Biomedical subjects

J M Rice

Publications and source records attributed to J M Rice.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

Polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis for the VHL gene in chemically induced kidney tumors of rats using intron-derived primers.

von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene mutations occur throughout three exons including the exon-intron boundaries in human VHL disease-associated and sporadic renal cell carcinomas. To explore the possible role of the VHL gene in chemically induced rat kidney tumors originating from various cell types, more than 150 bp of Fischer 344 and Noble rat VHL intron sequences flanking the three exons was determined by dideoxy sequencing. Five primer sets were selected for polymerase chain reaction amplification of the coding regions of rat VHL exons 1-3 and the exon-intron boundaries. Tissues from 10 renal eosinophilic epithelial tumors induced by N-nitrosoethyl(2-hydroxyethyl)amine, 10 nephroblastomas induced by N-nitroso-N-ethylurea, and seven renal mesenchymal tumors induced by N-nitrosomethyl(methoxymethyl)amine were examined for VHL mutations by polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. No mutation was detected in any tumor type, indicating that VHL mutations are not involved in the pathogenesis of rat kidney tumors arising from the distal region of the renal tubules, the metanephric blastema, or stromal tissues of the cortex.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Increased oxidative DNA damage and hepatocyte overexpression of specific cytochrome P450 isoforms in hepatitis of mice infected with Helicobacter hepaticus.

A recently discovered bacterium, Helicobacter hepaticus, infects the intrahepatic bile canaliculi of mice, causing a severe chronic hepatitis culminating in liver cancer. Thus, it affords an animal model for study of bacteria-associated tumorigenesis including H. pylori-related gastric cancer. Reactive oxygen species are often postulated to contribute to this process. We now report that hepatitis of male mice infected with H. hepaticus show significant increases in the oxidatively damaged DNA deoxynucleoside 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, with the degree of damage increasing with progression of the disease. Perfusion of infected livers with nitro blue tetrazolium revealed that superoxide was produced in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, especially in association with plasmacytic infiltrates near portal triads. Contrary to expectations, Kupffer cells, macrophages, and neutrophils were rarely involved. However, levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms 1A2 and 2A5 in hepatocytes appeared to be greatly increased, as indicated by the number of cells positive in immunohistochemistry and the intensity of staining in many cells, concomitant with severe hepatitis. The CYP2A5 immunohistochemical staining co-localized with formazan deposits resulting from nitro blue tetrazolium reduction and occurred in nuclei as well as cytoplasm. These findings suggest that CYP2A5 contributes to the superoxide production and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine formation, although reactive oxygen species from an unknown source in the hepatocytes leading to CYP2A5 induction or coincidental occurrence of these events are also possibilities. Three glutathione S-transferase isoforms, mGSTP1-1 (pi), mGSTA1-1 (YaYa), and mGSTA4-4, also showed striking increases evidencing major oxidative stress in these livers.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗

PubMed1997

Diet, Helicobacter pylori, and p53 mutations in gastric cancer: a molecular epidemiology study in Italy.

A series of 105 gastric cancer (GC) cases with paraffin-embedded specimens interviewed in a previous population-based case-control study conducted in a high-risk area around Florence, Italy, was examined for the presence of p53 mutations. Overall, 33 of 105 cases had a mutation (p53+) identified by single-strand conformational polymorphism and confirmed by sequencing (Y-H. Shiao et al., submitted for publication). p53+ cases had a more traditional dietary pattern (i.e., corn meal mush, meat soup, and other homemade dishes) and reported less frequent consumption of raw vegetables (particularly lettuce and raw carrots). A positive association with a high nitrite intake and a negative association with raw vegetables and diffuse type histology persisted in a multivariate analysis. In addition, p53+ cases tended to be located in the upper portion of the stomach and to be associated with advanced age and blood group A. No relation was found between the presence of p53 mutations and histologically defined Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking history, family history of gastric cancer, education, and social class. Of the 33 p53+ cases, 19 had G:C-->A:T transitions at CpG sites. These tumors tended to occur in females and in association with H. pylori infection but not other risk factors. The remaining 14 cases with a p53 mutation had mainly transversions but also two deletions and two transitions at non-CpG sites. These tumors showed a strong positive association with a traditional dietary pattern and with the estimated intake of selected nutrients (nitrite, protein, and fat, particularly from animal sources). The findings of this case-case analysis suggest that p53 mutations at non-CpG sites are related to exposure to alkylating compounds from diet, whereas p53 mutations at CpG sites might be related to H. pylori infection.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

K-ras codon 12 and 61 point mutations in bromodeoxyuridine- and N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat renal mesenchymal tumors.

The mutagenic thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) may incorrectly incorporate opposite deoxyguanine in DNA, then pair with deoxyadenosine during subsequent replication. It appears to preferentially target the 3'-G of 5'-NGGN-3' sequences in mammalian cells in culture to induce G-->A transitions. Ras genes should therefore be vulnerable to activation by mutation at glycine codons 12 (GGT) and/or 13 (GGC) by misincorporation of BrdUrd. There is limited evidence that BrdUrd may be carcinogenic or co-carcinogenic in rats: three renal mesenchymal tumors, a tumor known to be associated with activating mutations in the c-K-ras-2 oncogene, were reported in 87 rats treated with BrdUrd alone, while N-nitrosomethylurea (NMU) alone or NMU + BrdUrd resulted in incidences of 12/52 and 26/76, respectively, against a zero incidence in untreated rats. We analyzed renal mesenchymal tumors from rats treated with BrdUrd for mutations in K-ras exons 1 and 2 and compared the prevalence and spectrum of mutations with those found in comparable tumors induced with NMU. DNAs from 22 paraffin-embedded renal mesenchymal tumors from rats treated 12-15 months earlier with BrdUrd (three specimens) or NMU (11 specimens) or both agents sequentially (eight specimens) were amplified by PCR. The base sequence of codons 12-13 and 59-63 of K-ras was determined by the dideoxynucleotide method. Sequencing results were confirmed by allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization. Two of three tumors that appeared in rats given BrdUrd alone contained both a codon 12 GGT-->GAT transition and a codon 61 CAA-->CTA transversion. One tumor induced by NMU alone also showed a codon 12 GGT-->GAT mutation, while only wild type sequence could be demonstrated in the codon 12-13 region in the remaining ten such tumors. Three NMU-induced tumors also showed codon 61 CAA-->CTA mutations, while the remaining tumors had wild type sequence. While the GGT-->GAT transitions identified in tumors from BrdUrd-treated rats are consistent with BrdUrd mutagenesis by misincorporation, the co-occurrence of CAA-->CTA transversions, the overall low prevalence of mutations, and the lack of any difference in mutation spectrum between tumors induced by NMU and those that occurred in BrdUrd-treated rats suggests that in both groups the mutations that did occur did not result from a direct effect of either agent.

Adenine↗

PubMed1996

Age- and dose-dependent transplacental carcinogenesis by N-nitrosoethylurea in Syrian golden hamsters.

Syrian golden hamsters have a very short period (15 days) of gestation. The implantation of the blastocyst occurs on day 5, embryogenesis proceeds very rapidly thereafter and neural tube closure is completed by day 9. In the present study the effects of two different doses of N-nitrosoethylurea (NEU) administered at various stages of gestation were quantitatively evaluated in Syrian golden hamsters. NEU at either 0.2 or 0.5 mmol/kg was administered transplacentally as a single i.p. injection to pregnant hamsters on gestation days 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14. The incidence, latency period and multiplicity of tumors varied with the dose of NEU and the stage of development at the time of NEU administration. Although tumors of the peripheral nervous system predominated, a variety of other tumors, including melanomas and visceral tumors of epithelial and mesenchymal origin, were also observed in hamster offspring exposed transplacentally to NEU. Sensitivity to transplacental carcinogenesis was maximal during late gestation and very low before day 9.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1996

Enhancement of thyroid and hepatocarcinogenesis by 1,4-bis[2-(3,5- dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene in rats at doses that cause maximal induction of CYP2B.

To investigate the promoting effects of 1,4-bis[2-(3,5- dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene (TCPOBOP) on liver and thyroid carcinogenesis of rats at doses that cause maximal induction of hepatic CYP2B, 5-week-old male F344 rats were given either a single i.p. dose of 75 mg N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)/kg body wt in saline or saline alone. After 2 weeks the rats were fed control diet or a diet containing 330 or 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP or 500 p.p.m. phenobarbital (PB; a positive control group). A total of four sequential sacrifices (9, 30, 52 and 79 weeks of age) was performed. At 30 weeks the mean volume (mm3) of hepatocellular foci in NDEA-initiated rats exposed to either dose of TCPOBOP or to PB was significantly increased as compared with rats exposed to NDEA followed by control diet (P < 0.05). In addition, the volume percentage of liver occupied by foci was significantly greater in NDEA-initiated/1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP-promoted rats as compared with rats exposed to NDEA alone (P < 0.05, n = 6). At 52 weeks of age the incidences (and multiplicities, in units of tumors per tumor-bearing rat) of hepatocellular adenomas were 0, 83 (2.6 +/- 1.3), 100 (3.4 +/- 2.1) or 67% (2.5 +/- 1.9) in rats exposed to NDEA alone or NDEA followed by 330 or 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP or 500 p.p.m. PB respectively (n = 12). Hepatocellular carcinomas were found only in rats given 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP (17% incidence) or PB (8% incidence) following NDEA initiation. The incidences of thyroid follicular cell adenomas were 0, 17, 33 or 8% in rats exposed to NDEA alone or NDEA followed by 330 or 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP or 500 p.p.m. PB respectively. Between 53 and 79 weeks of age 38% of rats treated with NDEA alone developed multiple (1.5 +/- 0.8) hepatocellular adenomas. This incidence was enhanced to 100% in rats exposed to NDEA followed by either 330 or 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP. Multiplicities of hepatocellular adenomas were also increased significantly (10.5 +/- 3.9, 10.4 +/- 7.0 and 10.1 +/- 6.7 respectively) in rats promoted with 330 or 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP or 500 p.p.m. PB. None of the rats exposed to NDEA alone developed hepatocellular carcinomas, while multiple hepatocellular carcinomas occurred in 38% of the rats exposed to 330 p.p.m. and 78% of the rats given 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP following NDEA initiation. Thyroid follicular cell tumors occurred at 79 weeks in more than 40 and 50% incidences in rats exposed to NDEA followed by 330 or 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP respectively. Also, a significant decrease in serum levels of triiodothyronine and thyroxine were observed in non-initiated 79-week-old rats fed 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP, compared with age-matched untreated controls (n = 6). Increases in hepatic CYP2B-mediated benzyloxyresorufin O-dealkylase activity detected in rats exposed to 330 and 1000 p.p.m. TCPOBOP for 2 or 23 weeks were similar in magnitude to those caused by 500 p.p.m. PB. Thus TCPOBOP at maximal CYP2B induction doses exhibits a strong promoting activity for both liver and thyroid of rats.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Histogenesis and the role of p53 and K-ras mutations in hepatocarcinogenesis by glyceryl trinitrate (nitroglycerin) in male F344 rats.

Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) was previously reported to induce hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rats after prolonged feeding. The present experiments were undertaken to evaluate the histogenesis and molecular biology of these tumors and the possible role of nitric oxide (NO), a GTN metabolite, in their development. Male F344 rats received a single i.g. intubation of GTN (1.2 g/kg) at 6 weeks of age and/or a diet containing 1% GTN from 8 weeks of age until necropsy, i.e. for up to 78 weeks. Some animals were subjected to 2/3 partial hepatectomy (PH) at 9 weeks of age. Five sequential sacrifices (14, 32, 52, 78 and 84 weeks of age) were performed. No liver tumors developed in control rats or in rats that received GTN only by a single i.g. intubation, even when intubation was followed by PH. Preneoplastic foci, mainly of clear cell and mixed cell type (identified as positive for glutathione S-transferase placental form) were found from 14 weeks of age in rats receiving GTN in the diet. Focal eosinophilic areas (atypical foci) composed of atypical hepatocytes that often extended into the veins were observed beginning at 52 weeks of age. Some mixed hepatocholangiocellular adenomas and carcinomas arose in eosinophilic lesions. HCCs were seen beginning at 78 weeks of age, but only in rats receiving dietary GTN. Incidence of HCC in the latter animals was 50-75%. Most HCCs were well differentiated. The carcinogenic effect of GTN given in the diet was not affected by prior intubation of a large single dose followed by PH. No p53 mutations were found in 18 tumors but K-ras point mutations, all within codon 12, were found in 8/18 tumors, mostly those with cholangiocellular elements. These were first or second position G-->T transversions or second position G-->A transitions. While these mutation types have also been commonly seen in bacteria after NO-related DNA damage, the fact that tumors arose only on prolonged feeding of this potently bioactive agent at massive doses seems consistent with a more complex mechanism involving multiple (i.e. genetic and/or epigenetic) factors in carcinogenesis by GTN.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Variant mutational activation of the K-ras oncogene in renal mesenchymal tumors induced in newborn F344 rats by methyl(methoxymethyl)nitrosamine.

Renal mesenchymal tumors were induced at high incidence in F344 rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of methyl(methoxymethyl)nitrosamine (DMN-OMe) within 48 h after birth. DNAs from 18 of 35 mesenchymal tumors contained transforming ras sequences in NIH3T3 transfection assays: K-ras (17/18) or N-ras (1/18). Single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis or dideoxy sequencing of polymerase chain reaction-amplified K-ras gene fragments revealed that these neoplasms contained a variety of activating mutations in the K-ras oncogene. Alterations in codon 12 predominated and included GGT --> GAT transitions, GGT --> GTT or TGT transversions, and previously reported insertion mutations, although some tumors expressed more than one mutation and the pattern of mutations even varied within tumors. Mutations were also found in exons 2 and 3. In addition, tumor transplantability into syngeneic hosts correlated positively and significantly with K-ras activation. Renal mesenchymal tumors with transforming mutations in exon 1 were often successfully passaged (10/12) while tumors which lacked mutations in exon 1 were infrequently transplantable (2/14). While the observed base substitutions in K-ras are consistent with adduct formation, the presence of insertion mutations and intratumor heterogeneity of alterations suggest that ras activation in DMN-OMe-induced tumors is not necessarily an early event in tumorigenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Transplacental mutagenicity of cisplatin: H-ras codon 12 and 13 mutations in skin tumors of SENCAR mice.

Cisplatin is an anticancer agent sometimes used in pregnant women. It is also a potent initiator of skin tumors in mice when administered transplacentally. For characterization of the transplacental mutagenicity of cisplatin, tumors initiated in fetal skin by cisplatin or 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and promoted by postnatal 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) were analyzed for H-ras mutations by 'cold' single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing. The expected high incidence of exon II codon 61 mutations (20/20) was found in transplacental DMBA-initiated tumors, with no exon I change. By contrast, 6/10 cisplatin tumors had seven mutations in codons 12 or 13 of exon I, all at GpG dinucleotides. Four of these were unique codon 13 GGC --> GTC changes, significantly different from the DMBA group and from historical TPA-only controls. The activation of codons 12 and 13 by cisplatin is in accord with the known in vitro preference of cisplatin for GpG sites for intrastrand cross-linking adduct formation. These results provide the first evidence that cisplatin can act transplacentally to cause specific mutations in fetal skin that are not seen in skin tumors caused by treatment of adult skin with this agent. This is evidence for unique molecular fetal carcinogenic pathways and underscores concern about human fetal risk due to maternal cisplatin treatment.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

PubMed1996

Cisplatin-DNA adduct formation in maternal and fetal rat tissues after transplacental cisplatin exposure.

Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin), given to pregnant rats at 5 mg/kg body weight (bw) is a trans placental carcinogen for fetal liver, kidney, nervous system and lung, resulting in tumor incidences of 22.5, 10.5, 6.1 and 7.5% respectively, in offspring grown to adulthood (B.A. Diwan et al., 1995, Toxicol. Appl. Pharm., 132, 115). In this study, the capacity of cisplatin to pass through the placental barrier and bind covalently to DNA in maternal and fetal tissues was evaluated. Pregnant F344/NCr rats were injected i.p. with single doses of 5, 10 or 15 mg cisplatin/kg bw at 18 days of gestation and sacrificed 24 h later. Cisplatin-DNA adducts were determined by dissociation-enhanced lanthanide fluoroimmunoassay (DELFIA) using both High (90 pmol/micrograms DNA) and Low (0.50 pmol/ microgram DNA) Modified cisplatin-DNA standards and atomic absorbance spectrometry (AAS). The adduct quantities determined by the two DELFIAs varied in concert, but the DELFIA with Low Modified standard gave actual values similar to those observed with AAS. In maternal and fetal tissues, with the exception of placenta in one experiment and maternal kidney in another experiment, the extent of cisplatin-DNA adduct formation increased with dose. In maternal kidney, the low adduct levels observed at the 15 mg/kg dose may reflect kidney toxicity. Fetal kidney, liver and lung contained fewer cisplatin-DNA adducts than the corresponding maternal tissues. In contrast, at 5 and 15 mg/kg, fetal brain DNA contained higher adduct levels than maternal brain DNA. This study demonstrates the presence of DNA damage induced by cisplatin in multiple maternal and fetal rat tissues at tumorigenic doses of drug; the results are therefore consistent with the hypothesis that genotoxic mechanisms play an important role in the drug-induced tumor incidence.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Ahr locus phenotype in congenic mice influences hepatic and pulmonary DNA adduct levels of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline in the absence of cytochrome P450 induction.

The potent food mutagen/carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) undergoes metabolic N-hydroxylation by cytochromes P450, including cytochrome P450 1A2, followed by generation of an unstable ester catalyzed by acetyltransferases; promutagenic DNA adducts result. Genetic polymorphisms in these enzymes have been implicated in human cancer risk related to arylamine exposure. We investigated the effects of Ahr locus and acetylator polymorphisms on 32P-postlabeled IQ/DNA adducts in lungs and livers of female C57BL/6 mice congenic for slow acetylation and/or Ahr-nonresponsiveness; some groups were pretreated with beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF), a cytochrome P450 1A inducer. Total adducts in lung were doubled by beta NF pretreatment in Ahr-responsive mice only and consisted of < or = 30% adduct 2 and < or = 60% adduct 3. In contrast, in Ahr-nonresponsive mice, adducts 2 and 3 were each < or= 7% of the total. Livers of noninduced Ahr-responsive mice formed 6-18-fold more adducts than those of nonresponsive mice. This striking difference was not due to altered levels of cyp1a-2, as indicated by specific enzyme assays and immunoblotting, and was not accompanied by a comparable increase in the ability of liver preparations to activate IQ to a mutagen in the Ames test. Pretreatment of responsive mice with beta NF to induce cyp1a-1 and cyp1a-2 led to a reduction in liver adduct levels. Acetylation phenotype also had a significant effect in Ahr-responsive mice, with 3-fold more adducts in slow than in rapid acetylators. These results indicate that in uninduced mice, the normal Ah receptor facilitates formation of IQ/DNA adducts in liver and alters the profile of adducts in lung, via an unknown mechanism, whereas the Ah receptor-dependent enzyme induction reduces adducts in liver, probably due to increased detoxification, but increases them in lung.

Acetylation↗

PubMed1995

Cloning and sequence of a processed p53 pseudogene from rat: a potential source of false 'mutations' in PCR fragments of tumor DNA.

We describe here the nucleotide (nt) sequence of a p53 processed pseudogene (psi-gene) from the normal F344 rat genome. Exon-derived primers were utilized to amplify and clone a 1447-bp polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product corresponding to the coding regions of exons 2-11 of the functional gene. This psi-gene is a cDNA-like sequence possessing 87% homology with the functional rat p53. We have also partially characterized two additional and distinctly different putative rat p53 psi-genes, focussing on the sequences surrounding the reported rat p53 mutational hot spots of codons 202R and 211R within exon 6/7. Each of these three psi-gene sequences contained various single- and/or double-nt substitutions, small deletions and insertions that distinguish them from p53. One substitution, 211R CGG-->CAG, found both in the cloned psi-gene and in one of the partially characterized, putative psi-genes, corresponded precisely with the sequence that has been reported as a mutation at one of the hot spots. Co-amplification of one or more of the p53 psi-genes with portions of the functional p53 is likely, if exon-based primers are utilized for PCR amplification of rat p53. Consequently, psi-gene sequences are potential sources of sequence variations that can be misidentified as somatic cell mutations by direct sequencing of inappropriately generated PCR products.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

DNA adducts of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) in colon, bladder, and kidney of congenic mice differing in Ah responsiveness and N-acetyltransferase genotype.

Heterocyclic amines, suspected as cancer initiators, require metabolic activation to exert genotoxicity. The food carcinogen 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) undergoes activation via N-hydroxylation by cytochrome P450 1A2, followed by O-esterification by N-acetyltransferase. We examined the effects of the Ah locus and acetylator polymorphisms (implicated in human colon and bladder cancer risk) on levels of 32P-postlabeled IQ-DNA adducts in C57BL/6 mice congenic for slow acetylation and/or Ah nonresponsiveness. Some were pretreated with beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF), an inducer of cytochromes P450 1A. Guanine adducts were detected in all organs, the predominant one corresponding to N2-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-IQ. In the kidney, beta NF pretreatment reduced total adducts by 50% in Ah-responsive animals (P = 0.021); the Ah or acetylator phenotype did not otherwise affect total adducts. In the colon of Ah-nonresponsive animals, rapid acetylators had 3-fold more adducts than slow acetylators (P = 0.0001, vehicle-pretreated; P = 0.0031, beta NF-pretreated). In Ah-responsive mice of either acetylator phenotype, beta NF pretreatment reduced total adducts in the colon by 70% (P = 0.0003). A significant interaction of phenotypes occurred in the bladder; beta NF-pretreatment caused a 2.5-fold increase in adducts but only in the Ah-responsive, rapid acetylator mice. In sum, these polymorphisms influenced the level of IQ-DNA adducts in the kidney, urinary bladder, and colon in complex ways.

Acetylation↗

PubMed1995

Mutations of the K-ras and p53 genes in gastric adenocarcinomas from a high-incidence region around Florence, Italy.

K-ras and p53 gene mutations in intestinal-type gastric carcinomas from a high-incidence area around Florence, Italy, were studied by single strand conformation polymorphism and DNA sequencing analysis. Single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of K-ras indicated aberrant bands in 13 of 34 cases. Sequencing revealed point mutations in 7 (including two at a previously unreported site in codon 11), a significantly higher frequency than reported in countries other than Japan. No K-ras mutations were identified in stage III tumors. Single-strand conformation polymorphisms in p53 exons 5-8 occurred in 30 of 34 cases, with mutations identifiable by direct sequencing in 65% of the cases. Of these, 91% were base substitutions, a value similar to that usually reported, but the percentage of G:C to A:T transitions (90% in this study, 89% in all published European cases combined) differed significantly from that in Oriental cases (48%). The percentage of A:T to G:C transitions was greater in Oriental (22%) than European cases (2%), as was also true for transversions (30% in Oriental tumors, 9% in European tumors). The frequency of mutations at CpG sites (14%) varied significantly from the 67% in cases from a neighboring region in Italy. Helicobacter pylori infection was established in 19 cases and was somewhat more common in cases lacking a p53 mutation.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1995

Further evidence for promoter-dependent development of hepatoblastoma in the mouse.

In previous studies, we found that male D2B6F1 mice fed phenobarbital (PB) for 53 weeks following N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) initiation developed a high (70-80%) incidence of malignant hepatoblastomas. A very low (3.3%) incidence of such tumors occurred in the absence of promoter treatment in NDEA-initiated mice observed for 60 weeks, although nearly 50% of these animals developed hepatocellular lesions. To investigate whether hepatocellular lesions in NDEA-initiated mice or spontaneous hepatocellular lesions promoted by PB in mice given PB but no NDEA, progress to hepatoblastomas later in life, mice exposed to NDEA alone and PB alone were maintained for 110 weeks. Hepatocellular tumors (adenomas and carcinomas) occurred in almost all (97%) mice given NDEA alone. However, only 10% of NDEA-treated mice developed hepatoblastomas. Thus, despite its ability to induce hepatocellular neoplasms, NDEA treatment alone was rarely sufficient to induce hepatoblastomas in these mice. In contrast, PB treatment in the absence of NDEA initiation promoted the development of spontaneously occurring hepatocellular lesions, a significant number (37%) of which progressed to hepatoblastomas. Our observations clearly show that in this animal model the development of hepatoblastoma from its precursor cells (hepatocellular adenoma and carcinoma cells) occurs predominantly in the presence of promoting agents such as PB.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Transplacental carcinogenesis by cisplatin in F344/NCr rats: promotion of kidney tumors by postnatal administration of sodium barbital.

Transplacental carcinogenic effects of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (cis-DDP) in F344 rats were investigated. Pregnant F344 rats were given a single i.p. administration of either cis-DDP (5 mg/kg body wt; group 1) or saline only (group 2) on Day 18 of gestation. Offspring of groups 1 and 2 were randomly and equally divided into two subgroups: 1a, 1b and 2a, 2b, respectively. Beginning at 4 weeks of age, offspring in groups 1b and 2b received 500 ppm of sodium barbital (NaBB) in diet, while those in groups 1a and 2a received normal diet. The experiment was terminated at 79 weeks of age. A low incidence (2/19; 10.5%) of male offspring exposed to transplacental cis-DDP (group 1a) developed renal cell adenomas. Postnatal administration of NaBB significantly enhanced this incidence (10/22; p < 0.01) in cis-DDP-initiated offspring. Also, multiple kidney tumors were more common in group 1b than any other group and three animals in this group developed frank renal cell carcinomas. cis-DDP, administered transplacentally, was a complete carcinogen for rat liver as the incidence of hepatocellular adenomas was significantly higher in offspring exposed transplacentally to cis-DDP than in those exposed to saline (20/82 vs 3/75; p < 0.05). NaBB, a known promoter of hepatocellular carcinogenesis in adult rats initiated with N-nitrosodiethylamine, failed to promote liver carcinogenesis initiated by transplacental cis-DDP. Tumors of the central nervous system (3/82; gliomas) and peripheral nervous system (2/82; schwannomas) were found only in offspring exposed transplacentally to cis-DDP. Thus, cis-DDP, administered transplacentally, was a strong initiator of renal cell tumors and a complete carcinogen for multiple organs in rat offspring.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Effect of stage of development on frequency and pathogenesis of kidney tumors induced in Noble (Nb) rats exposed prenatally or neonatally to N-nitrosoethylurea.

Wilms' tumor of kidney, a common human childhood neoplasm, is modeled by nephroblastomas induced by prenatal exposure of some rodents to alkylating agents. Noble (Nb) rats are especially susceptible. We studied the ontogeny of susceptibility by treatment with N-nitrosoethylurea (NEU) on gestation day 10, 12, 14, 16 or 18 or neonatal day 1, 3, 5, 7, or 10. No nephroblastomas were observed in offspring exposed to NEU on day 10 or 12 of gestation. In contrast, nephroblastomas commonly occurred in rats exposed on gestation day 14, 16 or 18 of gestation, with the highest incidence (48%) after treatment on day 18. Nephroblastomas were rare ( < 10%), but renal mesenchymal tumors were common (25-30%) in rats exposed to NEU on day 1 or 3 after birth. In rats exposed to NEU on day 7 or 10 only renal mesenchymal tumors were seen. Thus our results suggest that the stage of differentiation of fetal and neonatal kidneys at the time of NEU administration determines the frequency and type of kidney tumors induced in Nb rats. Since NEU induces both nephroblastomas and mesenchymal tumors in this strain, this experimental model may prove useful for the study of molecular mechanisms involved in the development of these two histogenetically different types of kidney tumors.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Methadone dosing and pregnancy: impact on program compliance.

A retrospective, inception cohort, nonrandomized control design was employed to evaluate the effects of daily vs twice daily dosing of methadone on opiate/cocaine use, and noncompliance with urine toxicology requests in methadone-maintained pregnant women, n = 45. Earlier program entry was associated with decreased opiate and cocaine use and increased compliance with urinalysis requests. The single dose and split-dose groups differed in urine toxicology compliance rates, 23.8 vs 0.5%, as well as percentages of urines positive for cocaine, 15.3 vs 0.3%, only in Trimester III.

Ambulatory Care↗