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PubMed1997

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Scopolamine Hydrobromide Trihydrate (CAS No. 6533-68-2) in F344 Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Gavage Studies).

Scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate is used in ophthalmic preparations and as a preanesthetic sedative. Its major use is in transdermal patches for the treatment of motion sickness. Scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate was selected for study because of considerable human exposure resulting from its use in prescription and over-the-counter preparations. Scopolamine was a suspect carcinogen because it contains an aliphatic epoxide moiety which may act as a biological alkylating agent. Male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice received scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate (89% pure) in distilled water by gavage for 16 days, 14 weeks, or 2 years. Genetic toxicology studies were conducted in Salmonella typhimurium, cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells, and mouse peripheral blood erythrocytes. 16-DAY STUDY IN RATS: Groups of five male and five female rats were administered 0, 75, 150, 300, 600, or 1,200 mg scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate/kg body weight in distilled water by gavage for 16 days. All rats survived to the end of the study. The final mean body weights and body weight gains of males receiving 600 and 1,200 mg/kg and the mean body weight gain of males receiving 300 mg/kg were significantly lower than those of the control group. Clinical findings included bilateral pupillary dilation in all dosed animals and red eyelids in males and females receiving 1,200 mg/kg. There were no significant treatment-related gross or microscopic lesions. 16-DAY STUDY IN MICE: Groups of five male and five female mice were administered 0, 150, 250, 450, 900, or 1,800 mg scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate/kg body weight in distilled water by gavage for 16 days. One male and two females receiving 1,800 mg/kg and one female receiving 150 mg/kg died during the study. The final mean body weights and body weight gains of dosed mice were similar to those of the control groups. Clinical findings related to scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate administration included bilateral pupillary dilation and squinting in all dosed males and females. The relative liver weights of males receiving 1,800 mg/kg and of females in all dosed groups were significantly greater than those of the control groups. There were no significant treatment-related gross or microscopic lesions. 14-WEEK STUDY IN RATS: Groups of 10 male and 10 female rats were administered 0, 15, 45, 135, 400, or 1,200 mg scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate/kg body weight in distilled water by gavage for 14 weeks. One female receiving 45 mg/kg, one male and one female receiving 135 mg/kg, six males and one female receiving 400 mg/kg, and eight males and seven females receiving 1,200 mg/kg died during the study. The final mean body weights and mean body weight gains of all dosed males and females were significantly lower than those of the control groups. Clinical findings included bilateral pupillary dilation in all dosed males and females and reddening of the eyes in 15 mg/kg males and 135, 400, and 1,200 mg/kg males and females. Hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, and/or erythrocyte count in male and female rats receiving 45 mg/kg or greater were slightly higher than those of the control groups. In general, these changes were most prominent in rats in the 400 and 1,200 mg/kg groups. Higher hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, and erythrocyte count were likely due to hemoconcentration from dehydration (relative erythrocytosis). A minimal to mild mature neutrophilia, evidenced by higher segmented neutrophil numbers than in the control group, occurred in all dosed male rats. Sperm morphology and vaginal cytology parameters in dosed rats were similar to those in the control groups. Nine male and five female dosed rats died from esophageal obstructions consisting of feed and bedding material in the posterior pharynx. Tracheal obstruction occurred concurrently with esophageal obstruction as a result of food build-up in the oropharyngeal region. This condition is considered to be secondary to the inhibitory effects of scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate on salivary gland secretions and on esopon esophageal smooth muscle involved in swallowing. There were no other significant treatment-related gross or microscopic findings. 14-WEEK STUDY IN MICE: Groups of 10 male and 10 female mice were administered 0, 15, 45, 135, 400, or 1,200 mg scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate/kg body weight in distilled water by gavage for 14 weeks. One male receiving 135 mg/kg and two males and one female receiving 1,200 mg/kg died during the study. The final mean body weights and mean body weight gains of all dosed male groups and females receiving 45 mg/kg and above were significantly lower than those of the control groups. Clinical observations included bilateral pupillary dilation, hyperactivity, and hypoactivity. A minimal to mild mature neutrophilia, similar to that which occurred in the 14-week rat study, occurred in male mice receiving 45 mg/kg or greater. As in the rat study, there was no microscopic evidence of inflammation that could account for the neutrophilia. The estrous cycle length of 1,200 mg/kg females was significantly greater than that in the control group. There were no significant treatment-related gross or microscopic lesions. 2-YEAR STUDY IN RATS: Groups of 60 male and 60 female rats were administered 0, 1, 5, or 25 mg scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate/kg body weight in distilled water by gavage for 104 weeks. Ten males and ten females from each dose group, excluding the 1 mg/kg female group, were evaluated at 15 months. Survival, Body Weights, Clinical Findings, and Ophthalmic Examination Findings: The survival rates of female rats receiving 1 and 25 mg/kg were significantly lower than that of the control group. Mean body weights of 1 and 5 mg/kg males and females were similar to those of the controls throughout the study. However, mean body weights of 25 mg/kg males and females were generally lower than those of the control groups after about week 25. Clinical findings included bilateral pupillary dilation in all dosed males and females. Ophthalmic examination revealed no significant findings. Hematology: Compared to controls, hematocrit was slightly higher in the 25 mg/kg male rats, similar to the effects observed in the 14-week study; this is consistent with dehydration resulting in hemoconcentration. Reticulocyte numbers in the 25 mg/kg female rats were slightly lower than those in the controls. This result is consistent with the lower body weights, and thus a decreased nutritional status, exhibited by these animals. Plasma Scopolamine Determinations: The serum scopolamine concentrations were 6 ng scopolamine/mL serum for the 5 mg/kg female sample and 12 and 28 ng/mL for the 25 mg/kg male and female samples, respectively. The amounts of scopolamine in the other serum samples were below the minimum detection limit (4 ng/mL) of the analysis method. Neurobehavioral Findings: Horizontal motor activity of 25 mg/kg females was significantly greater than that of the control group on days 90, 180, and 360. Startle response of 5 and 25 mg/kg females was significantly lower than that of the control group on day 90. On day 180, passive avoidance of 25 mg/kg males was significantly lower than that of the control group. Pathology Findings: The incidences of adenoma of the pituitary gland pars distalis decreased with increasing dose in both male and female rats; however, this trend was only significant in males (males: vehicle control, 19/49; 1 mg/kg, 17/49; 5 mg/kg, 13/50; 25 mg/kg, 10/50; females: 20/50, 13/60, 14/50, 10/50). The incidences of adenoma of the pituitary gland pars distalis in 25 mg/kg males and all groups of dosed females were below the NTP historical control range. The incidences of hyperplasia were not significantly different from those in the control groups. The incidences of mononuclear cell leukemia in 25 mg/kg males and females were significantly lower than those of the control groups (males: 33/50, 21/50, 26/50, 24/50; females: 20/50, 6/60, 13/50, 4/50). The incidence of mononuclear cell leukemia in females receiving 25 mg/kg was well below the NTP historical range. 2-YEAR STUDY IN MICE: Groups of 70 male and 70 female mice were administered 0, 1, 5, or 25 mg scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate/kg body weight in distilled water by gavage for 104 to 105 weeks. Ten control animals and ten animals from each dose level were evaluated at 15 months. Survival, Body Weights, Clinical Findings, and Ophthalmic Examination Findings Survival of dosed males and females was similar to that of the controls. The mean body weights of males and females receiving 1 mg/kg were similar to those of the control groups throughout the majority of the study. The mean body weights of 5 mg/kg males and females were slightly lower than those of the controls. The mean body weights of males and females receiving 25 mg/kg were lower than those of the control groups after week 13. Clinical findings included bilateral pupillary dilation in all dosed male and female groups. Ophthalmic examination revealed no significant findings. Hematology: Hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, and erythrocyte count in 25 mg/kg female mice were slightly lower than those in the control group. These results are consistent with development of a minimal normocytic, normochromic nonresponsive anemia. The anemia may be related to the lower body weights exhibited by these animals and are presumed to be due to a decreased nutritional status. Pathology Findings: The combined incidences of hepatocellular neoplasms (adenoma or carcinoma) occurred with a significant negative trend in males and females (males: vehicle control, 30/50; 1 mg/kg, 33/50; 5 mg/kg, 14/50; 25 mg/kg, 15/50; females: 22/51, 21/50, 16/50, 9/51). The combined incidences of hepatocellular neoplasms in 5 and 25 mg/kg males were within the NTP historical control range. The incidences of clear cell foci and eosinophilic foci in dosed male groups, and eosinophilic foci in 25 mg/kg females, were significantly lower than those of the control groups. The incidences of many spontaneously occurring nonneoplastic lesions were significantly lower in dosed mice than in the control groups and usually decreased with increasing dose. These included kidney nephropathy, alveolar epithelial hyperplasia, hyperplasia of the pancreatic islets, bone marrow myelofibrosis, hyperplasia of the pituitary gland pars distalis, cystic hyperplasia of the uterus, and hematopoietic cell proliferation of the spleen. The decreased incidences of these spontaneous lesions were most likely a result of lower body weights in dosed animals. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY: Scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate did not induce mutations in any of five strains of Salmonella typhi murium, with or without S9 metabolic activation enzymes, nor did it induce sister chromatid exchanges in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells, with or without S9. A weakly positive response was obtained, however, in a chromosomal aberrations test conducted in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells with very high doses of scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate in the presence of S9; without S9, no increase in aberrations was noted. Despite the evidence for chromosomal damage observed in vitro, no increase in the frequencies of micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes was observed in peripheral blood samples of male or female mice exposed to scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate for 14 weeks by gavage. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of these 2-year gavage studies, there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate in male or female F344/N rats or B6C3F1 mice administered 1, 5, or 25 mg/kg. Synonyms: Scopolamine hydrobromide, 6,7-epoxytropan-3-yl, euscopol, hydroscine hydrobromide, hyoscine bromide, (-)-hyoscine hydrobromide, hysco, isoscopil, scopolammonium bromide, (s)-tropate hydrobromide trihydrate, lα-tropyl-a-scopine

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Evolution of nef variants in gut associated lymphoid tissue of rhesus macaques during primary simian immunodeficiency virus infection.

We utilized the simian immunodeficiency virus model of AIDS to examine evolution of nef gene in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) during primary and early asymptomatic stages of infection. Macaques were infected with a cloned virus, SIVmac239/nef-stop harboring a premature stop codon in the nef gene. Restoration of the nef open reading frame occurred in GALT early at 3 days post-infection. Analysis of nef sequences by phylogenetic tools showed that evolution of nef was neutral thereafter, as evidenced by the ratio of synonymous to nonsynonymous substitutions, a star pattern in unrooted trees and distribution of amino acid replacements fitting a simple Poisson process. Two regions encoding for a nuclear localization signal and a CTL epitope were conserved. Thus, GALT was a site for strong positive selection of functional nef during initial stages of infection. However, evolution of the nef gene thereafter was neutral during early asymptomatic stage of infection.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

PubMed1991

Synonymous nucleotide substitution rates in mammalian genes: implications for the molecular clock and the relationship of mammalian orders.

Synonymous substitution rates have been estimated for 58 genes compared among primates, artiodactyls, and rodents. Although silent sites might be expected to be neutral, there is substantial rate variation among genes within each lineage. Some of the rate variation is associated with G + C content: genes with intermediate G + C values have the highest rates. Nevertheless, considerable heterogeneity remains after correcting for G + C content. Synonymous substitution rates also vary among lineages, but the relative rates of genes are well conserved in different lineages. Certain genes have also been sequenced in a fourth order (lagomorph or carnivore), and these data have been used to investigate mammalian phylogeny. Data on lagomorphs are consistent with a star phylogeny, but there is evidence that carnivores and artiodactyls are sister groups. Genes sequenced in both rat and mouse suggest that the increased substitution rate in rodents has occurred since the rat/mouse divergence.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Variable evolutionary rates in the molecular evolution of mammalian growth hormones.

In mammals pituitary growth hormone (GH) shows a slow basal rate of evolution (0.22 +/- 0.03 x 10(-9) substitutions/amino acid site/year) which appears to have increased by at least 25-50-fold on two occasions, during the evolution of primates (to at least 10.8 +/- 1.3 x 10(-9) substitutions/amino acid site/year) and artiodactyl ruminants (to at least 5.6 +/- 1.3 x 10(-9) substitutions/amino acid site/year). That these rate increases are real, and not due to inadvertent comparison of nonorthologous genes, was established by showing that features of the GH gene sequences that are not expressed as mature hormone do not show corresponding changes in evolutionary rate. Thus, analysis of non-synonymous substitutions in the coding sequence for the mature protein confirmed the rate increases seen in the primate and ruminant GHs, but analysis of nonsynonymous substitutions in the signal peptide sequence, synonymous substitutions in the coding sequence for signal peptide or mature protein, and 5' and 3' untranslated sequences showed no statistically significant changes in evolutionary rate. Evidence that the increases in evolutionary rate are probably due to positive selection is provided by the observation that in the cases of both ruminant and primate GHs the periods of rapid evolution were followed by a return to a slow rate similar to the basal rate seen in other mammalian GHs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1988

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of 1,2-Epoxybutane (CAS No. 106-88-7) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Inhalation Studies).

1,2-Epoxybutane was selected for study because it is a short-chain epoxide that had been shown to be mutagenic and because no carcinogenicity data were available. Approximately 8 million pounds of 1,2-epoxybutane are produced annually in the United States. The chemical is used primarily as a stabilizer in chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents. Single-Exposure, Fourteen-Day, and Thirteen-Week Studies: Single-exposure, 14-day, 13-week, and 2-year studies were conducted in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice. The chemical was greater than 99% pure and was administered as a vapor by the inhalation route to mimic worker exposure; room air was used as the control exposure during these studies. Exposures were 6 hours per day (5 days per week), except in the single-exposure studies (4 hours). Additional studies were performed to evaluate the potential for genetic damage in bacteria and in mammalian cells. In the single-exposure studies, the chemical was administered at exposure concentrations of 400-6,550 ppm in rats and 400-2,050 ppm in mice. In the 14-day studies, rats and mice were exposed at 400-6,400 ppm, and in the 13-week studies, rats and mice were exposed at 50-800 ppm. All rats in the single-exposure studies at 6,550 ppm died; compound-related deaths were not seen in other dosed groups. All mice at 2,050 ppm and 4/5 mice of each sex at 1,420 ppm died; compound-related mortality was not seen in other dosed groups. In the 14-day studies, all rats at 3,200 and 6,400 ppm and 2/5 female rats at 1,600 ppm died; all mice at 1,600, 3,200, and 6,400 and 1/5 male mice at 800 ppm died. Final mean body weights of surviving rats exposed at 800 or 1,600 ppm were 12%-33% lower than those of the controls; final mean body weights of surviving mice at 800 ppm were 10%-12% lower than those of the controls. Compound-related lesions included pulmonary hemorrhage and rhinitis in rats at 1,600 ppm and nephrosis in mice at 800 and 1,600 ppm. In the 13-week studies, no compound-related mortality was observed in rats; all mice exposed at 800 ppm died. No compound-related clinical signs were seen in rats or in surviving mice. The final mean body weight of rats exposed at 800 ppm was 23% lower than that of controls for males and 16% lower for females. Final body weights of surviving mice were unaffected by exposure. Inflammation of the nasal turbinates was seen in rats at 800 ppm but not at lower exposure concentrations. Renal tubular necrosis was seen in mice at 800 ppm but not at lowerconcentrations. Inflammation of the nasal turbinates was observed in female mice at 100, 200, 400, and 800 ppm and in male mice at 200, 400, and 800 ppm. The highest exposure concentration selected for the 2-year studies in rats was 400 ppm because of body weight effects and nasal lesions observed at 800 ppm. The highest concentration selected for the 2-year studies in mice was 100 ppm because the nasal lesions seen at 200 and 400 ppm were considered to be potentially life threatening. Two-Year Studies: The 2-year toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of 1,2-epoxybutane were conducted by exposing groups of 50 animals per species and sex to the chemical by inhalation, 6 hours per day 5 days per week. Rats were exposed at concentrations of 0, 200, or 400 ppm for 103 weeks and mice at 0, 50, or 100 ppm for 102 weeks. Body Weight and Survival in the Two-Year Studies: The survival of all groups of dosed rats was at least 50% until week 98, but final survival was reduced in the dosed groups (final survival-- male: control, 30/50; low dose, 18/50; high dose, 23/50; female: 32/50; 21/50; 22/50). Mean body weights of control and exposed male rats were similar until week 86; thereafter, mean body weights of high dose male rats were 4%-8% lower than those of controls. Mean body weights of high dose female rats were 5%-10% lower than those of controls after week 22. Survival in male mice was comparable among groups (final survival: 41/50; 45/50; 33/50). Survival in female mice was greater than 50% in all groups at week 86 and then was reduced in high dose females toward the end of the stin all groups at week 86 and then was reduced in high dose females toward the end of the study (final survival: 29/50; 25/50; 9/50). This decreased survival was associated with suppurative inflammation of the ovary and uterus. Klebsiella oxytoca was isolated from these ovarian/uterine lesions. Mean body weights of high dose male mice were 10&percnt;-14&percnt; lower than those of the controls after week 69; mean body weights of low dose male mice were 4&percnt;-8&percnt; lower than those of the controls after week 86. Mean body weights of high dose female mice were 13&percnt;-23&percnt; lower than those of the controls after week 60, and mean body weights of low dose female mice were 12&percnt;-16&percnt; lower than those of the controls after week 73. Nonneoplastic and Neoplastic Effects in the Two-Year Studies: Dosed rats had nonneoplastic lesions of the nasal cavity including inflammation, epithelial hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia, hyperostosis of the nasal turbinate bone, and atrophy of the olfactory epithelium. Seven papillary adenomas of the nasal cavity were seen in highdose male rats and two in high dose female rats. The historical incidences of nasal cavity adenomas in untreated male and untreated female F344/N rats are less than 0.1&percnt;. The incidences of alveolar/bronchiolar carcinomas (0/50; 1/50; 4/49) and adenomas or carcinomas (combined) (0/50; 2/50; 5/49) were increased in high dose male rats; no increased incidences of these tumors were observed in dosed female rats. Dosed mice had increased incidences of nonneoplastic lesions of the nasal cavity but no significant increase in the incidence of neoplastic lesions of the nasal cavity. The nonneoplastic lesions included suppurative inflammation (empyema), epithelial hyperplasia, erosion, regeneration, and squamous metaplasia in the nasal cavity; atrophy of the olfactory sensory epithelium; hyperplasia of the nasal gland (Bowman's glands); and inflammation and hyperplasia of the nasolacrimal duct. A single squamous cell papilloma was seen in the incisive duct of one high dose male mouse. Genetic Toxicology: 1,2-Epoxybutane was mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA1535 when tested with a preincubational protocol with or without rat liver S9, indicating that it is a direct-acting mutagen capable of inducing base-pair substitutions in prokaryotes; it did not cause gene reversion in strains TA1537 or TA98. 1,2-Epoxybutane induced forward mutations at the TK locus of cultured mouse L5178Y lymphoma cells with and without metabolic activation. Both chromosomal aberrations andsister chromatid exchanges were induced in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells after exposure to 1,2-epoxybutane in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. 1,2-Epoxybutane, when fed to male Drosophila, caused significant increases in the number of sex-linked recessive lethal mutations and reciprocal translocations in the germ cells. Data Audit: An audit of the experimental data was conducted for the 2-year studies of 1,2-epoxybutane. No data discrepancies were found that influenced the final interpretations. Conclusions: Under the conditions of these 2-year inhalation studies, there was clear evidence of carcinogenic activity of 1,2-epoxybutane for male F344/N rats, as shown by an increased incidence of papillary adenomas of the nasal cavity, alveolar/bronchiolar carcinomas, and alveolar/bronchiolar adenomas and carcinomas (combined). There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity for female F344/N rats, as shown by the presence of papillary adenomas of the nasal cavity. There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity for male or female B6C3F1 mice exposed at 50 or 100 ppm. 1,2-Epoxybutane exposure was associated with adenomatous hyperplasia and inflammatory lesions of the nasal cavity in rats and inflammatory lesions of the nasal cavity in mice. Synonyms: 1-butene oxide; 1,2-butene oxide; butylene oxide; 1,2-butylene oxide; ethyl ethylene oxide; ethyl oxirane

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Coding region polymorphisms in T cell signal transduction genes. Prevalence and association to development of multiple sclerosis.

We systematically assessed 53 genes involved in T cell signaling, among which 72 SNPs in 32 genes were reported in databases as causing non-synonymous amino acid substitutions. Screening of 41 of these SNPs in DNA pools from 4000 Norwegian controls showed that only 12 SNPs (29%) were polymorphic. These were tested for association to MS in DNA pools from 364 Norwegian MS patients. To eliminate sources of variance introduced by DNA pooling, the SNPs in the best-ranked PLCG1 as well as the PTPN22 gene were thereafter genotyped in individual MS and control samples, however, without finding evidence for association to MS.

DNA↗

PubMed1999

Rapid high-performance liquid chromatography method to quantitate elaterinide in juice and reconstituted residues from a bitter mutant of hawkesbury watermelon.

A C(18) reversed-phase HPLC method has been developed to analyze the concentration of 2-O-beta-D-glycopyranosyl-cucurbitacin E (synonym, elaterinide) in juice or reconstituted residues of juice derived from a bitter mutant of Hawkesbury watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai. The method requires only two steps (homogenation and filtration) for sample preparation prior to column injection and, thus, is amenable to processing large numbers of test samples. Percent elaterinide in juice samples from whole fruit, processed in various ways, ranged from 0.0230 to 0.0808%. Error differences in percent elaterinide for repetitive analyses within the same lot of juice ranged from 1.2 to 5.6%.

Beverages↗

PubMed1993

Evolution of hominoid mitochondrial DNA with special reference to the silent substitution rate over the genome.

Focusing on the synonymous substitution rate, we carried out detailed sequence analyses of hominoid mitochondrial (mt) DNAs of ca. 5-kb length. Owing to the outnumbered transitions and strong biases in the base compositions, synonymous substitutions in mtDNA reach rapidly a rather low saturation level. The extent of the compositional biases differs from gene to gene. Such changes in base compositions, even if small, can bring about considerable variation in observed synonymous differences and may result in the region-dependent estimate of the synonymous substitution rate. We demonstrate that such a region dependency is due to a failure to take proper account of heterogeneous compositional biases from gene to gene but that the actual synonymous substitution rate is rather uniform. The synonymous substitution rate thus estimated is 2.37 +/- 0.11 x 10(-8) per site per year and comparable to the overall rate for the noncoding region. On the other hand, the rate of nonsynonymous substitutions differs considerably from gene to gene, as expected under the neutral theory of molecular evolution. The lowest rate is 0.8 x 10(-9) per site per year for COI and the highest rate is 4.5 x 10(-9) for ATPase 8, the degree of functional constraints (measured by the ratio of the nonsynonymous to the synonymous substitution rate) being 0.03 and 0.19, respectively. Transfer RNA (tRNA) genes also show variability in the base contents and thus in the nucleotide differences. The average rate for 11 tRNAs contained in the 5-kb region is 3.9 x 10(-9) per site per year. The nucleotide substitutions in the genome suggest that the transition rate is about 17 times faster than the transversion rate.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2002

Growth and molecular evolution of vesicular stomatitis serotype New Jersey in cells derived from its natural insect-host: evidence for natural adaptation.

In this study we evaluated the growth and molecular evolution of a natural isolate of VSV-NJ (89GAS) from sand flies in cells derived from sand flies (LL5), mosquitoes (C6/36) or hamsters (BHK21). Two VSV-NJ natural isolates of mammalian origin were used for comparison. For each virus we measured: (i) ability to grow in one-step growth curve or after serial passage on each cell type; (ii) ability to induce persistent infection, and (iii) genetic stability of the glycoprotein gene (G) after serial passage in each cell type. Sand fly virus 89GAS grew to higher titers in insect cells compared with viruses of mammalian origin and showed increasing titers with each passage only in C6/36 cells. All viruses established productive persistent infections in both mosquito and sand fly cells but only LL5 cells yielded sustained high virus titers for periods of up to 81 days. Analyses of the consensus sequences of the G gene from each virus after 0, 10 or up to 25 passages in each cell line showed nucleotide substitution rates between 1.39 x l0(-4) and 6.95 x l0(-5). The majority of these changes were non-synonymous, suggesting positive selection. We did not detect increased nucleotide substitution rates on the G gene of 89GAS after passage in cell lines of mosquito or mammalian origin, nor in viruses of mammalian origin after passage in insect cells. This indicates that although VSV G is positively selected in vitro by the insect cell environment, this does not fully explain VSV natural adaptation. This is the first evidence of naturally occurring adaptation of VSV to cells derived from its natural host.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1999

Associations between amino acids in the evolution of HIV type 1 protease sequences under indinavir therapy.

Significant diversity exists in amino acid sequences encoding HIV-1 protease in individuals naive for protease inhibitors, which could influence the rate of evolution of resistance. High-level resistance to indinavir requires multiple substitutions among at least 11 amino acid sites, and no single substitution was observed in all of 29 resistant isolates obtained from patients on long-term indinavir monotherapy. We have analyzed the evolution of PR in these sequences. The divergence from the baseline amino acid sequence by week 24 was 4%, increasing more than 7% by week 60. The mean difference between sequences from different patients at baseline was 6% (3-9%), rising to 10% after 40 weeks (3-16%), although at all time points nonsynonymous substitutions were less frequent than synonymous nucleotide changes. Analysis of associations between variants at different amino acid sites using a mutual information statistic revealed four pairs of sites to be significantly associated. In three cases these associations included residue 82. Clusters of baseline and week 24 amino acid sequences identified by maximum parsimony did not correlate significantly with the IC95 to indinavir, although a weak correlation of baseline clusters with phenotype at the week 24 time point was suggested.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Further examples of evolution by gene duplication revealed through DNA sequence comparisons.

To test the theory that evolution by gene duplication occurs as a result of positive Darwinian selection that accompanies the acceleration of mutant substitutions, DNA sequences of recent duplication were analyzed by estimating the numbers of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions. For the troponin C family, at the period of differentiation of the fast and slow isoforms, amino acid substitutions were shown to have been accelerated relative to synonymous substitutions. Comparison of the first exon of alpha-actin genes revealed that amino acid substitutions were accelerated when the smooth muscle, skeletal and cardiac isoforms differentiated. Analysis of members of the heat shock protein 70 gene family of mammals indicates that heat shock responsive genes including duplicated copies are evolving rapidly, contrary to the cognitive genes which have been evolutionarily conservative. For the alpha 1-antitrypsin reactive center, the acceleration of amino acid substitution has been found for gene paris of recent duplication.

Actins↗

PubMed2004

Adaptive immunity is the primary force driving selection of equine infectious anemia virus envelope SU variants during acute infection.

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a lentivirus that causes persistent infection in horses. The appearance of antigenically distinct viral variants during recurrent viremic episodes is thought to be due to adaptive immune selection pressure. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated envelope SU cloned sequences from five severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) foals infected with EIAV. Within the SU hypervariable V3 region, 8.5% of the clones had amino acid changes, and 6.4% had amino acid changes within the known cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope Env-RW12. Of all the SU clones, only 3.1% had amino acid changes affecting potential N-linked glycosylation sites. In contrast, a much higher degree of variation was evident in SU sequences obtained from four EIAV-infected immunocompetent foals. Within V3, 68.8% of the clones contained amino acid changes, and 50% of the clones had amino acid changes within the Env-RW12 CTL epitope. Notably, 31.9% of the clones had amino acid changes affecting one or more glycosylation sites. Marked amino acid variation occurred in cloned SU sequences from an immune-reconstituted EIAV-infected SCID foal. Of these clones, 100% had amino acid changes within V3, 100% had amino acid changes within Env-RW12, and 97.5% had amino acid changes affecting glycosylation sites. Analysis of synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions revealed statistically significant differences between SCID and immunocompetent foals and between SCID foals and the reconstituted SCID foal. Interestingly, amino acid selection at one site occurred independently of adaptive immune status. Not only do these data indicate that adaptive immunity primarily drives the selection of EIAV SU variants, but also they demonstrate that other selective forces exist during acute infection.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2006

Polymorphisms in nucleotide excision repair genes, smoking and breast cancer in African Americans and whites: a population-based case-control study.

Polymorphisms exist in several genes involved in nucleotide excision repair (NER), the principal pathway for removal of smoking-induced DNA damage. An epidemiologic study was conducted to determine whether these polymorphisms modify the association between smoking and breast cancer. DNA samples and exposure histories were analyzed as part of a large population-based case-control study of breast cancer in North Carolina. The study population included 2311 cases (894 African Americans, 1417 whites) and 2022 controls (788 African Americans, 1234 whites). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for breast cancer and smoking, and for breast cancer and nine non-synonymous coding polymorphisms in six NER genes (XPD codons 312 and 751, RAD23B codon 249, XPG codon 1104, XPC codon 939, XPF codons 415 and 662, and ERCC6 codons 1213 and 1230). Modification of ORs for smoking by single and combined NER genotypes was investigated. In this study population, smoking was more strongly associated with breast cancer in African American women compared with white women. Among African American women, the association of breast cancer and smoking was strongest among women with specific combinations of NER genotypes. Evidence for multiplicative interaction was found between combined NER genotypes and smoking dose (likelihood ratio test P = 0.06), duration (P = 0.09), time since cessation (P = 0.02), age at initiation (P = 0.04) and former smoking (P = 0.03). No interactions were observed in white women. Therefore, polymorphisms in NER genes may modify the relationship between breast cancer and smoking. These results are consistent with previous evidence of exposure-specific p53 mutations in breast tumors from current and former smokers, suggesting that smoking may play a role in breast cancer etiology.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of C.I. Direct Blue 218 (CAS No. 28407-37-6) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Feed Studies).

C.I. Direct Blue 218 is a copper chelated dye used for cellulose, acetate, nylon, silk, wool, tissue, papers, and textile goods with a urea-formaldehyde finish. C.I. Direct Blue 218 is one of five chemicals/dyes that are part of the National Toxicology Program's Benzidine Dye Initiative, established to determine the toxicity and carcinogenicity of representative benzidine congeners, congener-derived dyes, and benzidine-derived dyes. Industrial grade C.I. Direct Blue 218 was selected for study because of its widespread use. Because of the high salt content, the dye was desalted prior to use. Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies were conducted by administering C.I. Direct Blue 218 in feed to groups of male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice for 14 days, 13 weeks, and 2 years. Genetic toxicology studies were conducted in Salmonella typhimurium, cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells, and Drosophila melanogaster. 14-DAY STUDY IN RATS: Groups of five male and five female F344/N rats were fed diets containing 0, 1,000, 3,000, 7,000, 15,000, or 30,000 ppm C.I. Direct Blue 218. All rats survived until the end of the study. Rats receiving 30,000 ppm lost weight, and the mean body weight gain of males receiving 15,000 ppm was significantly lower than that of the controls. Feed consumption by rats receiving 30,000 ppm was lower than that by the controls. Decreased organ weights at the 30,000 ppm level were related to the decreased body weights at this exposure level. 14-DAY STUDY IN MICE: Groups of five male and five female mice were fed diets containing 0, 1,000, 3,000, 7,000, 15,000, or 30,000 ppm C.I. Direct Blue 218. All mice survived until the end of the study. The final mean body weight of males receiving 30,000 ppm was 25% lower than that of controls and that of 30,000 ppm females was 20% lower than that of controls. Feed consumption by exposed and control groups was similar except for the 15,000 and 30,000 ppm groups. Feed spillage, due to reduced palatability, precluded the accurate determination of feed consumption by these two groups. Male and female mice receiving 30,000 ppm appeared hyperactive and emaciated during the last week of the study. Decreased organ weights were noted at 30,000 ppm and were attributed to the decreased mean body weights at this exposure level. 13-WEEK STUDY IN RATS: Groups of 10 male and 10 female rats were fed diets containing 0, 3,000, 10,000, or 20,000 ppm C.I. Direct Blue 218. All male and female rats survived until the end of the study. Rats exposed to 3,000,10,000, or 20,000 ppm C.I. Direct Blue 218 received approximate daily doses of 200, 600 or 1,300 mg dye/kg body weight (males) and 200, 800, or 1,400 mg/kg (females). The final mean body weight of male rats receiving 20,000 ppm was 24% lower than that of the controls and the final mean body weight of female rats receiving 20,000 ppm was 15% lower than that of the controls. Feed consumption by exposed and control groups was similar except in the 20,000 ppm groups where feed spillage was noted. Absolute and relative kidney weights of rats receiving 10,000 or 20,000 ppm were significantly greater than those of controls. Significantly decreased organ weights were noted, particularly in the 20,000 ppm groups, and were attributed to the lower mean body weights at this exposure level. The hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean erythrocyte volume, and mean erythrocyte hemoglobin values in male and female rats receiving 10,000 and 20,000 ppm were significantly lower than those of controls. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase in male and female rats receiving 20,000 ppm were significantly higher than those of controls, which is consistent with hepatocellular injury. Male rats receiving 10,000 ppm and male and female rats receiving 20,000 ppm had hepatic lesions consisting of intracytoplasmic pigment in periportal Kupffer cells, minimal to mild individual hepatocyte necrosis, increased numbers of binucleated and multinucleated hepatocytes, and minimal bile duct hyperplasia. Male and female rats receiving 20,000 ppm had ys receiving 20,000 ppm had yellow-green pigment within the cytoplasm of proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney. Microconcretions of mineral were observed along the corticomedullary junction of the kidney in most female rats, but the numbers of microconcretions in kidney sections were increased in females that received 20,000 ppm. 13-WEEK STUDY IN MICE: Groups of 10 male and 10 female B6C3F1 mice were fed diets containing 0, 3,000, 10,000, or 20,000 ppm C.I. Direct Blue 218. There were no deaths attributed to C.I. Direct Blue 218. Mice exposed to 3,000, 10,000, or 20,000 ppm C.I. Direct Blue 218 received approximate daily doses of 400, 1,500, or 3,600 mg dye/kg body weight (males) and 400, 1,800, or 4,000 mg/kg (females). The final mean body weight of males that received 20,000 ppm was 24&percnt; lower than that of the controls, and the final mean body weight of females that received 20,000 ppm was 14&percnt; lower than that of controls. Feed consumption by exposed mice was similar to that by controls except in the 20,000 ppm groups where feed spillage was noted. Significant differences in organ weights were noted at 20,000 ppm which were attributed primarily to the lower mean body weights in these exposure groups. The hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean erythrocyte volume, and mean erythrocyte volume, and mean erythrocyte hemoglobin values were significantly lower in males and females receiving 10,000 and 20,000 ppm. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase in male and female mice receiving 10,000 and 20,000 ppm were significantly higher than those of controls, indicating hepatic injury. Male and female mice receiving 20,000 ppm had hepatic lesions consisting of centrilobular hepatocyte hypertrophy and karyomegaly, multifocal individual hepatocyte necrosis, oval cell proliferation, and periportal Kupffer cells with intracytoplasmic pigment. Males and females receiving 20,000 ppm also had increased numbers of pigmented macrophages within the red pulp of the spleen. 2-YEAR STUDY IN RATS: The doses selected for the 2-year study of C.I. Direct Blue 218 were based on the lower final mean body weights and the occurrence of hepatic lesions in the 20,000 ppm groups in the 13-week study. Groups of 60 male and 60 female rats were fed diets containing 0, 1,000, 3,000, or 10,000 ppm C.I. Direct Blue 218 for 103 weeks. Nine or 10 rats from each group were evaluated after 15 months. Survival, Body Weights, Feed and Compound Consumption, and Clinical Findings: Survival of female rats receiving 10,000 ppm was slightly, but not significantly, lower than that of the controls. Mean body weights of male and female rats in the 10,000 ppm groups were approximately 5&percnt; to 14&percnt; lower than those of the controls after week 15, and the final mean body weights of male and female rats at this level were 11&percnt; and 9&percnt; lower than those of the controls, respectively. Feed consumption by exposed male and female rats was similar to that by the controls and was estimated to deliver daily doses of 40, 120, and 440 mg dye/kg body weight to males and 50, 140, and 470 mg/kg to females. No chemical-related clinical signs of toxicity were noted. Hematology and Clinical Chemistry: The hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean erythrocyte volume, and mean erythrocyte hemoglobin values in 10,000 ppm female rats were significantly lower than those of controls, while in males only the mean erythrocyte hemoglobin value was significantly lower. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase in male and female rats receiving 10,000 ppm were significantly higher than those of the controls at the 15-month interim evaluation. Pathology Findings: Squamous cell papillomas of the oral mucosa (pharynx) occurred in five males receiving 10,000 ppm but not in the lower exposure groups or in controls. A squamous cell carcinoma occurred in one 10,000 ppm male and a benign basosquamous tumor was observed in another. The incidence of oral mucosal neoplasms in the 10,000 ppm males was significantly greater than that in controls and exceeded the range observed in untreated historical controls (lO/l,253, 0.8&percnt;; range 0&percnt;-4&percnt;). These neoplasms were considered chemical related. Administration of C.I. Direct Blue 218 to rats produced significantly increased incidences of forestomach basal cell hyperplasia in males receiving 3,000 or 10,000 ppm (0 ppm, 0/50; 1,000 ppm, 2/50; 3,000 ppm, 10/50;10,000 ppm, 19/50) and in females receiving 10,000 ppm (1/50, 1/49, 5/50, 11/49). Further, there were marginal increased incidences of focal squamous hyperplasia in the 3,000 and 10,000 ppm males (1/50,1/50, 6/50, 4/50). Squamous cell papillomas of the forestomach were seen in two 3,000 ppm males and in one 10,000 ppm male; no papillomas were observed in the controls. A squamous cell carcinoma was also seen in one 3,000 ppm male. Because of the uncommon occurrence of forestomach neoplasms in untreated control male rats (4/1,253, 0.3&percnt;; range 0&percnt;-2&percnt;) and the slight increase in the incidence of focal hyperplasia, these neoplasms may have been chemical related. The incidence of uterine endometrial stromal polyps in each exposed group of female rats was significantly greater than that of the controls (1/50,12/50,10/50, 10/50). Because the incidences in the exposed groups did not increase in a dose-related manner and the incidence in the controls was unusually low (historical incidence: 205/1,251,16.4&percnt;; range 2&percnt;-30&percnt;), the higher incidence of stromal polyps in the exposed groups was not considered chemical related. 2-YEAR STUDY IN MICE: The dose selection for the 2-year study was based on the lower final mean body weights and the liver lesions observed at the 20,000 ppm level in the 13-week study. Groups of 60 male and 60 female mice were fed diets containing 0, 1,000, 3,000, or 10,000 ppm C.I. Direct Blue 218 for 103 weeks. Nine or 10 mice from each exposure group were evaluated after 15 months. Survival, Body Weights, Feed and Compound Consumption, and Clinical Findings: Survival of exposed male and female mice was similar to that of the controls. Mean body weights of male and female mice receiving 10,000 ppm were 10&percnt; to 29&percnt; lower than those of the controls during most of the study, and the final mean body weights in these groups were 19&percnt; lower than that of the controls for males and 27&percnt; lower than that of the controls for females. Feed consumption by exposed mice was similar to that by controls and the diets were estimated to deliver daily doses of approximately 120, 360, and 1,520 mg of dye/kg body weight to males and 140, 470, and 2,050 mg/kg to females. No chemical-related clinical signs of toxicity were noted. Hematology and Clinical Chemistry: Hematocrit, hemoglobin, and mean erythrocyte volume values in males and females receiving 10,000 ppm were significantly lower than those of the controls. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and/or sorbitol dehydrogenase values in male and female mice that received 10,000 ppm were significantly higher than those of controls, which is consistent with hepatocellular damage. Pathology Findings: The administration of C.I. Direct Blue 218 to mice produced significantly increased incidences of hepatocellular adenoma (0 ppm, 16/50; 1,000 ppm, 19/50; 3,000 ppm, 17/50; 10,000 ppm, 40/50) and hepatocellular carcinoma (7/50, 3/50, 8/50,17/50) in males receiving 10,000 ppm, and a significantly increased incidence of hepatocellular adenoma in females receiving 3,000 or 10,000 ppm (7/49, 12/50, 17/49, 41/49). In females that received 10,000 ppm, the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma was marginally increased. Consistent with these findings, the incidence of hepatocellular foci of cytologic alteration, a preneoplastic lesion, was also increased in males and females in the 10,000 ppm groups. The increased incidences of hepatocellular foci, adenomas, and carcinomas were considered chemical related. Uncommon renal tubule neoplasms also occurred at low incidences in male mice receiving C.I. Direct Blue 218, but not in controls. Renal tubule adenomas were seen in two males receiving 1,000 ppm, one male receiving 3,000 ppm, and one male receiving 10,000 ppm. A renal tubule carcinoma was also seen in one male that received 1,000 ppm. Because renal tubule neoplasms are uncommon in male mice (4/1,366, 0.3&percnt;; range 0&percnt;-2&percnt;), these neoplasms may have been chemical related. Carcinomas of the small intestine occurred in four male mice receiving 10,000 ppm. One was observed at the 15-month interim evaluation, while the other three were observed in mice at the end of the study. One control male mouse also had a carcinoma of the small intestine. Because of the uncommon occurrence of small intestine neoplasms in untreated male mice (12/1,374, 0.9&percnt;; range 0&percnt;-4&percnt;), the slightly higher incidence of these neoplasms in males receiving 10,000 ppm may have been chemical related. Carcinomas of the small intestine also occurred in one 3,000 ppm and one 10,000 ppm female, but the low incidences precluded drawing an association with chemical administration. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY: C.I Direct Blue 218 was not mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, or TA1537 tested with and without exogenous metabolic activation (S9). It was also tested in a modified Salmonella test protocol which employed reductive metabolism supplied by flavin mononucleotide or rat cecal bacteria, followed by oxidative metabolism; results of this test using strain TA1538 were also negative. C.I. Direct Blue 218 induced a small but significant increase in sister chromatid exchanges in Chinese hamster ovary cells at the highest dose tested without S9. No increase in chromosomal aberrations were observed in Chinese hamster ovary cells with or without S9. C.I. Direct Blue 218 did not induce sex-linked recessive lethal mutations in germ cells of male Drosophila melanogaster. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of these 2-year feed studies, there was some evidence of carcinogenic activity of C.I. Direct Blue 218 in male F344/N rats based on the occurrence of pharyngeal neoplasms. Squamous cell neoplasms of the forestomach may have been chemical related. There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of C.I Direct Blue 218 in female F344/N rats given 1,000, 3,000, or 10,000 ppm. There was clear evidence of carcinogenic activity of C.I. Direct Blue 218 in male and female B6C3F1 mice based on increased incidences of hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas. The occurrence of a few neoplasms of the kidney and small intestine in male mice may have been related to C.I. Direct Blue 218 treatment. The administration of C.I. Direct Blue 218 produced an increased incidence of forestomach basal cell hyperplasia in rats and hepatocellular foci of cytologic alteration in mice. Synonyms: cuprate(4-), [mu-[(3,3'-dihydroxy[1,1'-biphenyl]-4,4'-diyl)bis[5-amino-4-hydroxy- 2,7-naphthalnedisulfonato]](8-)]]di-, tetrasodium; copper, [tetrahydrogen-3,3'-[(3,3'-dihydroxy-4,4'-biphenylylene)bis(azo)]bis [5-amino-4-hdroxy-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonato](4-)]di-, tetrasodium salt; 1-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid, 2,2'-(3,3'-dihydroxy-4,4'-biphenylylenebisazo)bis [8-amino-, dicopper deriv., tetrasodium salt

Journal Article↗

PubMed1990

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Furfural (CAS No. 98-01-1) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Gavage Studies).

Furfural is used as a precursor for the manufacture of furan, furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran, and their derivatives and as an industrial solvent. Furfural is also present in numerous processed food and beverage products. NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis studies were conducted by administering furfural (99% pure) in corn oil by gavage to groups of F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice of each sex for 16 days, 13 weeks, or 2 years. Genetic toxicology studies were conducted in Salmonella typhimurium, mouse lymphoma cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, Drosophila melanogaster, and mouse bone marrow cells. Sixteen-Day Studies: Rats received doses ranging from 15 to 240 mg/kg, and mice received doses from 25 to 400 mg/kg. Eight of 10 rats that received 240 mg/kg died within 3 days. Final mean body weights of chemically exposed animals were similar to those of vehicle controls; no compound-related histologic lesions were observed in any dosed groups. Thirteen-Week Studies: Rats received doses ranging from 11 to 180 mg/kg, and mice received doses from 75 to 1,200 mg/kg. Most rats that received 180 mg/kg died; mean body weights of chemically exposed rats were similar to those of vehicle controls. Mean relative and absolute liver and kidney weights were increased in male rats that received 90 mg/kg, and cytoplasmic vacuolization of hepatocytes was increased in chemically exposed male rats. Almost all mice that received doses of 600 or 1,200 mg/kg died within the first 3 weeks. Mean body weights of chemically exposed mice were similar to those of vehicle controls throughout the studies. Mean absolute liver weights and liver weight to body weight ratios were increased in females that received 300 mg/kg. Centrilobular coagulative necrosis and/or multifocal subchronic inflammation of the liver were present in chemically exposed mice but not in vehicle control mice. Based on these results, doses selected for the 2-year studies were 0, 30, and 60 mg/kg for rats and 0, 50, 100, and 175 mg/kg for mice. Body Weight and Survival in the Two-Year Studies: Mean body weights of chemically exposed and vehicle control animals were similar throughout the studies for rats and mice. Two-year survival of male rats; low dose female rats, and mice was unaffected by chemical exposure (male rats: vehicle control, 31/50; low dose, 28/50; high dose, 24/50; female rats: 28/50; 32/50; 18/50; male mice: vehicle control, 35/50; low dose, 28/50; mid dose, 24/50; high dose, 27/50; female mice: 33/50; 28/50; 29/50; 32/50). Survival of high dose female rats was reduced by deaths associated with gavage administration; the administration of furfural was considered to be a contributing factor in these gavage-related deaths. Nonneoplastic and Neoplastic Effects in the Two-Year Studies: Centrilobular necrosis of the liver occurred at increased incidences in chemically exposed male rats (vehicle control, 3/50; low dose, 9/50; high dose, 12/50). Two high dose male rats had bile duct dysplasia with fibrosis, and two had cholangiocarcinomas; neither lesion was seen in the other dose groups. The historical incidence of bile duct neoplasms in corn oil vehicle control male rats is 3/2,145 (0.1%). Multifocal pigmentation and chronic inflammation of the subserosa of the liver occurred in chemically exposed mice (pigmentation--male: 0/50; 0/50; 8/49; 18/50; female: 0/50; 0/50; 0/50; 11/50; chronic inflammation--male: 0/50; 0/50; 8/49; 18/50; female: 0/50; 0/50; 1/50; 8/50). The incidences of hepatocellular adenomas and hepatocellular carcinomas in male mice and hepatocellular adenomas in female mice were significantly increased in the high dose group compared with those in the vehicle controls (male--adenomas: 9/50; 13/50; 11/49; 19/50; carcinomas: 7/50; 12/50; 6/49; 21/50; female--adenomas: 1/50; 3/50; 5/50; 8/50; adenomas or carcinomas, combined: 5/50; 3/50; 7/50; 12/50). Three renal cortical adenomas or carcinomas occurred in chemically exposed male mice (0/50; 1/50; 1/49; 1/50), and a renal cortical adenoma was present in one low dose female mouse; the historical incidence oal incidence of renal cortical neoplasms in National Toxicology Program 2-year corn oil gavage studies in male B6C3F1 mice is 8/2,183. Forestomach hyperplasia occurred in chemically exposed female mice, and squamous cell papillomas were increased in high dose female mice (hyperplasia: 0/50; 5/50; 5/50; 3/50; papillomas: 1/50; 0/50; 1/50; 6/50). Genetic Toxicology: In gene mutation tests with four strains of Salmonella (TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537), no mutagenic activity was observed in the presence or absence of exogenous metabolic activation (S9) in one laboratory and an equivocal response was observed in TA100 in the absence of S9 in a second laboratory. Exposure to furfural induced trifluorothymidine resistance in mouse L5178Y lymphoma cells in the absence of S9 (no evaluation was made in the presence of S9), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and chromosomal aberrations in CHO cells in the presence or absence of S9, and an increase in sex-linked recessive lethal mutations but no reciprocal translocations in germ cells of D. melanogaster; furfural did not induce SCEs or chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow of B6C3F1 mice. Conclusions: Under the conditions of these 2-year gavage studies, there was some evidence of carcinogenic activity of furfural for male F344/N rats based on the occurrence of uncommon cholangiocarcinomas in two animals and bile duct dysplasia with fibrosis in two other animals. There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity for female F344/N rats that received doses of 0, 30, or 60 mg/kg furfural. There was clear evidence of carcinogenic activity for male B6C3F1 mice, based on increased incidences of hepatocellular adenomas and hepatocellular carcinomas. There was some evidence of carcinogenic activity in female B6C3F1 mice, based on increased incidences of hepatocellular adenomas. Renal cortical adenomas or carcinomas in male mice and squamous cell papillomas of the forestomach in female mice may have been related to exposure to furfural. Synonyms: 2-furancarboxaldehyde; 2-furaldehyde; pyromucic aldehyde Common Name: Artificial oil of ants

Journal Article↗

PubMed1995

NTP technical report on the toxicity studies of Dibutyl Phthalate (CAS No. 84-74-2) Administered in Feed to F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice.

Dibutyl phthalate is a phthalate ester with extensive use in industry in such products as plastic (PVC) piping, various varnishes and lacquers, safety glass, nail polishes, paper coatings, dental materials, pharmaceuticals, and plastic food wrap. Concomitant with this extensive worldwide use is the high potential for human exposure to dibutyl phthalate in the workplace and the home environment through direct sources as well as indirectly, through contamination of water, air, and foodstuffs. Because existing toxicity information was considered inadequate, the effects of exposure to dibutyl phthalate were examined in male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice in 13-week feed studies. Furthermore, due to concern over the potential for pervasive exposure of humans to dibutyl phthalate, additional perinatal studies examined rats and mice exposed as pups in utero, for the 4 weeks of lactation, and for an additional 4 weeks postweaning. Additional studies examined the effects on rats of combining perinatal and adult subchronic exposure. Due to the recognized biologic activity of this and other phthalates, hepatic peroxisome proliferation during the in utero and lactational phases and testicular toxicity during the perinatal period were also examined. Finally, reproductive assessment by continuous breeding (including crossover mating trials and offspring assessment) and genetic toxicity studies were also conducted. In the maximum perinatal exposure (MPE) determination study in rats, dibutyl phthalate was administered in the diet to dams during gestation and lactation, and to the pups postweaning for four additional weeks, at concentrations of 0, 1,250, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, and 20,000 ppm. Decreased weight gains were noted in dams exposed to 20,000 ppm during gestation and to dams exposed to 10,000 ppm during lactation. The gestation index (number of live pups per breeding female) was significantly lower in the 20,000 ppm group than in the controls, and pup mortality in this group was marked (100% by Day 1 of lactation); however, survival was 89% or greater in all other treatment groups. The mean body weight of pups in the 10,000 ppm group at Day 28 of lactation was approximately 90% of the mean weight of control pups. Pups were weaned onto diets containing dibutyl phthalate at the same concentrations fed to dams. After an additional 4 weeks of dietary administration, final mean body weights of pups in the 10,000 ppm groups were 92% of the control value for males and 95% of the control value for females. Hepatomegaly (increased relative liver weight) was observed in males in all exposed groups and in females receiving 2,500 ppm or greater. No gross lesions were observed at necropsy. Moderate hypospermia of the epididymis was diagnosed in all male rats in the 7,500 and 10,000 ppm groups; mild hypospermia of the epididymis was diagnosed in 2 of 10 males in the 5,000 ppm group. No degeneration of the germinal epithelium was detected in the testis of these rats. Thus, although toxicologically important, the epididymal hypospermia was not considered to be life threatening, and 10,000 ppm was recommended as the MPE concentration for male and female rats. In the subsequent subchronic toxicity study of dibutyl phthalate with perinatal exposure, dams were administered diets containing 0 or the MPE concentration (10,000 ppm) during gestation and lactation, and weaned pups were administered the same diets as their dams received for an additional 4 weeks, until the beginning of the 13-week exposure phase. Male and female rats then received diets containing dibutyl phthalate at concentrations of 0, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, and 40,000 ppm for 13 weeks. No mortality or toxicity was observed in dams during the perinatal phase of the study; however, before pups were culled at 4 days postpartum, the percentage of live pups per litter was 86% to 93% that of the controls. Through weaning, litter weights of exposed pups ranged from 89% to 92% of the control values. Ten control and ten exposed pups per sex were examined at the time of trol and ten exposed pups per sex were examined at the time of weaning; hepatomegaly and markedly increased peroxisomal enzyme activities (approximately 9-fold greater than the control values) were observed in exposed pups. Body weights of the perinatally exposed pups remained lower than those of the controls throughout the 4-week period before the 13-week adult exposures began. During the 13-week adult exposure phase, the final mean body weight of males in the MPE: 0 ppm control group (MPE rats, returned to the base diet for 13 weeks), was 95&percnt; that of the controls. The body weight gain of females in the MPE:0 ppm group was greater than that of the unexposed controls, and the final body weights of these two groups were similar. Body weight gains of rats treated with dibutyl phthalate as adults decreased with increasing exposure concentration; for rats that received the MPE concentration followed by 40,000 ppm for 13 weeks, final body weights were 51&percnt; of the control value for males and 74&percnt; of the control value for females. Hepatomegaly apparently regressed in rats in the MPE:0 ppm groups but was observed in male rats receiving 5,000 ppm or greater and in females receiving 2,500 ppm or greater. In males that received 20,000 ppm as adults, testis and epididymal weights were less than in the controls; males in the 40,000 ppm group also had a lower testis weight than the controls. Results of hematologic analyses conducted at the end of the 13-week exposure period suggested a mild anemia in male rats administered 10,000 ppm or greater as adults and female rats administered 40,000 ppm as adults. Hypocholesterolemia and hypotriglyceridemia were observed in male and female rats at the higher exposure concentrations. Hypotriglyceridemia was detected in females receiving 20,000 or 40,000 ppm and in males receiving 10,000 ppm or greater. Elevations in alkaline phosphatase activities and bile acid concentrations in male and female rats receiving 20,000 or 40,000 ppm as adults were indicative of cholestasis. Microscopic examination revealed hepatocellular cytoplasmic alteration, consistent with glycogen depletion, in male and female rats receiving a concentration of 10,000 ppm or greater. In the liver of rats receiving 40,000 ppm, small, fine, eosinophilic granules were also observed in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. Ultrastructural examination suggested the presence of increased numbers of peroxisomes. Lipofuscin accumulation was detected in rats that received 10,000 ppm or greater. Consistent with the regression of the hepatomegaly in rats in the MPE:0 and MPE:2,500 ppm groups, peroxisomal enzyme activity was not elevated in these groups. Marked elevations of peroxisomal enzyme activity were detected, however, in males receiving 5,000 ppm or greater and in females receiving 10,000 ppm or greater; at the 40,000 ppm concentration, the highest concentration tested, enzyme activities were approximately 20 fold greater than the control values. Histopathologic examination of the testes revealed degeneration of the germinal epithelium, a mild to moderate focal lesion in rats in the 10,000 and 20,000 ppm groups and a marked, diffuse lesion in all males receiving 40,000 ppm; at 40,000 ppm, an almost complete loss of the germinal epithelium resulted. Testicular zinc concentrations were lower in the 40,000 ppm group than in the controls, a finding consistent with the marked loss of germinal epithelium at this exposure concentration. Spermatogenesis was evaluated in rats in the 0, 2,500, 10,000, and 20,000 ppm groups; rats administered 20,000 ppm had fewer spermatid heads per testis than the unexposed controls, and epididymal spermatozoal concentration was less than that in the MPE:0 ppm group. For comparison with the perinatal subchronic study, a standard 13-week evaluation of the toxicity of dibutyl phthalate in male and female rats was also conducted. In this study, rats received dibutyl phthalate at the same dietary concentrations used in the 13-week exposure phase of the study with perinatal exposure: 0, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, and 40,000 ppm. No deaths occurred in the standard study. Markedly reduced final mean body weights were observed in males and females in the 40,000 ppm groups (45&percnt; and 73&percnt; of control body weights, respectively); final mean body weights of males receiving 10,000 ppm or greater and females receiving 20,000 ppm or greater were lower than those of the controls. Hepatomegaly was observed in males that received 5,000 ppm or greater and in females that received 10,000 ppm or greater. Testis and epididymal weights of males in the 20,000 and 40,000 ppm groups were lower than those of the controls. A minimal anemia was detected in male rats receiving 5,000 ppm or greater. Hypocholesterolemia was observed in male and female rats receiving 20,000 or 40,000 ppm, and hypotriglyceridemia was detected in males in all exposed groups and in females receiving 10,000 ppm or greater. Elevations in alkaline phosphatase activity and bile acid concentration in male and female rats were considered indicative of cholestasis. Morphologic evaluation again confirmed the toxicity of dibutyl phthalate to the liver and testes of rats. Microscopic examination of the liver revealed hepatocellular cytoplasmic alterations, consistent with glycogen depletion, in male and female rats receiving 10,000 ppm or greater. In the liver of rats in the 40,000 ppm groups, small, fine, eosinophilic granules were also observed in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. Ultrastructural examination suggested the presence of increased numbers of peroxisomes, and peroxisomal enzyme activity was elevated in the livers of male and female rats administered 5,000 ppm or greater; the enzyme activities in the 40,000 ppm groups were approximately 13-fold greater than the control value for males and 32-fold greater than the control value for females. Lipofuscin accumulation was detected in rats receiving 10,000 ppm or greater. Histopathologic examination of the testes revealed degeneration of the germinal epithelium, a mild to marked focal lesion in the 10,000 and 20,000 ppm groups and a marked, diffuse lesion in all males in the 40,000 ppm group; at 40,000 ppm, an almost complete loss of the germinal epithelium resulted. Testicular zinc concentrations were lower in the 20,000 and 40,000 ppm groups than in the controls. Serum testosterone values were also lower at these concentrations than in the controls. Spermatogenesis was evaluated in males in the 0, 2,500, 10,000, and 20,000 ppm groups; at 20,000 ppm, spermatid heads per testis and per gram testis, epididymal spermatozoal motility, and the number of epididymal spermatozoa per gram epididymis were lower than in the controls. All of these findings are consistent with the marked loss of germinal epithelium at these exposure concentrations. In the continuous breeding study, Sprague-Dawley rats received 0, 1,000, 5,000, or 10,000 ppm dibutyl phthalate in feed. Mean body weights of exposed dams at delivery and during lactation generally decreased with increasing exposure concentration. The mean pup weight at birth in the 10,000 ppm group was significantly lower than the control pup weight. The average number of live pups per litter in all exposed groups was lower than in the controls. Crossover mating trials in the F(0) generation revealed no effects on the fertility of male or female rats receiving 10,000 ppm. In contrast to the F(0) rats, mating, pregnancy, and fertility indices of F(1) rats were lower in the 10,000 ppm group than in the controls. Germinal epithelial degeneration of the testes and absence or under development of the epididymides were noted in F(1) males in the 10,000 ppm group. Interstitial cell hyperplasia was noted in 7 of 10 males in the 10,000 ppm group. These effects document the male and female reproductive toxicity of dibutyl phthalate in F(1) rats receiving 10,000 ppm and do not exclude the possibility of developmental toxicity to F2 offspring. In the MPE determination study in mice, dams received 0, 1,250, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, or 20,000 ppm dibutyl phthalate in feed during gestation and lactation; pups were weaned onto the same diets as the dams received and were exposed for an additional 4 weeks. The gestation period was longer in dams that received 2,500 ppm or greater than in the controls, and gestational body weight gain depressions were noted in dams receiving 7,500 ppm or greater. Only 5 of 20 females in the 10,000 ppm group delivered live pups, and none of the 20 females receiving 20,000 ppm delivered live pups. Only one pup in the 10,000 ppm group survived past Lactation Day 1; the number of live pups per litter in the 7,500 ppm group also remained low throughout lactation. No deaths of either male or female pups occurred after weaning. Initial (postweaning) and final body weights of male pups receiving 2,500 ppm or greater were significantly less than those of the control group. The mean body weights of exposed female pups were similar to the control body weight at weaning and remained similar throughout the 4 weeks postweaning. Hepatomegaly was present in male mice in all exposed groups, and the absolute liver weight of males administered 7,500 ppm was greater than that of the controls; although a similar change was apparent in females, no statistical differences between the liver weights of exposed and control females were detected. No treatment-related gross lesions were identified at necropsy, and no histopathologic lesions definitively associated with treatment were observed in male or female mice in the 7,500 ppm groups. The one surviving male pup in the 10,000 ppm group had cytoplasmic alteration in the liver, consistent with peroxisome proliferation. Developmental toxicity and fetal and pup mortality were suggested at concentrations as low as 7,500 ppm. No subchronic toxicity study with prior MPE exposure was conducted with mice, although an MPE concentration of 5,000 ppm was suggested by the data. In a standard 13-week toxicity study, mice received 0, 1,250, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, or 20,000 ppm dibutyl phthalate in feed. No deaths occurred during this study. Mean body weights and weight gains of male and female mice decreased with increasing exposure concentration, and the decreases were significant for males and females that received 5,000 ppm or greater. Relative liver weights were greater in males and females receiving 5,000 ppm or greater than in the controls. A minimal anemia was suggested in female mice in the 20,000 ppm group. Although no gross lesions were observed at necropsy, microscopic examination revealed hepatocellular cytoplasmic alterations, consistent with glycogen depletion, in male mice receiving 10,000 or 20,000 ppm and female mice receiving 20,000 ppm. Small, fine, eosinophilic granules, consistent with peroxisome proliferation, were also observed in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes in males and females in the 20,000 ppm groups. Lipofuscin accumulation in the liver was detected in mice receiving 10,000 ppm or greater. In a continuous breeding study using Swiss (CD-1®) mice, animals received 0, 300, 3,000, or 10,000 ppm dibutyl phthalate in feed. The fertility index, average number of litters per breeding pair, and average number of live pups per litter in the 10,000 ppm group were lower than in the controls. Crossover mating trials of mice receiving 10,000 ppm revealed effects on dams in the F(0) generation, with a lower fertility index, number of live pups per litter, and pup weight than in the controls. Liver weights were greater in males and females, and the uterine weight was less in exposed dams than in the controls. No other changes were observed at necropsy or on histopathologic examination. These data document the female reproductive toxicity of dibutyl phthalate in F(0) mice. Dibutyl phthalate was not mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98, TA100, TA1535, or TA1537 with or without exogenous metabolic activation but did induce mutations in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells treated without metabolic activation. In peripheral blood samples obtained from male and female mice at the end of the 13-week study, frequencies of micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes were similar between exposed and control mice. Together, the studies in rodents suggest that young rodents (in utero and perinatal) respond in a manner qualitatively similar to that of adult rats and mice. Dibutyl phthalate induced toxic effects in rodents as pups in utero and during the lactational phases of development and also affected young adults, as evidenced by fetotoxicity and lethality, body weight gain decrements, increased liver weights, hepatic peroxisome proliferation, testicular toxicity, and female reproductive toxicity. Dibutyl phthalate was lethal to rat fetuses and rat and mouse neonates at dietary concentrations that were not toxic to dams. Otherwise, there was no teratogenic or morphologic evidence that rodent young were uniquely sensitive to the effects of short-term dibutyl phthalate treatment. Synonyms: 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid dibutyl ester; benzene-o-dicarboxylic acid di-n-butyl ester; o-benzenedicarboxylic acid dibutyl ester; butyl phthalate; n-butyl phthalate; DBP; dibutyl 1,2-benzene dicarboxylate; dibutylphthalate; di-n-butylphthalate; di(n-butyl) phthalate; dibutyl-o-phthalate; phthalic acid dibutyl ester. Trade Names: Celluflex DBP; Elaol; Ergoplast FDB; Ersoplast FDA; Genoplast B; Hexaplas M/B; Palatinol C; Polycizer DBP; PX 104; RC Plasticizer DBP; Staflex DBP; Uniflex DBP; Unimoll DB; Witcizer 300; Witicizer 300. (NOTE: These studies were supported in part by funds from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act trust fund (Superfund) by an interagency agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S. Public Health Service.)

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

Close association between sequence polymorphism in the KIT gene and the roan coat color in horses.

The roan coat color in horses is controlled by a dominant allele that is lethal in the homozygous condition. Phenotypic similarities to some pigmentation disorders in human and mouse, combined with comparative mapping data, identified KIT, encoding the mast cell growth factor receptor, as a major candidate gene for the roan locus (Rn). Rn has previously been mapped to equine linkage group (LG) II. In this study, LGII was expanded with KIT and PDGFRA (platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha) by use of RFLP and linkage analysis. Moreover, highly significant linkage disequilibrium between Rn and a KIT TaqI RFLP, representing a synonymous substitution in exon 19, was revealed. There was a strong KIT-Rn association in most breeds. Almost the complete KIT-encoding sequence was determined by sequence analysis of RT-PCR products. Comparison of horse KIT cDNA sequences, representing three different alleles (two different rn and one Rn), revealed five sequence polymorphisms and several mRNA splice variants, but none of these proved to be specifically associated with Rn. An insertion of a partial (79 bp) LINE1-element between exons 1 and 2, leading to a frameshift, represented about 30% of KIT transcripts in the Belgian roan horse used for the sequence analysis. However, an association between this L1 splice insertion and the roan phenotype was not verified when testing additional unrelated roan and non-roan horses from different breeds. The study strengthens the hypothesis that the roan coat color is controlled by KIT, but further analyses are needed to reveal the causative mutation(s).

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed1987

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Bromodichloromethane (CAS No. 75-27-4) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Gavage Studies).

Bromodichloromethane (99% pure), one of several trihalomethanes commonly formed after chlorination of water, was selected for study because no carcinogenicity data were available for this compound and because chloroform, a related trihalomethane, had been found to cause tumors in rodents. The general population might be exposed to bromodichloromethane in drinking water supplies, in swimming pools, and in a variety of food substances. Single-administration, 14-day, 13-week, and 2-year studies were conducted in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice. The chemical was administered by gavage in corn oil because human exposure is primarily oral. Additional studies were performed to evaluate the potential for genetic damage in bacteria and mammalian cells. Results of the Short-Term Studies: In the single-administration studies, the chemical was administered at doses of 150-2,500 mg/kg per day. All rats and female mice at 1,250 and 2,500 mg/kg and all male mice at 600, 1,250, and 2,500 mg/kg died; 2/5 male rats, 1/5 female rats, and 2/5 female mice at 600 mg/kg died; all animals at lower dose levels survived. In the 14-day studies, rats received doses of 38-600 mg/kg, and mice received doses of 19-300 mg/kg per day. One female rat at 38 mg/kg and one female rat at 600 mg/kg died. Weight loss or decreased weight gain was seen at 300 and 600 mg/kg in male and female rats. All male mice at 150 and 300 mg/kg died, and one female mouse at 300 mg/kg died; no weight effects were observed in surviving mice. Dose-related necropsy findings included reddened renal medullae in male rats at 600 mg/kg and in male mice at 150 and 300 mg/kg. Clinical signs seen in high dose groups after dosing were hyperactivity in rats and lethargy in mice. In the 13-week studies, male and female rats received doses of 19-300 mg/kg per day, male mice received doses of 6.25-100 mg/kg per day, and female mice received doses of 25-400 mg/kg per day. Five of 10 male rats and 2/10 female rats at 300 mg/kg died. None of the mice died. Final body weights of male and female rats at 150 and 300 mg/kg were lower than those of vehicle controls (45%-88% of vehicle control weights); final body weights of male mice at 100 mg/kg and female mice at 400 mg/kg were 92% and 94% of those of the vehicle controls. Centrilobular degeneration in the liver and degeneration and necrosis of the kidney were seen in male rats at 300 mg/kg; centrilobular degeneration was seen in female rats at 300 mg/kg; degeneration andnecrosis of the kidney were seen in male mice at 100 mg/kg, and centrilobular degeneration of the liver was seen in female mice at 200 and 400 mg/kg. Experimental Design of the Two-Year Studies: The 2-year toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of bromodichloromethane were conducted by administering the chemical in corn oil by gavage, 5 days per week for 102 weeks, to groups of 50 male and female rats at doses of 0, 50, or 100 mg/kg per day; to groups of 50 male mice at doses of 0, 25, or 50 mg/kg per day; and to groups of 50 female mice at doses of 0, 75, or 150 mg/kg per day. The study in male rats was restarted because at 10.5 months into the original study, a temperature elevation killed 45/50 vehicle control male rats. Survival and Body Weight in the Two-Year Studies: Final survival of dosed rats was comparable to that of vehicle controls (male: vehicle control, 28/50; low dose, 36/50; high dose, 28/50; female: 34/50; 27/50; 41/50). Mean body weights of high dose male and female rats were decreased during the last 1.5 years of the study; final mean body weights of high dose male and female rats were 88% and 79% of the vehicle control mean weights. Final mean body weights of low dose male and female rats were comparable to those of the vehicle controls. Final survival of dosed male mice was comparable to that of the vehicle controls (34/50; 32/50; 42/50). At week 84, survival of female mice was greater than 50% in all dose groups. After week 84, survival of dosed and vehicle control female mice was reduced (final survival: 26/50; 13/50; 15/50), and this decreased survival was ass6/50; 13/50; 15/50), and this decreased survival was associated with ovarian abscesses (8/50; 19/47; 18/49). The final mean body weight of high dose male mice was 95&percnt; that of the vehicle controls; the final mean body weight of low dose male mice was comparable to that of the vehicle controls. Mean body weights of the high dose female mice were decreased during the last 1.5 years of the study; the final mean body weight was 75&percnt; that of the vehicle controls. The final mean body weight of the low dose female mice was 91&percnt; that of the vehicle controls. Nonneoplastic Effects in the Two-Year Studies: Compound-related nonneoplastic lesions included cytomegaly and tubular cell hyperplasia of the kidney and necrosis and fatty metamorphosis of the liver in male rats; eosinophilic cytoplasmic change, clear cell change, focal cellular change, and fatty metamorphosis of the liver and tubular cell hyperplasia of the kidney in female rats; fatty metamorphosisof the liver, renal cytomegaly, and follicular cell hyperplasia of the thyroid gland in male mice; and follicular cell hyperplasia of the thyroid gland in female mice. Neoplastic Effects in the Two-Year Studies: Bromodichloromethane caused compound-related increases in the incidences of neoplasms of the large intestine and kidney in male and female rats, the kidney in male mice, and the liver in female mice, as shown in the table (see page 5 of the Technical Report). The neoplasms of the large intestine and kidney are uncommon tumors in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice. Administration of bromodichloromethane was also associated with a decrease in the tumors of the adrenal glands in male rats, the pituitary and mammary glands in female rats, and the pituitary gland in female mice. Genetic Toxicology: Bromodichloromethane was not mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, or TA1537 when tested by the preincubational protocol at concentrations up to 1,000 ug/plate with or without metabolic activation. The compound was not mutagenic in the mouse lymphoma L5178Y/TK± assay in the presence of S9 but did induce forward mutations in the system in the presence of metabolic activation from rat liver S9. Cytogenetic tests with Chinese hamster ovary cells demonstrated no induction of chromosomal aberrations orsister chromatid exchanges following treatment with bromodichloromethane in either the presence or absence of metabolic activation. Data Audit: An audit of the experimental data was conducted for the 2-year toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of bromodichloromethane. No discrepancies were found that influenced the final interpretations of the results of these studies. Conclusions: Under the conditions of these 2-year gavage studies, there was clear evidence of carcinogenic activity for male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice as shown by increased incidences of tubular cell adenomas and adenocarcinomas in the kidney and adenocarcinomas and adenomatous polyps in the large intestine in male and female rats, increased incidences of tubular cell adenomas and adenocarcinomas in the kidney of male mice, and increased incidences of hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas in female mice. Synonym: dichlorobromoethane

Journal Article↗