique in its sensitivity to heptachlor epoxide. Activator protein-1 DNA binding, a critical factor in tumor promotion, was substantially increased at 3 and 6 hours with 3.7 mg/kg (i.p.) heptachlor epoxide and at 3 and 10 days with 20 ppm dietary heptachlor epoxide. The effects of heptachlor epoxide on protein kinase C and activator protein-1 are similar to those caused by phorbol ester treatments and correlate well to heptachlor levels found to induce tumors in mice. However, heptachlor epoxide did not initially activate protein kinase C with in vivo treatments or with in vitro treatments of a plasma membrane fraction aimed at demonstrating direct activation, as has been shown for phorbol esters. The ability of heptachlor epoxide to down-regulate particulate novel protein kinase Cepsilon correlates to dosages used in in vivo tumor promotion studies. However, this may represent a negative feedback response rather than a causative effect.

Monograph: reassessment of human cancer risk of aldrin/dieldrin

In 1987, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified aldrin and dieldrin as category B2 carcinogens, i.e. probable human carcinogens, based largely on the increase in liver tumors in mice fed either organochlorine insecticide. At that date, the relevant epidemiology was deemed inadequate to influence the cancer risk assessment. More time has now elapsed since early exposures of manufacturing workers to aldrin/dieldrin; therefore, updated epidemiological data possess more power to detect exposure-related differences in cancer risk and mortality. Also, recent experimental studies provide a plausible mode of action to explain the mouse specificity of dieldrin-induced hepatocarcinogenesis and call into question the relevance of this activity to human cancer risk. This monograph places this new information within the historic and current perspectives of human cancer risk assessment, including EPA's 1996 Proposed Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment. Updated epidemiological studies of manufacturing workers in which lifetime exposures to aldrin/dieldrin have been quantified do not indicate increased mortality or cancer risk. In fact, at the middle range of exposures, there is evidence of a decrease in both mortality from all causes and cancer. Recent experimental studies indicate that dieldrin-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice occurs through a nongenotoxic mode of action, in which the slow oxidative metabolism of dieldrin is accompanied by an increased production of reactive oxygen species, depletion of hepatic antioxidant defenses (particularly alpha-tocopherol), and peroxidation of liver lipids. Dieldrin-induced oxidative stress or its sequelae apparently result in modulation of gene expression that favors expansion of initiated mouse, but not rat, liver cells; thus, dieldrin acts as a nongenotoxic promoter/accelerator of background liver tumorigenesis in the mouse. Within the framework of EPA's Proposed Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment, it is proposed that the most appropriate cancer risk descriptor for aldrin/dieldrin, relating to the mouse liver tumor response, is 'not likely a human carcinogen', a descriptor consistent with the example of phenobarbital cited by EPA.

Absence of DNA adduct formation by phenobarbital, polychlorinated biphenyls, and chlordane in mouse liver using the 32P-postlabeling assay

Phenobarbital (PB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and chlordane (CLD) increase liver tumor incidences in rodents, and all are tumor promoters. Most indirect tests for DNA reactivity, including mutagenicity and chromosomal damage, have been negative with these agents. Consequently, the modes of action for tumorigenesis by these compounds are not believed to involve direct DNA reactivity; however, only limited information from direct tests is available for the lack of DNA adduct formation. PB, PCBs, and CLD were tested for DNA adduct formation in the liver of male and female B6C3F1 mice after either single or 2-week dietary exposures. Single gavage dose levels were as follows: PB, 200 mg/kg; PCBs, 50 mg/kg; and CLD, 50 mg/kg. Dietary dose levels were as follows: PB, 1000 ppm; PCBs, 200 ppm and CLD, 200 ppm. Animals were killed 24 h following the end of test-substance administration. DNA was extracted from the liver, and DNA adduct concentrations were enriched using either 1-butanol extraction of adducted nucleotides or nuclease P1 digestion of unadducted nucleotides. Using this protocol, none of the three test compounds produced DNA adducts detected by 32P-postlabeling. Similar negative results were obtained for DNA from the livers of both male and female mice receiving either single or 2-week exposures. The two positive controls, benzidine for the 1-butanol extraction procedure and 2-acetylaminofluorene for the nuclease P1 procedure, showed the expected patterns of DNA adducts. These results support the conclusion that the carcinogenicity of PB, PCBs, and CLD in experimental animals is not the result of direct DNA reactivity, but involves epigenetic mechanisms.

ATSDR evaluation of health effects of chemicals. II. Mirex and chlordecone: health effects, toxicokinetics, human exposure, and environmental fate

This document provides public health officials, physicians, toxicologists, and other interested individuals and groups with an overall perspective of the toxicology of mirex and chlordecone. It contains descriptions and evaluations of toxicological studies and epidemiological investigations and provides conclusions, where possible, on the relevance of toxicity and toxicokinetic data to public health. Additional substances will be profiled in a series of manuscripts to follow.

Effects of methoxychlor on skin tumor development

Organochlorine pesticides increase the incidence of liver cancer through a multistage process involving tumor promotion. Mirex, an organochlorine pesticide has been shown to be a tumor promoter in mouse skin. In the present study, the effects of methoxychlor, a commonly used organochlorine pesticide, on the development of papillomas in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-initiated mouse skin and induction of mouse epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity were investigated and compared with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a well-known tumor promoter. Methoxychlor neither caused tumor development nor induced epidermal ODC activity. However, TPA resulted in 100% tumor incidence and 8.8 tumors per mouse after 20 weeks of promotion, and induced epidermal ODC activity.

Induction of differentiation in human myeloblastic leukemia ML-1 cells by heptachlor, a chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide

Effects of heptachlor, an organochlorine pesticide, on human myeloblastic leukemia ML-1 cells were determined. Similar to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a known tumor promoter, heptachlor induced cell adherence and formation of extended cytoplasmic pseudopodia in ML-1 cells. The growth of ML-1 was slightly stimulated by low concentrations (less than 30 nM) of heptachlor. A dose-responsive cell death was also observed when ML-1 cells were treated with heptachlor at concentrations greater than 80 microM. Examination by light microscopy of the cells treated with 80 microM heptachlor revealed a gradual appearance of differentiation characteristics in the culture. On Day 3 of the treatment, 41% of the cells remained unchanged as ML-1, 39% of the cells showed changes and apparent cell differentiation, and 20% of the cells were induced to differentiate to monocyte- or macrophage-like cell type. Electron microscopy also revealed cellular differentiation and the presence of monocyte- and macrophage-like cell types (22%) was confirmed by positive esterase staining.

Structure-activity relationships in the rat hepatocyte DNA-repair test for 300 chemicals

312 chemicals/mixtures were tested for genotoxicity in the rat hepatocyte/DNA-repair test. A variety of structure-activity relationships was evident. Of the 309 pure chemicals, 142 were positive. Of these, 43 were judged by IARC to have sufficient or limited evidence of carcinogenicity and none of the remainder was a proven noncarcinogen. Among the 167 negative chemicals, 44 were carcinogens. Some of these are known to be genotoxic in other systems, but based on several lines of evidence, many are considered to be epigenetic carcinogens that lack the ability to react with DNA and rather lead to neoplasia by nongenotoxic mechanisms.

Biochemical studies of promoters of carcinogenesis in rat liver

Adult female rats were orally dosed with 1/5 to 3/5 the published LD50 of either promoters or putative promoters of carcinogenesis [hexachlorobenzene (HCB), alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH), kepone and toxaphene] or noncarcinogens [coumaphos, EDTA, caprolactam, 8-hydroxyquinoline, titanium (IV) oxide, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DEDTC), and sucrose] at 21 and 4 h before sacrifice. The promoters selected in this study were all of the halogenated hydrocarbon class. At doses of 1/5 to 3/5 the LD50, all four promoters or putative promoters induced rat hepatic ODC activity. The seven noncarcinogens produced several biochemical effects at doses of 1/5 the LD50: increased serum alanine aminotransferase activity (SGPT) (caprolactam and DEDTC), decreased hepatic cytochrome P-450 content (DEDTC), and increased hepatic ODC activity (8-hydroxyquinoline and DEDTC). None of the seven noncarcinogens caused hepatic DNA damage or coordinate induction of hepatic ODC and cytochrome P-450. The results support the interpretation that several of these biochemical parameters are useful in distinguishing potential tumor promoters and noncarcinogens.

The lack of genotoxicity of sodium fluoride in a battery of cellular tests

In a comprehensive assessment of genotoxicity, sodium fluoride was evaluated in a battery of cellular tests providing different genetic end points and biotransformation capabilities. The tests included the following: rat hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair assay, Salmonella typhimurium histidine locus reversion assay, adult rat liver epithelial cell/hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase mutation assay, and sister chromatid exchange in two target cell types, human peripheral blood lymphocytes and Chinese hamster ovary cells. Negative findings were made in all assays, indicating that sodium fluoride is not genotoxic in these assays.

Characterization of a rat liver epithelial cell line to detect inhibitors of metabolic cooperation

A normal rat liver epithelial cell line, with phenotype characteristics of "oval" cells (WB-F344), was examined for its ability to perform gap-junctional intercellular communication as measured by metabolic cooperation. To test for gap-junctional intercellular communication, 6-thioguanine-sensitive cells were cocultivated with 6-thioguanine-resistant cells. It was found that the recovery of 6-thioguanine-resistant cells depended on the densities of the 6-thioguanine-sensitive cells. Higher densities of 6-thioguanine-sensitive cells reduced the recovery of 6-thioguanine-resistant cells. These observations demonstrate that rat liver epithelial cells could metabolically cooperate, implying they could perform gap-junctional intercellular communication. Two tumor-promoting organochlorine pesticides, aldrin and dieldrin, were potent inhibitors of metabolic cooperation for these cells, but 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate and teleocidin, known mouse skin tumor promoters, were not significantly effective in inhibiting metabolic cooperation. The results suggest that these cells might provide the basis for an in vitro assay specifically to study liver tumor promoters.

On the genotoxicity of the pesticides Endodan and Kilacar in 6 different test systems

Two pesticides, the fungicide Endodan (ethylene thiuram monosulphide) and the insecticide-acaricide Kilacar (bis(parachlorophenyl)cyclopropyl methanol), produced or used in the neighbouring countries of Bulgaria and Greece were investigated in a coordinated research programme for their genotoxic effects in a variety of test systems. This included the Ames test, Aspergillus nidulans for mitotic segregation, in vitro human lymphocyte cell cultures for SCE and chromosomal aberrations, in vivo bone marrow cells in hamsters and rats and the dominant lethal test in rats. The genotoxicity of Endodan was found to range from negative to slightly positive in different test systems. At concentrations of 7.5 and 12.0 micrograms/plate together with S9 mix it induced base-pair substitutions in the TA100 strain of Salmonella typhimurium at a rather low level. At a dose of 93 mg/kg b.w. it also caused chromosomal aberrations in acutely treated hamster bone marrow cells. A significant increase of SCE was also found in human lymphocyte cultures at a concentration of 20.0 micrograms/ml. Endodan was found to be negative in A. nidulans for somatic segregation, lymphocyte cultures for chromosomal aberrations and mitotic activity and in rats for dominant lethals and chromosomal aberrations. Kilacar was found to be a weak mutagen in the TA97 strain of S. typhimurium at concentrations of 2.5 and 5.0 micrograms/plate together with S9 mix. At concentrations of 1.0, 1.5 and 2 micrograms/ml Kilacar increased the number of mitotic segregants in A. nidulans by 160%, 220% and 156% respectively over the control. In Syrian hamster bone marrow cells after acute administration at concentrations of 0, 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg, the MI was 5.50, 4.30, 3.10 and 1.30 respectively, and an increase in chromosomal aberrations of about 300% over the control was observed with a concentration of 80 mg/kg. In human lymphocytes no significant changes were observed in either MI or SCE. In the dominant lethal test after chronic treatment of male rats at doses of 5.1, 10.2 and 102.0 mg/kg b.w. no significant mutagenic effect was found although a decrease was shown in the percentage of females with implants mated with treated males in the first week.

Failure to induce mutations in Chinese hamster V79 cells and WB rat liver cells by the polybrominated biphenyls, Firemaster BP-6, 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl, 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl, and 3,3',4,4'-tetrabromobiphenyl

Firemaster BP-6 (FM), a mixture of polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), and the congeners 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (2,4,5-HBB), 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (3,4,5-HBB), and 3,3',4,4'-tetrabromobiphenyl (3,4-TBB) were tested for their ability to induce mutations in mammalian cells in culture. A rat liver microsome-mediated (S 15) Chinese hamster V79 cell mutation assay was used to test the mutagenicity of PBB and 3,4-TBB. V79 cells and WB rat liver cells were used to detect the mutagenicity of 2,4,5-HBB and 3,4,5-HBB. No mutagenic effects were detected at the dose levels tested. The possibility that these compounds promote liver neoplasms via a nongenotoxic mechanism is discussed.

Identification of genotoxic and epigenetic carcinogens in liver culture systems

Liver culture systems are available for identifying the DNA reactivity of carcinogens and a cell membrane effect, which appears to be associated with neoplasm-promoting ability. Using these and other approaches, carcinogens can be categorized as genotoxic or epigenetic. This distinction has implications for risk assessment.

Genotoxicity of the cooked-food mutagens IQ and MeIQ in primary cultures of rat, hamster, and guinea pig hepatocytes

To investigate possible interspecies differences in the hepatocellular genotoxicity of the food-borne mutagens 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), primary cultures of rat, hamster, and guinea pig hepatocytes were established. The induction of DNA repair activity in cultures exposed to various concentrations of IQ and MeIQ was determined by liquid scintillation spectrometry. DNA repair responses to MeIQ were, in general, greater than those elicited by IQ. In all three preparations of rat and hamster hepatocytes and in two of three preparations of guinea pig cells, MeIQ produced statistically significant (p less than 0.05) repair responses. IQ stimulated significant levels of repair in all three rat hepatocyte preparations and in two of three hamster cell preparations. In guinea pig cells exposed to IQ, no significant repair activity was observed. These results indicate that the genotoxicity of IQ and MeIQ in hepatic cells in species-dependent.

Polybrominated biphenyls are nongenotoxic and produce an epigenetic membrane effect in cultured liver cells

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) were studied for their genotoxic and epigenetic effects in cultured liver cells. PBB did not elicit DNA repair synthesis in rat, mouse, or hamster hepatocytes in primary cultures and did not cause mutations at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase locus in a line of rat liver epithelial cells or in human fibroblasts cocultivated with rat hepatocytes as an activating system. In contrast, PBB inhibited intercellular molecular exchange between rat hepatocytes and liver epithelial cells indicating an epigenetic membrane effect. These data are consistent with the interpretation that PBB act as neoplasm promoters in the production of rodent liver neoplasms.

Evaluation of the alkaline elution/rat hepatocyte assay as a predictor of carcinogenic/mutagenic potential

We have recently developed an alkaline elution/rat hepatocyte assay to sensitively measure DNA single-strand breaks induced by xenobiotics in non-radiolabeled rat hepatocytes. Here we have evaluated this assay as a predictor of carcinogenic/mutagenic activity by testing 91 compounds (64 carcinogens and 27 non-carcinogens) from more than 25 diverse chemical classes. Hepatocytes were isolated from uninduced rats by collagenase perfusion, exposed to chemicals for 3 h, harvested, and analyzed for DNA single-strand breaks by alkaline elution. DNA determinations were done fluorimetrically. Cytotoxicity was estimated by glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase release or by trypan blue dye exclusion. The assay correctly predicted the reported carcinogenic/non-carcinogenic potential of 92% of the carcinogens tested and 85% of non-carcinogens tested. The assay detected a number of compounds, including inorganics, certain pesticides, and steroids, which give false-negative results in other short-term tests. Only 2 rat liver carcinogens were incorrectly identified; the other carcinogens incorrectly identified are weakly or questionably carcinogenic (i.e., they cause tumors only in one species, after lifetime exposure, or at high doses). Some chemicals cause DNA damage only at cytotoxic concentrations; of 16 such compounds in this study, 12 are weak carcinogens suggesting a link between DNA damage caused by cytotoxicity and carcinogenesis. Our data indicate that this assay rapidly, reproducibly, sensitively, and accurately detects DNA single-strand breaks in rat hepatocytes and that the production of these breaks correlates well with carcinogenic and mutagenic activity.

Short-term tests in the framework of carcinogen risk assessment to man

Short-term tests designed to detect possible carcinogenicity have been extensively refined during the last years. Presently, many more or less simple and convenient systems are available to detect mutations, chromosome effects, DNA damage, and malignant transformation. Although their relevance to carcinogenicity is often reasonably good, inconsistencies in the pattern of response indicate that their role as predictive indicators of carcinogenicity is still uncertain. The use of short-term tests in carcinogen risk assessment does seem feasible. These tests, however, should not be the only characteristic taken into consideration in such a risk assessment. Other characteristics such as chemical structure, biotransformation, and pharmacokinetics, qualitative and quantitative physiological and/or morphological effects, species, strain, and organ specificity, dose-response relation, and information on human studies, if available, are of importance too. Current knowledge does not permit a rigid classification of carcinogens, but does warrant a subclassification into genotoxic and nongenotoxic compounds. Whereas for genotoxic compounds a real threshold cannot be expected on a theoretical basis, the existence of a threshold may well be expected for nongenotoxic compounds. In conjunction with other characteristics it may then be decided whether a genotoxic or nongenotoxic compound may be or may not be permitted in the human environment. In this evaluation process it is anticipated that for genotoxic compounds other extrapolation systems should be used, as compared to nongenotoxic compounds, where in fact a conventional food toxicology safety factor may be applied. Short-term tests are very important in the subclassification with respect to genotoxicity and seem to be of value for the detection of promoter activity as well.

The hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair assay using mouse or hamster hepatocytes

The hepatocyte primary culture (HPC)/DNA repair assay using rat hepatocytes was developed to identify genotoxic chemicals. Since there are species differences in susceptibility to chemical carcinogens, it was desirable to extend the assay to other species. Carcinogens and noncarcinogens from six structural classes were tested with hepatocytes from B6C3F1 mice or Syrian hamsters. In hepatocytes from both species, DNA repair was elicited by the carcinogens methyl methanesulfonate, aflatoxin B1, 2-acetylaminofluorene, benzo(a)pyrene, dimethylnitrosamine, nitrosopyrrolidine, 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, and p-dimethylaminoazobenzene. With aflatoxin B1, mouse hepatocytes required a dose of 10(-4) M for a maximum response while only 10(-6) was needed for hamster hepatocytes. All the presumed noncarcinogens, except 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene-4'-sulfonyl chloride, were negative in mouse hepatocytes. This chemical, as well as aflatoxin G2 and pyrene, which have not been tested for carcinogenicity in the hamster, were positive in hamster hepatocytes. These findings demonstrate that genotoxic chemicals can be identified by the HPC/DNA repair assay using hamster or mouse hepatocytes. Furthermore, in vivo differences in susceptibility to chemical carcinogens such as aflatoxin B1 are reflected in the in vitro assay.

Reliability of the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test in testing of coded carcinogens and noncarcinogens

The hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test was evaluated for its reliability using a series of coded samples. Among the 30 chemicals tested, 15 were general reference compounds and 15 were chemicals that had been tested for carcinogenicity in the U.S. National Cancer Institute Bioassay Program. The latter group were from the same lot that had been used for the in vivo testing and had also been tested for mutagenicity in the Ames test. From the group of 15 reference compounds, 5 were positive for DNA repair and all 5 were carcinogens. Of the 10 samples scored as negative, 4 were noncarcinogens and 6 were carcinogens. Among the 6 carcinogens were 3 compounds whose carcinogenicity probably does not involve the production of DNA damage. From the 15 coded chemicals that were tested for carcinogenicity by the NCI in long-term animal studies, 7 were scored as positive. 5 of these were judged carcinogenic in the in vivo bioassays and the other 2, which were also mutagenic in Salmonella, showed some indication of carcinogenicity. Of the 8 compounds that were scored as negative, 5 were noncarcinogenic. Among the 3 carcinogens that were not detected, there was at least one whose carcinogenicity probably does not involve DNA damage. Thus, the results of this study indicate that positive results in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test are highly specific for carcinogens and that the test is also highly sensitive in the detection of DNA-damaging genotoxic carcinogens.

Primary cultures and the levels of cytochrome P450 in hepatocytes from mouse, rat, hamster, and rabbit liver

Hepatocyte primary cultures (HPC) derived from rat, mouse, hamster, and rabbit liver were characterized for a variety of parameters. The conditions that maximized recovery, attachment, and survival varied between species. Hepatocytes from all four species were capable of attaching in serum-free Williams' medium E (WME), but optimal attachment as monolayer cultures was achieved for mouse and hamster HPC in medium receiving 1% calf serum supplementation. Hamster hepatocytes required additional cations, whereas rabbit and rat hepatocytes displayed maximal attachment in medium supplemented with 10% calf serum. Survival of mouse and rabbit hepatocytes after 24 h in serum supplemented media was in the order of 90%. Rat and hamster hepatocyte 24 h survival was approximately 70 and 60%, respectively, and was not significantly affected by serum supplementation. Hepatocytes from each species varied in their content of cytochrome P450 at the time of isolation and in the rate of reduction during culture. Mouse and rat hepatocytes demonstrated the most rapid decline in content during the initial 24 h in culture, whereas concentrations in rabbit hepatocytes were virtually unchanged. The rate of decline in P450 concentrations in hamster hepatocytes was intermediate between those displayed by rat and rabbit hepatocytes. These studies have delineated conditions useful for the culture of hepatocytes from four species and have documented the status of an important parameter of their functional capability.