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PubMed1998

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Tetrahydrofuran (CAS No. 109-99-9) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Inhalation Studies).

Tetrahydrofuran is used as a reaction medium for Grignard and metal hydride reactions; in the synthesis of butyrolactone, succinic acid, and 1,4-butanediol diacelate; in the fabrication of articles for packaging, transporting, and storing of foods; as a solvent for dyes and lacquers; and as a chemical intermediate in polymerization solvent for fat oils, unvulcanized rubber, resins, and plastics. Tetrahydrofuran is also an indirect food additive when it is in contact with the surface of articles intended for use in food processing. Tetrahydrofuran was nominated for study because of the potential for occupational exposure in humans. Male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice were exposed to tetrahydrofuran (approximately 99% pure) by inhalation for 13 weeks or 2 years. Genetic toxicology studies were conducted in Salmonella typhimurium, cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells, Drosophila melanogaster, mouse bone marrow cells, and mouse peripheral blood cells erythrocites. 14-WEEK STUDY IN RATS: Groups of 10 male and 10 female rats were exposed to 0 (chamber control), 66, 200, 600, 1,800, or 5,000 ppm tetrahydrofuran by inhalation, 6 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 14 weeks. All rats survived until the end of the study. Final mean body weights and mean body weight gains of exposed groups of male and female rats were similar to those of the chamber controls. Immediately after exposure, male and female rats in the 5,000 ppm groups exhibited ataxia. Hematologic and serum chemistry changes were minimal, with most values falling within physiologic ranges. Absolute and relative thymus and spleen weights of male and female rats exposed to 5,000 ppm were significantly less than those of the chamber controls. Absolute and relative liver weights of female rats exposed to 5,000 ppm were significantly greater than those of the chamber controls. Increased incidences of minimal to mild hyperplasia of the forestomach were observed in male and female rats exposed to 5,000 ppm. Minimal suppurative inflammation was associated with forestomach hyperplasia in two male rats and four female rats exposed to 5,000 ppm. 14-WEEK STUDY IN MICE: Groups of 10 male and 10 female B6C3F1 mice were exposed to 0, 66, 200, 600, 1,800, or 5,000 ppm tetrahydrofuran by inhalation, 6 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 14 weeks. Two male mice exposed to 5,000 ppm died during weeks 2 and 8 of the study; one male mouse from the 5,000 ppm group was killed in a moribund state during week 4. All female mice survived until the end of the study. The final mean body weights and mean body weight gains of all exposed groups of male mice were similar to those of the chamber controls. The final mean body weight and mean body weight gain of the 5,000 ppm female mice were significantly greater than those of the chamber controls. Male and female mice exposed to 1,800 or 5,000 ppm were observed in a state of narcosis (described by stupor) during exposure periods. Mice exposed to 1,800 ppm were fully awake and alert immediately after exposure; however, mice exposed to 5,000 ppm required up to 2 hours for recovery. Absolute and relative liver weights of male mice exposed to 600 ppm or greater and of female mice exposed to 1800 or 5,000 ppm were significantly greater than those of the chamber controls. Absolute and relative thymus weights of male mice exposed to 600, 1,800, or 5,000 ppm were significantly less than those of the chamber controls. The incidences of minimal to mild centrilobular cytomegaly of the liver in male and female mice exposed to 5,000 ppm were significantly greater than those in the chamber controls. The adrenal glands of all female mice exposed to 5,000 ppm had mild degeneration of the X-zone of the innermost cortex. Uterine atrophy was observed in all female mice exposed to 5,000 ppm. 2-YEAR STUDY IN RATS: Groups of 50 male and 50 female rats were exposed to 0, 200, 600, or 1,800 ppm tetrahydrofuran by inhalation, 6 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 105 weeks. Survival, Body Weights, and Clinical Findings Survival and mean body weights of male and femand female rats exposed to tetrahydrofuran were similar to those of the chamber controls. Pathology Findings: The incidences of renal tubule epithelial adenoma or carcinoma (combined) in exposed males occurred with a positive trend, and the incidences in 600 and 1,800 ppm males exceeded the historical range for chamber controls in 2-year NTP inhalation studies. 2-YEAR STUDY IN MICE: Groups of 50 male and 50 female mice were exposed to 0, 200, 600, or 1,800 ppm tetrahydrofuran by inhalation, 6 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 105 weeks. Survival, Body Weights, and Clinical Findings After week 36, the survival of male mice exposed to 1,800 ppm was significantly less than that of the chamber controls. Mean body weights of male and female mice exposed to tetrahydrofuran were similar to those of the chamber controls throughout the study. Male mice exposed to 1,800 ppm were observed to be in a state of narcosis during and up to 1 hour after the exposure periods. Pathology Findings: The incidences andmultiplicity of hepatocellular neoplasms were significantly greater in female mice exposed to 1,800 ppm than in the chamber controls. The incidence of nephropathy in 200 ppm male mice was significantly greater than that in the chamber control group. Male mice exposed to 1,800 ppm had significantly greater incidences of nonneoplastic lesions of the urogenital tract than did the chamber controls. The incidences of inflammation of the penis and urethra and necrosis of the urethra in 1,800 ppm males were slightly greater than those in the chamber controls; these may have been secondary effects of ascending urinary tract infection. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY: Tetrahydrofuran showed little evidence of mutagenic activity in a variety of in vitro and in vivo assays. It was not mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium, and it did not induce sister chromatid exchanges or chromosomal aberrations in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells. These in vitro tests were conducted with and without exogenous metabolic activation from induced liver S9 enzymes. No increase in sex-linked recessive lethal mutations was detected in germ cells of male D. melanogaster exposed to tetrahydrofuran by feeding or injection. Results of in vivo assays for induction of chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges in mouse bone marrow cells were negative. A micronucleus test in male and female mice exposed to tetrahydrofuran for 14 weeks showed no significant increases in the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes in peripheral blood of female mice, but in male mice, analysis of micronucleated normochromatic erythrocyte levels revealed a small increase above baseline that was concluded to be equivocal. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of these 2-year inhalation studies, there was some evidence of carcinogenic activity of tetrahydrofuran in male F344/N rats based on increased incidences of renal tubule adenoma or carcinoma (combined). There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of tetrahydrofuran in female F344/N rats exposed to 200, 600, or 1,800 ppm or male B6C3F1 mice exposed to 200, 600, or 1,800 ppm. There was clear evidence of carcinogenic activity of tetrahydrofuran in female B6C3F1 mice based on increased incidences of hepatocellular neoplasms. Synonyms: Butylene oxide; cyclotetramethylene oxide; diethylene oxide; 1,4-epoxybutane; furanidine; hydrofuran; oxacyclopentane; oxolane; tetramethylene oxide

Journal Article↗
PubMed2024

Analysis of human papillomavirus type 16 E4, E5 and L2 gene variations among women with cervical infection in Xinjiang, China.

BACKGROUND: There is a high incidence of cervical cancer in Xinjiang. Genetic variation in human papillomavirus may increase its ability to invade, spread, and escape host immune response. METHODS: HPV16 genome was sequenced for 90 positive samples of HPV16 infection. Sequences of the E4, E5 and L2 genes were analysed to reveal sequence variation of HPV16 in Xinjiang and the distribution of variation among the positive samples of HPV16 infection. RESULTS: Eighty-one of the 90 samples of HPV16 infection showed variation in HPV16 E4 gene with 18 nucleotide variation sites, of which 8 sites were synonymous variations and 11 missense variations. 90 samples of HPV16 infection showed variation in HPV16 E5 and L2 genes with 16 nucleotide variation sites (6 synonymous, 11 missense variations) in the E5 gene and 100 nucleotide variation sites in L2 gene (37 synonymous, 67 missense variations). The frequency of HPV16 L2 gene missense variations G3377A, G3599A, G3703A, and G3757A was higher in the case groups than in the control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that 87 samples were European strains, 3 cases were Asian strains, there were no other variations, and G4181A was related to Asian strains. HPV16 L2 gene missense variations G3377A, G3599A, G3703A, and G3757A were significantly more frequent in the case groups than in the control groups.

Humans↗
PubMed2003

Codon optimization of Caenorhabditis elegans GluCl ion channel genes for mammalian cells dramatically improves expression levels.

Organisms use synonymous codons in a highly non-random fashion. These codon usage biases sometimes frustrate attempts to express high levels of exogenous genes in hosts of widely divergent species. The Caenorhabditis elegans GluClalpha1 and GluClbeta genes form a functional glutamate and ivermectin-gated chloride channel when expressed in Xenopus oocytes, but expression is weak in mammalian cells. We have constructed synthetic genes that retain the amino acid sequence of the wild-type GluCl channel proteins, but use codons that are optimal for mammalian cell expression. We have tagged the native and codon-optimized GluCl cDNAs with enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP, GluClalpha1 subunit) and enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (EFCP, GluClbeta subunit), expressed the channels in E18 rat hippocampal neurons and measured the relative expression levels of the two genes with fluorescence microscopy as well as with electrophysiology. Codon optimization provides a 6- to 9-fold increase in expression, allowing the conclusions that the ivermectin-gated channel has an EC(50) of 1.2 nM and a Hill coefficient of 1.9. We also confirm that the Y182F mutation in the codon-optimized beta subunit results in a heteromeric channel that retains the response to ivermectin while reducing the response to 100 microM glutamate by 7-fold. The engineered GluCl channel is the first codon-optimized membrane protein expressed in mammalian cells and may be useful for selectively silencing specific neuronal populations in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Identification of four novel polymorphisms in the calcitonin/alpha-CGRP (CALCA) gene and an investigation of their possible associations with Parkinson disease, schizophrenia, and manic depression.

We identified novel polymorphisms in the calcitonin/CGRPalpha (CALCA) gene by direct sequencing of genomic DNA and subsequent genotyping by RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) detection and investigated association with neurological or psychiatric disease. Four novel polymorphic alleles were found: two (g.979G>A and g.4218T>C) represented single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), one consisted of two coupled SNPs in close vicinity to each other (g.1210T>C and g.1214C>G), and one was an intronic 16-bp microdeletion (2919-2934del16). One of the SNPs (g.4218T>C) causes a non-synonymous amino acid change (Leu66Pro) in the third exon, an exon common to both procalcitonin and pro-alpha-CGRP. In a subsequent association study, frequencies of the identified polymorphisms in Parkinson and schizophrenia patients were compared with frequencies in the normal population. No statistically significant association was found in our material. The 16-bp microdeletion polymorphism was present in a family with multiple cases of unipolar or bipolar depressive disorder. Using this polymorphism as marker, cosegregation with the phenotype was observed in the majority of individuals.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Close correlation of streptococcal DNase B (sdaB) alleles with emm genotypes in Streptococcus pyogenes.

DNase B is a major nuclease and a possible virulence factor in Streptococcus pyogenes. The allelic diversity of streptococcal DNase B (sdaB) gene was investigated in 83 strains with 14 emm genotypes. Of the 15 alleles identified, 11 alleles carried only synonymous nucleotide substitutions. On the other hand, 4 alleles had a non-synonymous substitution other than synonymous substitutions, resulting in the substitution of a single amino acid. The distribution of each allele was generally emm genotype-specific. Only sdaB7 was found in both emm2 and emm4. The promoter region was highly conserved and DNase B protein was similarly expressed in all alleles.

Alleles↗
PubMed1999

X-linked cardioskeletal myopathy and neutropenia (Barth syndrome) (MIM 302060).

X-linked cardioskeletal myopathy, neutropenia and abnormal mitochondria (MIM 302060) (synonyms: Barth syndrome, 3-methylglutaconic acid-uria type II, endocardial fibroelastosis type 2) has been reported in patients and families from Europe, North America and Australia. Previous studies characterized the main components of the disease: dilated cardiomyopathy, skeletal myopathy, neutropenia, 3-methylglutaconic aciduria and diminished statural growth. Respiratory chain impairments have been found in several studies, without pinpointing a single enzyme complex. 3-Methylglutaconic aciduria is shared with several other disorders that affect the respiratory chain. Previous studies excluded a block in the major pathway of leucine catabolism. We performed leucine loading, accompanied by fasting, in patients and observed a significant rise of 3-methylglutaconic acid and 3-methylglutaric acid. Taken together with the absence of an enzymatic block in the major leucine catabolic route, the possibility remains that the increased basal excretion of 3-methylglutaconic acid and other products of branched-chain amino acids is the result of overload of this pathway or--more likely--mitochondrial leakage. Linkage studies have localized the gene to the Xq28 region. The associated tafazzin gene (TAZ), has been fully characterized recently, and mutations located in conserved regions have been reported. Carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis have now become possible through mutation analysis. Sequence homology of the TAZ gene to a highly conserved superclass of acyltransferases (Neuwald's hypothesis) predicts a glycerophospholipid as the missing end product. This points to the (lipid) structure of the inner mitochondrial membrane as a promising new area of research.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗
PubMed2006

Estimating the neutral rate of nucleotide substitution using introns.

Evolutionary biologists frequently rely on estimates of the neutral rate of evolution when characterizing the selective pressure on protein-coding genes. We introduce a new method to estimate this value based on intron nucleotide substitutions. The new method uses a metascript model that considers alternative splicing forms and an algorithm to pair orthologous introns, which we call Introndeuce. We compare the intron method with a widely used method that uses observed substitutions in synonymous coding nucleotides, by using both methods to estimate the neutral rate for human-dog and mouse-rat comparisons. The estimates of the 2 methods correlate strongly (r(S) = 0.75), but cannot be considered directly equivalent. We also investigate the effect of alignment error and G + C content on the variance in the intron method: in both cases there is an effect, and it is species-pair specific. Although the intron method may be more useful for shorter evolutionary distances, it is less useful at longer distances due to the poor alignment of less-conserved positions.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

Evolution of DMY, a newly emergent male sex-determination gene of medaka fish.

The Japanese medaka fish Oryzias latipes has an XX/XY sex-determination system. The Y-linked sex-determination gene DMY is a duplicate of the autosomal gene DMRT1, which encodes a DM-domain-containing transcriptional factor. DMY appears to have originated recently within Oryzias, allowing a detailed evolutionary study of the initial steps that led to the new gene and new sex-determination system. Here I analyze the publicly available DMRT1 and DMY gene sequences of Oryzias species and report the following findings. First, the synonymous substitution rate in DMY is 1.73 times that in DMRT1, consistent with the male-driven evolution hypothesis. Second, the ratio of the rate of nonsynonymous nucleotide substitution (d(N)) to that of synonymous substitution (d(S)) is significantly higher in DMY than in DMRT1. Third, in DMRT1, the d(N)/d(S) ratio for the DM domain is lower than that for non-DM regions, as expected from the functional importance of the DM domain. But in DMY, the opposite is observed and the DM domain is likely under positive Darwinian selection. Fourth, only one characteristic amino acid distinguishes all DMY sequences from all DMRT1 sequences, suggesting that a single amino acid change may be largely responsible for the establishment of DMY as the male sex-determination gene in medaka fish.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of l-Epinephrine Hydrochloride (CAS No. 55-31-2) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Inhalation Studies).

l-Epinephrine, an endogenous neurotransmitter hormone, is widely used for the treatment of allergic and respiratory disorders. NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis studies of epinephrine hydrochloride were conducted by exposing groups of F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice of each sex to an aerosol containing epinephrine hydrochloride for 14 days, 13 weeks, 15 months, or 2 years. During the 14-day and 13-week studies, control animals were exposed to dilute aerosols of hydrochloric acid (pH 2.8), whereas during the 15-month and 2-year studies, controls were exposed to aerosols of water. Genetic toxicology studies of epinephrine were conducted in Salmonella typhimurium and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Fourteen-Day Studies: Rats and mice were exposed to 0 or 12.5-200 mg/m3 epinephrine hydrochloride. Deaths occurred in male rats exposed to 12.5 mg/m3 or more and in females exposed to 25 mg/m3 or more. Deaths of mice occurred at concentrations of 50 mg/m3 or higher. Compound-related clinical signs included an increased respiratory rate in all groups of epinephrine-exposed rats and mice. At higher concentrations (100 and 200 mg/m3), excessive lacrimation and dyspnea in rats and exaggerated visual and auditory reflexes in mice were observed. Thirteen-Week Studies: Rats and mice were exposed to 0 or 2.5-40 mg/m3 epinephrine hydrochloride. Deaths in rats and mice were not concentration related. Final mean body weights of chemically exposed and hydrochloric acid aerosol control rats and mice were generally similar. Increased respiratory rates were noted in rats and mice exposed to 40 mg/m3. Heart and adrenal gland weights of rats and mice and liver weights of mice exposed to 40 mg/m3 were greater than those of aerosol controls. Squamous metaplasia occurred in the respiratory epithelium of the nasal mucosa of rats and mice exposed to 40 mg/m3. Degenerative lesions of the laryngeal muscle were seen in male and female rats exposed to 20 or 40 mg/m3. Inflammation in the glandular stomach was seen in male and female mice exposed to 10, 20, and 40 mg/m3, and uterine atrophy was seen in 7/10 female mice exposed to 40 mg/m3. Two-year studies were conducted by exposing groups of 60 rats or each sex to 0, 1.5, or 5 mg/m3 epinephrine hydrochloride, 5 days per week for 103 weeks. Groups of 60 mice of each sex were exposed to 0, 1.5, or 3 mg/m3 epinephrine hydrochloride, 5 days per week for 104 weeks. Use of these exposure concentrations represented a departure from the usual practice of utilizing doses equivalent to one-half the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the MTD for 2-year carcinogenicity studies. Thus, although the dose levels exceeded maximum human therapeutic use levels (normalized to body weight and surface area), they were less than one-half the MTD. Fifteen-Month Studies: Results of hematologic analyses did not show compound-related changes. Absolute liver weights for exposed mice (3 mg/m3) and rats (5 mg/m3) and relative liver weights for exposed rats (5 mg/m3) were significantly lower than those for controls. The absolute kidney weights for mice exposed to 3 mg/m3 and the kidney weight to body weight ratio for male mice exposed to 3 mg/m3 were significantly lower than those for controls. No compound-related lesions were seen in rats or mice. Body Weights and Survival in the Two-Year Studies: Mean body weights and survival of exposed and control rats and mice were similar (survival, rats--male: control, 33/50; 1.5 mg/m3, 27/50; 5 mg/m3, 32/50; female: 32/50; 29/50; 30/50; mice--male: control, 33/50; 1.5 mg/m3, 34/50; 3 mg/m3, 36/50; female: 32/50; 35/50; 34/50). Nonneoplastic and Neoplastic Effects in the Two-Year Studies: Suppurative inflammation of the nasal mucosa, dilatation of the nasal glands (Bowman's and septal), and hyperplasia of the respiratory epithelium were seen at increased incidences in male rats exposed to 5 mg/m3 and in female rats exposed to 1.5 or 5 mg/m3. Hyaline degeneration of the olfactory epithelium in male mice and suppurative inflammation of the nasal passage and hyaline degeneration of the respiratory epithelium in female mice were increased in the 1.5 and 3 mg/m3 groups compared with controls. No neoplasms seen in these studies were considered related to chemical exposure. Genetic Toxicology: Salmonella gene mutation tests with l-epinephrine yielded negative results in strain TA100 in the presence of exogenous metabolic activation (S9) and equivocal results in the absence of S9. No mutagenic activity was observed in strains TA98, TA1535, or TA1537 with or without S9. The responses observed in the CHO cell assay for induction of sister chromatid exchanges were considered to be negative and equivocal in the presence and absence of S9 activation, respectively. l-Epinephrine did not induce chromosomal aberrations in CHO cells with or without S9. Conclusions: Under the conditions of these 2-year studies, no carcinogenic effects were observed in male or female F344/N rats exposed to aerosols containing 1.5 or 5 mg/m3 l-epinephrine hydrochloride for 2 years or in B6C3F1 mice exposed to 1.5 or 3 mg/m3 l-epinephrine hydrochloride for 2 years. However, these studies were considered to be inadequate studies of carcinogenic activity because the concentrations used, which were chosen to represent multiples of therapeutic doses, were considered too low for the animals to have received an adequate systemic challenge from the compound. Synonyms: adrenaline hydrochloride; 4-(1-hydroxy-2-(methylamino)ethyl)-1,2-benzenediol; (-)3,4-dihydroxy-a-((methylamino)methyl)benzyl alcohol hydrochloride; methylaminoethanol catechol hydrochloride Trade names for epinephrine formulations: Primatene®. Mist; Sus-Phrine®.; Epipen®.; Supravenin Hydrochloride®.; Bronkaid®.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Manganese (II) Sulfate Monohydrate (CAS No. 10034-96-5) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Feed Studies).

Manganese is the 12th most abundant element in the earth's crust. The base metal does not occur naturally, but is a component of more than 100 minerals, including sulfides, oxides, carbonates, silicates, phosphates, and borates. In addition to occurring in foods and drinking water, manganese occurs in the atmosphere from dust, volcanic activity, forest fires, and industrial emissions. Manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate was chosen for study because of its stability, solubility, and availability. Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies were conducted by administering manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate (97% pure) 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, germ cells of Drosophila melanogaster, and cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells. 14-DAY STUDY IN RATS: Groups of five male and five female rats received diets containing 0, 3,130, 6,250, 12,500, 25,000, or 50,000 ppm manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. All rats survived to the end of the study. Male rats exposed to 50,000 ppm had a mean body weight gain 57% lower and a final mean body weight 13% lower than those of the controls. The mean body weight gain of 50,000 ppm females was 20% lower and the final mean body weight was 7% lower than those of the controls. During the second week, 50,000 ppm males and females exhibited diarrhea. 14-DAY STUDY IN MICE: Groups of five male and five female mice received diets containing 0, 3,130, 6,250, 12,500, 25,000, or 50,000 ppm manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. One female mouse in the 25,000 ppm group died on day 1 of unknown causes; all other mice survived to the end of the study. Differences in body weights between exposed and control mice could not be attributed to chemical administration. 13-WEEK STUDY IN RATS: Groups of 10 male and 10 female rats received diets containing 0, 1,600, 3,130, 6,250, 12,500, or 25,000 ppm manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. Mean daily ingestion of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate ranged from 110 to 1,700 mg/kg body weight in males and 115 to 2,000 mg/kg in females. All rats survived to the end of the study. Mean body weight gains were marginally lower than that of controls in males exposed to 3,130 ppm or more; mean body weight gains were significantly lower than that of the controls in females exposed to 6,250,12,500, or 25,000 ppm. At the end of the study, absolute and relative liver weights of all exposed male rats and of 25,000 ppm female rats were significantly lower than those of controls. The total leukocyte count in males was similar between exposed and control rats; however, neutrophil counts of all exposed groups were greater than those of the controls, whereas lymphocyte counts of the 6,250, 12,500, and 25,000 ppm groups were significantly lower than those of the controls. Total leukocyte counts in 6,250,12,500, and 25,000 ppm females were significantly decreased because of a decrease in lymphocytes. Male rats also demonstrated marginal but significant increases in percent hematocrit and erythrocyte count in the 6,250,12,500, and 25,000 ppm groups. No clinical or histopathologic findings in rats were chemical related. 13-WEEK STUDY IN MICE: Groups of 10 male and 10 female mice received diets containing 0, 3,130, 6,250, 12,500, 25,000, or 50,000 ppm manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. Mean daily ingestion of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate ranged from 330 to 7,400 mg/kg body weight in males and 390 to 6,900 mg/kg body weight in females. No deaths were chemical related. The mean body weight gains of exposed male mice and of 50,000 ppm female mice were significantly lower than those of controls. The absolute and relative liver weights of 50,000 ppm males were significantly lower than those of controls. The percent hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration of males and females exposed to 50,000 ppm were lower than those of the controls, and the mean erythrocyte volumes were significantly lower than those of the controls. The total leukocyte counts of males in the 25,eukocyte counts of males in the 25,000 and 50,000 ppm groups were significantly lower than that of the controls. No clinical findings were attributed to manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate ingestion. Epithelial hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis of the forestomach occurred in three 50,000 ppm males. 2-YEAR STUDY IN RATS: Groups of 70 male and 70 female rats were fed diets containing 0, 1,500, 5,000, or 15,000 ppm manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. Based on average daily feed consumption, these doses resulted in the daily ingestion of 60, 200, or 615 mg/kg body weight (males) or 70, 230, or 715 mg/kg (females). Eight to 10 rats from each group were evaluated at 9 and 15 months. Survival, Body Weights, Feed Consumption, and Clinical Findings: Survival of 15,000 ppm male rats in the 2-year study was significantly lower than that of the control group. The deaths of males in the control and exposure groups were attributed to a variety of spontaneous neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions; however, the greater number of deaths in the 15,000 ppm group resulted from increased incidences of advanced renal disease related to ingestion of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. The decreased survival of the 15,000 ppm males did not occur until approximately week 93 of the study; before week 93, survival was similar in all groups. Survival of exposed females was similar to that of the controls. The mean body weight of 15,000 ppm male rats was within 5% of the control group until week 89, by week 104, the mean body weight of 15,000 ppm males was 10% lower than that of the control group. The mean body weights of 1,500 and 5,000 ppm male rats and all exposed female groups were similar to those of the controls throughout the study. Feed consumption by all exposure groups was similar to that by the control groups. No clinical findings were attributed to manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate ingestion. Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Tissue Metal Concentration Analyses No differences in hematology and clinical chemistry parameters attributable to the ingestion of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate occurred between exposed and control groups. At both the 9- and 15-month interim evaluations, tissue concentrations of manganese were significantly elevated in the livers of 5,000 and 15,000 ppm male and female rats, with an accompanying depression of hepatic iron. Pathology Findings: The ingestion of diets containing 15,000 ppm manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate was associated with a marginal increase in the average severity of nephropathy in male rats (0 ppm, 2.9; 1,500 ppm, 3.0; 5,000 ppm, 3.0; 15,000 ppm, 3.2). The increased severity of nephropathy in the 15,000 ppm male rats was accompanied by significantly increased incidences of mineralization of the blood vessels (4/52, 10/51, 6/51,17/52) and glandular stomach (8/52,13/51, 9/51, 23/52), parathyroid gland hyperplasia (14/51, 14/46, 12/49, 23/50), and fibrous osteodystrophy of the femur (12/52,14/51,12/51, 24/52). These lesions are manifestations of renal failure, uremia, and secondary hyperparathyroidism. The increased incidence of advanced renal disease caused reduced survival of the high-dose male rats. No increase in the incidence of neoplasms in male or female rats was attributed to the ingestion of diets containing manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. 2-YEAR STUDY IN MICE: Groups of 70 male and 70 female mice received diets containing 0, 1,500, 5,000, or 15,000 ppm manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. These levels resulted in an average daily ingestion of 160, 540, or 1,800 mg/kg body weight (males) or 200, 700, or 2,250 mg/kg (females). Nine or 10 mice from each group were evaluated at the 9-month and 15-month interim evaluations. Survival, Body Weights, Feed Consumption, and Clinical Findings: Survival rates of exposed male and female mice in the 2-year study were similar to those of the control groups. The mean body weights of exposed male mice were similar to that of the control group. Compared to controls, female mice had exposure related lower mean body weights after week 37, and the final mean body weights for the 1,500, 5,000, and 15,000 ppm groups were 6%, 9%, and 13% lower than that of the control group. Feed consumption by all exposure groups was similar to that by the control groups. No clinical findings were attributed to the administration of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Tissue Metal Concentration Analyses No chemical-related differences between exposed and control groups occurred in hematology or clinical chemistry parameters. At the 9- and 15-month interim evaluations, tissue concentrations of manganese were significantly elevated in the livers of the 5,000 and 15,000 ppm groups. Hepatic iron levels were significantly lower in exposed females at the 9-month interim evaluation and in 5,000 and 15,000 males and all exposed females at the 15-month interim evaluation. Pathology Findings: Incidences of thyroid follicular dilatation and hyperplasia were significantly greater in 15,000 ppm male and female mice than in controls. Follicular cell adenomas occurred in one 15,000 ppm male at the 15-month interim evaluation and in three 15,000 ppm males at the end of the study but not in the lower exposure groups or the control group. Follicular cell adenomas also occurred in two control, one 1,500, and five 15,000 ppm female mice at the end of the study. It is uncertain if the slightly increased incidence of follicular cell adenoma is related to the ingestion of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate. The incidences of focal hyperplasia of the forestomach epithelium were significantly greater in the 15,000 ppm male and exposed female groups. The hyperplasia was associated with ulcers and inflammation in some mice, particularly males. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY: Manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate was not mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97, TA98, TA100, TA1535, or TA1537, with or without exogenous metabolic activation (S9), and did not induce sex-linked recessive lethal mutations in germ cells of male Drosophila melanogaster. Tests for induction of sister chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells treated without S9 were positive; with S9, only the sister chromatid exchange test with manganese (11) sulfate monohydrate was positive. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of these 2-year feed studies, there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate in male or female F344/N rats receiving 1,500, 5,000, or 15,000 ppm. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate in male and female B6C3F1 mice, based on the marginally increased incidences of thyroid gland follicular cell adenoma and the significantly increased incidences of follicular cell hyperplasia. The ingestion of diets containing manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate was associated with an increased severity of nephropathy in male rats, focal squamous hyperplasia of the forestomach in male and female mice, and ulcers and inflammation of the forestomach in male mice. These studies were not designed to assess any neurotoxicity that might have been expected with chronic exposure to sufficiently high doses of manganese. Synonyms: Manganese sulfate; manganous sulfate; sulfuric acid. manganese2+ salt (1:1), monohydrate

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes in the chromosome 12Q24.31 region points to P2RX7 as a susceptibility gene to bipolar affective disorder.

Previous results from our genetic analyses using pedigrees from a French Canadian population suggested that the interval delimited by markers on chromosome 12, D12S86 and D12S378, was the most probable genomic region to contain a susceptibility gene for affective disorders. Association studies with microsatellite markers using a case/control sample from the same population (n = 427) revealed significant allelic associations between the bipolar phenotype and marker NBG6. Since this marker is located in intron 9 of the P2RX7 gene, we analyzed the surrounding genomic region for the presence of polymorphisms in regulatory, coding and intron/exon junction sequences. Twenty four (24) SNPs were genotyped in a case/control sample and 12 SNPs in all pedigrees used for linkage analysis. Allelic, genotypic or family-based association studies suggest the presence of two susceptibility loci, the P2RX7 and CaMKK2 genes. The strongest association was observed in bipolar families at the non-synonymous SNP P2RX7-E13A (rs2230912, P-value = 0.000708), which results from an over-transmission of the mutant G-allele to affected offspring. This Gln460Arg polymorphism occurs at an amino acid that is conserved between humans and rodents and is located in the C-terminal domain of the P2X7 receptor, known to be essential for normal P2RX7 function.

Alleles↗
PubMed2005

Patterns of sequence evolution at epitopes for host antibodies and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes in human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Analysis of published sequence data from the nine protein-coding genes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) showed striking differences in evolutionary pattern between epitopes for host neutralizing antibodies (Ab) and epitopes for cytotoxic T cells (CTL). In all sequences analyzed, the greatest median amino acid residue diversity was seen at sites that formed part of Ab epitopes, but not of CTL epitopes. By contrast, sites belonging to CTL epitopes but not to Ab epitopes showed reduced median amino acid sequence diversity not only in comparison to sites in Ab epitopes but also in comparison to non-epitope sites. Ab epitopes that did not overlap CTL epitopes showed the highest frequency of comparisons in which the rate of nonsynonymous (amino acid-altering) nucleotide substitution exceeded that of synonymous nucleotide substitution, supporting the hypothesis that much of the diversity at Ab epitopes results from positive selection exerted by the host immune system. Though less frequent than that at Ab epitopes, there was evidence of such selection at certain CTL epitopes as well; and amino acid differences between sister pairs of sequences in CTL epitopes were more likely to be convergent than those in Ab epitopes. The pattern seen at CTL epitopes may represent the result of conflicting pressures favoring conservation of the amino acid sequence for functional reasons and amino acid replacements for reasons of CTL escape.

Amino Acid Substitution↗
PubMed1994

On the relationship between preferred termination codon contexts and nonsense suppression in human cells.

The nucleotide sequences 3' to the translational termination codons in a collection of human genes have been analysed for evidence of a preferred 3' context for natural UAG codons. The aim was to see whether human UAG contexts can be related to the recent demonstration of the effects of 3' context on nonsense suppression in human cells. Since mammalian genomes are known to consist of a patchwork of blocks of sequences or 'isochores' with different G+C contents, the collection of genes was split into 5 classes containing genes with similar frequencies of G+C at the 3rd position of synonymous codons. This analysis revealed that the frequency of bases 3' to UAG varies with the G+C frequency of the gene, and that these changes were mirrored by changes in the patterns of bases in GN and AGN strings. The identity of the next 3' base appears therefore to be determined by genome wide changes in G+C composition, rather than selection to maintain a particular tetranucleotide stop signal. These findings argue strongly that the failure to find bias in the patterns of bases used in human coding sequences is an insensitive guide for the existence of codon usage or codon context effects during translation in human cells.

Base Composition↗
PubMed1999

Variation of hepatitis C virus following serial transmission: multiple mechanisms of diversification of the hypervariable region and evidence for convergent genome evolution.

We have studied the evolution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) from a common source following serial transmission from contaminated batches of anti-D immunoglobulin. Six secondary recipients were each infected with virus from identifiable primary recipients of HCV-contaminated anti-D immunoglobulin. Phylogenetic analysis of virus E1/E2 gene sequences [including the hypervariable region (HVR)] and part of NS5B confirmed their common origin, but failed to reproduce the known epidemiological relationships between pairs of viruses, probably because of the frequent occurrence of convergent substitutions at both synonymous and nonsynonymous sites. There was no evidence that the rate at which the HCV genome evolves is affected by transmission events. Three different mechanisms appear to have been involved in generating variation of the hypervariable region; nucleotide substitution, insertion/deletion of nucleotide triplets at the E1/E2 boundary and insertion of a duplicated segment replacing almost the entire HVR. These observations have important implications for the phylogenetic analysis of HCV sequences from epidemiologically linked isolates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

A large-scale study of the random variability of a coding sequence: a study on the CFTR gene.

Coding single nucleotide substitutions (cSNSs) have been studied on hundreds of genes using small samples (n(g) approximately 100-150 genes). In the present investigation, a large random European population sample (average n(g) approximately 1500) was studied for a single gene, the CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator). The nonsynonymous (NS) substitutions exhibited, in accordance with previous reports, a mean probability of being polymorphic (q > 0.005), much lower than that of the synonymous (S) substitutions, but they showed a similar rate of subpolymorphic (q < 0.005) variability. This indicates that, in autosomal genes that may have harmful recessive alleles (nonduplicated genes with important functions), genetic drift overwhelms selection in the subpolymorphic range of variability, making disadvantageous alleles behave as neutral. These results imply that the majority of the subpolymorphic nonsynonymous alleles of these genes are selectively negative or even pathogenic.

Alleles↗
PubMed2005

Zinc- and iron-dependent cytosolic metallo-beta-lactamase domain proteins exhibit similar zinc-binding affinities, independent of an atypical glutamate at the metal-binding site.

ZiPD (zinc phosphodiesterase; synonyms are ElaC, ecoZ, RNaseZ and 3' tRNase) and the iron-dependent redox enzyme FlRd (flavorubredoxin) from Escherichia coli represent prototypical cases of proteins sharing the metallo-beta-lactamase fold that require strict metal selectivity for catalytic activity, yet their metal selectivity has only been partially understood. In contrast with hydrolytic metallo-beta-lactamase proteins, iron-dependent FlRd-like enzymes have an atypical glutamate ligand, which replaces one otherwise conserved histidine ligand. X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that the FlRd metallo-beta-lactamase domain is capable of incorporating two zinc ions into the binuclear metal-binding site. Zinc dissociation constants, determined by isothermal titration calorimetry are similar for zinc binding to E. coli ZiPD (K(d1)=2.2+/-0.2 microM and K(d2)=23.0+/-0.6 microM) and to the E. coli FlRd metallo-beta-lactamase domain (K(d1)=0.7+/-0.1 microM and K(d2)=26.0+/-0.1 microM). In good correspondence, apo-ZiPD requires incubation with 10 microM zinc for full reconstitution of the phosphodiesterase activity. Accordingly, metal selectivity of ZiPD and FlRd only partially relies on first shell metal ligands. Back mutation of the atypical glutamate in FlRd to a histidine unexpectedly resulted in an increased first zinc dissociation constant (K(d1)=30+/-4 microM and K(d2)=23+/-2 microM). In combination with a recent mutational study on ZiPD [Vogel, Schilling and Meyer-Klaucke (2004) Biochemistry 43, 10379-10386], we conclude that the atypical glutamate does not guide metal selectivity of the FlRd metallo-beta-lactamase domain but suppresses possible hydrolytic cross-activity.

Apoenzymes↗
PubMed1988

NTP Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Penicillin VK (CAS No. 132-98-9) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Gavage Studies).

Penicillin VK, a widely used antibiotic for treatment of gram-positive coccal infections, was nominated for study by the National Cancer Institute because rodent carcinogenicity studies for this drug had not been performed. The chemical (94% or 98% pure, USP grade) was administered orally (by gavage in corn oil) because oral administration is the primary route used to treat infections in humans. Fourteen-day, 13-week, and 2-year studies were conducted in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice. Additional studies were performed to evaluate the potential for genetic damage in bacteria and mammalian cells. Fourteen-Day and Thirteen-Week Studies: In the 14-day studies, penicillin VK was administered at doses of 150-2,400 mg/kg. No compound-related deaths or dose-related histopathologic lesions were seen in rats or mice. Final mean body weights of dosed male rats were 5%-17% lower than that of controls; weights of dosed and control female rats were comparable. Final mean body weights of dosed mice were 5%-9% lower than those of controls. Diarrhea was observed in all dosed groups of rats and mice. In the 13-week studies, male and female rats received doses of 180-3,000 mg/kg and male and female mice received doses of 250-3,000 mg/kg. No compound-related deaths were seen in rats or mice. Final mean body weights of rats that received 3,000 mg/kg were 11% lower than those of the vehicle controls for males and 6% lower for females. For mice, mean body weights were comparable. Diarrhea occurred in male rats at doses of 750 mg/kg and above and in female rats at doses of 1,500 and 3,000 mg/kg. Mucous cell metaplasia of the glandular stomach was observed in male and female rats receiving 1,500 and 3,000 mg/kg. Lesions of the glandular stomach (inflammation, mucous cell metaplasia, and eosinophilic cytoplasmic change) and the forestomach (papillary hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis) were seen in all groups of dosed mice. The severity of lesions at 1,000 mg/kg or below was considered minimal. Based on these results, doses selected for rats and mice in the 2-year studies were 0, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg. Body Weight and Survival in the Two-Year Studies: Mean body weights of dosed and vehicle control male and female rats and male mice were comparable. Mean body weights of dosed female mice were 4%-16% lower than those of the vehicle controls from week 28 to the end of the study. Diarrhea was observed for dosed male and female rats and for dosed male mice. Survival of low and high dose male rats and high dose female rats was reduced (male rats: vehicle control, 34/50; low dose, 19/50; high dose, 16/50;female rats: 29/50; 26/50; 16/50). Survival of male and female mice was comparable to that of the vehicle controls (male mice: 24/50; 36/50; 26/50; female mice: 36/50; 32/50; 32/50). Nonneoplastic and Neoplastic Effects in the Two-Year Studies: Nonneoplastic lesions occurred at low incidences in the nasal mucosa, lung, and forestomach of dosed male rats and in the nasal mucosa and lung of dosed female rats. Congestion and aspiration pneumonia occurring in dosed rats dying before week 104 was the principal cause of death in these animals. Nonneoplastic lesions of the gastric fundal gland (eosinophilic cytoplasmic change and dilatation) and glandular stomach (cyst, chronic focal inflammation, hyperplasia, fibrosis, and squamous metaplasia) were seen in dosed male and female mice, and lesions of the gallbladder (eosinophilic cytoplasmic change) were seen in male mice. Slight increases in the incidences of adenomas of the pituitary gland in high dose male rats and of fibroadenomas or adenomas (combined) of the mammary gland in low dose female rats were observed. These were not considered to be compound-related lesions. The incidence of hepatocellular adenomas was decreased in high dose male mice (14/50; 15/49; 4/49). No compound-related neoplasms were seen in female mice. Genetic Toxicology: Penicillin VK was not mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, or TA1537 with or without exogenous metabolic activation. The chemical was mutagenic onl exogenous metabolic activation. The chemical was mutagenic only with activation in the mouse lymphoma L5178Y/TK&plusmn; forward mutation assay. Incubation of Chinese hamster ovary cells with penicillin VK resulted in increased frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations in the absence of metabolic activation under the conditions of delayed harvest to compensate for chemical-induced cell cycle delay, no effects from penicillin VK exposure were observed in these cells in the presence of S9. Audit: The data, documents, and pathology materials from the 2-year studies of penicillin VK were audited. The audit findings show that the conduct of the studies is documented and support the data and results given in this Technical Report. Conclusions: Under the conditions of these 2-year gavage studies, there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of penicillin VK for F344/N rats or for B6C3F1 mice administered 500 or 1,000 mg/kg penicillin VK in corn oil gavage, 5 days per week for 2 years. Nonneoplastic lesions were seen in the glandular stomach of dosed mice. Decreased survival of low and high dose male rats and of high dose female rats reduced the sensitivity of the studies for determining the presence or absence of a carcinogenic response in this species. Synonyms: 4-thia-1-azabicyclo(3.2.0)heptane-2-carboxylic acid, 3,3-dimethyl-7-oxo-6-(2-phenoxy-acetamide)-, monopotassium salt; penicillin V potassium; penicillin V potassium salt; D-a-phenoxymethylpenicillinate K salt; phenoxymethylpenicillin potassium; PVK Trade Names: Antibiocin; Apsin VK; Aracil; Arcasin; Aspin VK; Beromycin; Beromycin 400; Betapen VK; Calciopen K; Cliacil; Compocillin VK; Distakaps V-K; Distaquaine V-K; Dowpen V-K; DQV-K; Fenoxypen; Icipen; Isocillin; Ispenoral; Ledercillin VK; Megacillin oral; Oracil-VK; Orapen; Ospeneff; Pedipen; Penagen; Pencompren; Pen-Vee K; Pen-V-K powder; Penvikal; Pfizerpen VK; Qidpen VK; Robicillin VK; Rocillin-VK; Roscopenin; SK-Penicillin VK; Stabilin VK Syrup 125; Stabilin VK Syrup 62.5; Sumapen VK; Suspen; Uticillin VK; V-Cil-K; V-Cillin K; Veetids; Vepen

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Two subfamilies of MDG1 retrotransposon with different evolutionary histories in D. melanogaster.

Two copies of nonmobile retrotransposon localized in D. melanogaster heterochromatin (mdg1het) were sequenced at the 3'-end. The comparison of 2.5-kb mdg1het sequences with the sequence of cognate euchomatic transposable copies (mdg1tr) revealed an intact mdg1 ORF2 encoding the pol gene in mdg1het, and two-thirds of nucleotide substitutions in this ORF were synonymous. All the known mdg1 regulatory elements in the mdg1het LTR also are conserved, in spite of numerous deletions and nucleotide substitutions elsewhere in this region. These data suggest that the mdg1het subfamily lost its mobility more recently than other functions were lost. The G-->A hypermutation known to occur in the reverse transcription cycle of retroviruses was detected in one mdg1het copy. The structure of the enchancer-like region in mdg1het suggests a reduced transcription level and, therefore, transposition frequency, relative to mdg1tr. The number of nucleotide substitutions suggests that the time of mdg1het mobility loss was less than 0.3-0.5 Myr ago.

Animals↗