Dose- and Sex-related Carcinogenesis by N-Bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine in Wistar Rats

An initiation-promotion medium-term bioassay for detection of chemical carcinogens, developed in the male F344 rat, uses 0.1% N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN) among five genotoxic chemicals for the initiation of carcinogenesis in multiple organs. To establish this bioassay in the Wistar strain, the effects of two dose levels of DHPN were evaluated on the main DHPN rat target organs: lung, thyroid gland, kidneys and liver. Four groups of male and female animals were studied: Control—untreated group; Multi-organ initiated group (also referred to as DMBDD, based on the initials of the five initiators)—treated sequentially with N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN, i.p.), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU, i.p.), N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN, drinking water), N, ďN'-dimethylhydrazine (DMH, s.c.) and DHPN (drinking water) for 4 weeks; a third group treated with 0.1% DHPN in drinking water for 2 weeks and the last group treated with 0.2% DHPN in drinking water for 4 weeks. The animals were sacrificed after 30 weeks. DHPN at 0.2% induced preneoplasia in the liver and kidneys of rats of both sexes, the number and area of the putative preneoplastic liver glutathione S-transferase-positive hepatocyte foci being significantly increased in these animals. It also induced benign and malignant tumors in female and in male rats. However, there was no relationship between the increased incidence of preneoplastic lesions and tumor development in the 0.2% DHPN-exposed groups of both sexes. DHPN at 0.1% induced only a few preneoplastic lesions in the liver and kidney and no tumors in both male and female rats. A clear dose and sex-related carcinogenic activity of DHPN was registered, although Wistar rats of both sexes showed a relative resistance to the carcinogenic activity of this compound.     

Natural Killer Activity in a Medium-term Multi-organ Bioassay for Carcinogenesis

Natural killer (NK) cell activity was evaluated after the initiation and promotion steps in a medium-term multi-organ bioassay for carcinogenesis. NK cell activity was assessed in vitro by Cr⁵¹ release assay at the 4th and 30th weeks of the experiment. Male Wistar rats were sequentially initiated with N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN i.p.), N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN drinking water), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU i.p.), dihydroxy-di-N-propylnitrosamine (DHPN drinking water) and N, N'-dimethylhydrazine (DMH s.c.) at subcarcinogenic doses for 4 weeks (DMBDD initiation). One group was evaluated at the 4th week and the other was maintained without any further treatment until the 30th week. Two initiated groups were exposed through the diet to 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) or phenobarbital (PB), from the 6th until the 30th week. Five additional groups were studied to evaluate the effects of each initiator on NK activity. All groups submitted to initiation only, initiation plus promotion, or promotion only, developed significantly more preneoplastic lesions than the untreated control group. The main target organs for tumor development in the initiated animals were the liver and the colon, irrespective of treatment with 2-AAF or PB. NK cell activity was not affected by exposure to genotoxic carcinogens after initiation, at the 4th week. Treatments only with PB or 2-AAF did not change NK cell activity. However, decreased NK cell activity was registered in the group only initiated with DMBDD and in the group given DMBDD+2-AAF. This late depression of NK cell activity at the 30th week could be related to the production of suppressing molecules by the tumor cells.     

Dose- and sex-related carcinogenesis by N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine in Wistar rats.

An initiation-promotion medium-term bioassay for detection of chemical carcinogens, developed in the male F344 rat, uses 0.1% N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN) among five genotoxic chemicals for the initiation of carcinogenesis in multiple organs. To establish this bioassay in the Wistar strain, the effects of two dose levels of DHPN were evaluated on the main DHPN rat target organs: lung, thyroid gland, kidneys and liver. Four groups of male and female animals were studied: Control -- untreated group; Multi-organ initiated group (also referred to as DMBDD, based on the initials of the five initiators) -- treated sequentially with N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN, i.p.), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU, i.p.), N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN, drinking water), N, N'-dimethylhydrazine (DMH, s.c.) and DHPN (drinking water) for 4 weeks; a third group treated with 0.1% DHPN in drinking water for 2 weeks and the last group treated with 0.2% DHPN in drinking water for 4 weeks. The animals were sacrificed after 30 weeks. DHPN at 0. 2% induced preneoplasia in the liver and kidneys of rats of both sexes, the number and area of the putative preneoplastic liver glutathione S-transferase-positive hepatocyte foci being significantly increased in these animals. It also induced benign and malignant tumors in female and in male rats. However, there was no relationship between the increased incidence of preneoplastic lesions and tumor development in the 0.2% DHPN-exposed groups of both sexes. DHPN at 0.1% induced only a few preneoplastic lesions in the liver and kidney and no tumors in both male and female rats. A clear dose and sex-related carcinogenic activity of DHPN was registered, although Wistar rats of both sexes showed a relative resistance to the carcinogenic activity of this compound.     

Natural killer activity in a medium-term multi-organ bioassay for carcinogenesis.

Natural killer (NK) cell activity was evaluated after the initiation and promotion steps in a medium-term multi-organ bioassay for carcinogenesis. NK cell activity was assessed in vitro by Cr51 release assay at the 4th and 30th weeks of the experiment. Male Wistar rats were sequentially initiated with N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN i.p.), N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN drinking water), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU i.p.), dihydroxy-di-N-propylnitrosamine (DHPN drinking water) and N,N'-dimethylhydrazine (DMH s.c.) at subcarcinogenic doses for 4 weeks (DMBDD initiation). One group was evaluated at the 4th week and the other was maintained without any further treatment until the 30th week. Two initiated groups were exposed through the diet to 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) or phenobarbital (PB), from the 6th until the 30th week. Five additional groups were studied to evaluate the effects of each initiator on NK activity. All groups submitted to initiation only, initiation plus promotion, or promotion only, developed significantly more preneoplastic lesions than the untreated control group. The main target organs for tumor development in the initiated animals were the liver and the colon, irrespective of treatment with 2-AAF or PB. NK cell activity was not affected by exposure to genotoxic carcinogens after initiation, at the 4th week. Treatments only with PB or 2-AAF did not change NK cell activity. However, decreased NK cell activity was registered in the group only initiated with DMBDD and in the group given DMBDD+2-AAF. This late depression of NK cell activity at the 30th week could be related to the production of suppressing molecules by the tumor cells.     

Possible Chemopreventive Effects of Bovine Lactoferrin on Esophagus and Lung Carcinogenesis in the Rat

A milk component, bovine lactoferrin (bLF), previously shown by us to be a strong chemopreventive of colon carcinoma development, was examined for its influence on other organs using a rat multi-organ carcinogenesis model. Male F344 rats, aged 6 weeks, were treated sequentially with diethylnitrosamine (DEN, i.p.), dihydroxy-di- N -propylnitrosamine (DHPN, in drinking water) and N -nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA, s.c.) during the first 8 weeks (DDN treatment), and then bLF was administered in the basal diet, at a dose of 2, 0.2, 0.02 or 0.002%. Other groups were given DDN treatment or bLF alone as controls. All surviving animals were killed at week 41, and major organs were examined histopathologically for neoplastic lesions. In the esophagus, a tendency for reduction in development of papillomas was evident in the bLF-treated animals, along with a significant suppression of relatively large-sized papillomas (more than 50 mm³ volume) at the 0.2% dose ( P <0.05, 11% of the control). The multiplicity of tumors (adenomas and carcinomas) in the lung was also decreased in animals fed 0.02% bLF (1.98±0.41 per cm² lung tissue section, P <0.05) compared to the control group (3.48±0.33). No enhancing or inhibitory effects of bLF on tumor development in other organs were noted. The present results indicate that bLF exerts chemopreventive effects in the esophagus and lung in addition to the colon.     

Carcinogenicity of Methylurea or Morpholine in Combination with Sodium Nitrite in a Rat Multi-organ Carcinogenesis Bioassay

For carcinogenic risk assessment of combinations of N -nitroso precursors in man, the effects of feeding methylurea (MU) or morpholine (Mor) plus sodium nitrite (NaNO₂) were investigated using a multi-organ carcinogenesis model. In experiment 1, to initiate multiple organs, groups of 10 or 20 male F344 rats were treated with 6 carcinogens targeting different organs. Starting a week after completion of this initiation phase, animals were given 0.1% MU or 0.5% Mor in their food and/or 0.15% NaNO₂ in their drinking water for 23 weeks. The induction of tumors and/or preneoplastic lesions in the forestomach and esophagus was significantly increased in the group receiving MU plus NaNO₂. The numbers and areas of liver glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci were significantly elevated with MU or Mor plus NaNO₂. Experiment 2 was conducted to assess formation of N -nitroso compounds in the stomach, and to detect DNA adduct generation in target organs by immunohistochemical staining. Groups of 5 or 14 animals were starved overnight, then given 0.4% MU or 2.0% Mor in the diet, or basal diet alone for 1 h. Then NaNO₂ or distilled water was given intragastrically. The mean gastric N -methyl- N -nitrosourea yield in the MU plus NaNO₂ group was 7700 μg at 2 h after combined administration. The mean N -nitrosomorpholine yield in the group given Mor plus NaNO₂ was 6720 μg. Immunohistochemically, N7-methyldeoxyguanosine-positive nuclei were evident in the forestomach epithelium at 8 h after the combination treatment with MU plus NaNO₂.     

Possible chemopreventive effects of bovine lactoferrin on esophagus and lung carcinogenesis in the rat.

A milk component, bovine lactoferrin (bLF), previously shown by us to be a strong chemopreventive of colon carcinoma development, was examined for its influence on other organs using a rat multi-organ carcinogenesis model. Male F344 rats, aged 6 weeks, were treated sequentially with diethylnitrosamine (DEN, i.p.), dihydroxy-di-N-propylnitrosamine (DHPN, in drinking water) and N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA, s.c.) during the first 8 weeks (DDN treatment), and then bLF was administered in the basal diet, at a dose of 2, 0.2, 0.02 or 0.002%. Other groups were given DDN treatment or bLF alone as controls. All surviving animals were killed at week 41, and major organs were examined histopathologically for neoplastic lesions. In the esophagus, a tendency for reduction in development of papillomas was evident in the bLF-treated animals, along with a significant suppression of relatively large-sized papillomas (more than 50 mm3 volume) at the 0.2% dose (P<0.05, 11% of the control). The multiplicity of tumors (adenomas and carcinomas) in the lung was also decreased in animals fed 0.02% bLF (1.98+/-0.41 per cm2 lung tissue section, P<0.05) compared to the control group (3.48+/-0.33). No enhancing or inhibitory effects of bLF on tumor development in other organs were noted. The present results indicate that bLF exerts chemopreventive effects in the esophagus and lung in addition to the colon.     

Site-dependent modulating effects of conjugated fatty acids from safflower oil in a rat two-stage carcinogenesis model in female Sprague-Dawley rats

Modifying effects of dietary administration of conjugated fatty acids from safflower oil (CFA-S), rich in conjugated linoleic acid, on major organs were examined in the post-initiation stage of a two-stage carcinogenesis model in female rats. Groups of 21 or 22 F344 female rats were treated sequentially with 2,2'-dihydroxy-di-n-propylnitosamine (intragastrically, i.g.), 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (i.g.), 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (subcutaneously) and N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (in drinking water) during the first 3 weeks for initiation, and then administered diet containing 1 or 0.1% CFA-S for 33 weeks. Further groups of animals were treated with carcinogens or 1% CFA-S alone, or maintained as non-treated controls. All surviving animals were killed at week 36, and major organs were examined histopathologically for development of pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions. The 1 and 0.1% CFA-S treatment significantly decreased the incidence and multiplicity of mammary carcinomas, though a clear dose response was not observed. In the urinary bladder, the incidence of papillary or nodular hyperplasia but not tumors was significantly increased in the 1% CFA-S-treated group. The results indicate that low dose CFA-S may find application as a potent chemopreventor of mammary carcinogenesis.     

Post-initiation effects of a super critical extract of propolis in a rat two-stage carcinogenesis model in female F344 rats

Post-initiation modifying effects of dietary administration of a super critical extract of propolis on major organs were examined using a two-stage carcinogenesis model. Groups of 21 or 22 F344 female rats were treated sequentially with 2,2'-dihydroxy-di-n-propylnitrosamine (DHPN, i.g.), 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA, i.g.), 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH, s.c.) and N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN, in drinking water) during the first 3 weeks for initiation, and then administered diet containing 0.1 or 0.01% propolis for 33 weeks. Further groups were treated with the carcinogens alone, 0.1% propolis alone or basal diet alone. All surviving animals were killed at week 36, and major organs were examined histopathologically for development of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions. The incidence and multiplicity of mammary carcinomas were significantly decreased by the 0.1 and 0.01% propolis treatments. In the urinary bladder, the incidence of PN hyperplasia but not tumors was, in contrast, significantly increased by 0.1% propolis. Similarly, the number and area of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive liver foci were significantly elevated with this high dose. The results indicate that a low dose of a super critical extract of propolis may find application as a potent chemopreventor of mammary carcinogenesis.     

Effects of Sodium Chloride and Ethanol on Stomach Tumorigenesis in ACI Rats Treated with N-Methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine: A Quantitative Morphometric Approach

Effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) and ethanol on gastric tumor development in rats after treatment with N -methyl- N' -nitro- N -nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) were studied. MNNG, dissolved in distilled water (5 g/liter), was administered orally once fay gastric tube at a dose of 0.25 ml/10 g body weight to 4-week-old ACI rats. After this carcinogen initiation, animals were fed on a diet containing 10% NaCl (Group 2) or normal diet with 10% ethanol in the drinking water (Group 4). MNNG alone (Group 1), NaCl alone (Group 3), ethanol alone (Group 5), and control (Group 6) animals were also maintained. All survivors were killed one year after the MNNG application. Incidences of tumors in the forestomach and glandular stomach were significantly increased in Group 2 as compared to Group 1 ( P <0.05). The height of the pyloric mucosa was significantly greater in Group 2 than in Groups 4, 5 or 6 ( P <0.05). In the fundic area, the mucosal height was significantly decreased in Group 4 as compared to Group 6 ( P < 0.05). The present results demonstrate that whereas tumors in the glandular stomach and forestomach are both promoted by NaCl, ethanol is without influence. Furthermore, NaCl, a promoter of glandular stomach tumorigenesis also increases cell proliferation.     

Chemopreventive Effect of a Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor, 1'-Acetoxychavicol Acetate, on Rat Oral Carcinogenesis

The effect of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA), on 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO)-induced oral carcinogenesis was investigated in male F344 rats. All rats except those in the ACA-alone and untreated groups were given 4-NQO (20 ppm) in the drinking water for 8 weeks to induce oral cancer. Starting 1 week before the 4-NQO exposure, animals were fed diet containing 100 ppm or 500 ppm ACA for 10 weeks, followed by the basal diet without ACA for 22 weeks. Other groups were fed the diet containing ACA at 100 ppm or 500 ppm for 22 weeks, starting 1 week after the cessation of 4-NQO exposure. The remaining groups consisted of rats given 500 ppm ACA alone or untreated rats. At the termination of the experiment (32 weeks), the incidences of tongue neoplasms and preneoplastic lesions, polyamine levels in the tongue tissue, and cell proliferation activity estimated in terms of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeling index and by morphometric analysis of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions' protein (AgNORs) were compared among the groups. Feeding of ACA at the two doses during initiation or postinitiation significantly decreased the development of tongue carcinoma (93–100% reduction, P< 0.001) and preneoplasia (43–50% reduction for hyperplasia and 34–48% reduction for dysplasia, P<0.05). There were no such lesions in rats fed ACA alone or those in the untreated control group. The number of AgNORs per cell nucleus was significantly decreased by feeding of ACA at a high dose (500 ppm) (29% inhibition, P<0.05). The BrdU-labeling index was also reduced by dietary administration of ACA (23–32% inhibition, P<0.01). In addition, ACA feeding reduced tongue polyamine levels (35–40% inhibition, P<0.05). These results indicate that ACA inhibited rat oral carcinogenesis, and such inhibition might be related to suppression of cell proliferation in the oral mucosa by the xanthine oxidase inhibitor.     

Dose Dependence of 1-O-Hexyl-2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone Promotion of Forestomach Carcinogenesis in Rats Pretreated with N-Ethylnitrosourethane

Post-initiation dose-dependent effects of the chemopreventive antioxidant 1- O -hexyl-2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone (HTHQ), a potent inhibitor of heterocyclic amine-induced mutagenesis and carcinogenesis, on the development of forestomach and tongue tumors were investigated in male F344 rats. Groups of 22 rats were treated with 0.01% ethylnitrosourethane (ENUR) as an initiator in the drinking water for 4 weeks, then placed on diet containing 1.0%, 0.5%, 0.25% or 0.125% HTHQ, or basal diet alone for 36 weeks. Further groups of 12 rats each were similarly treated with the different doses of HTHQ or given basal diet alone for 36 weeks without prior ENUR treatment. All animals were killed at week 40. Tongue papillary hyperplasia and papillomas tended to be increased in the groups treated with ENUR followed by 0.5–0.125% HTHQ, though there was no effect at the highest dose, in line with increased bromodeoxyuridine labeling indices. In the forestomach, the incidences of papillomas and carcinomas were also significantly elevated only in the group treated with ENUR followed by 0.125% HTHQ. Without ENUR pretreatment, papillary hyperplasia was found in the 1–0.125% HTHQ groups and the labeling index was also increased, though without clear dose dependence. The results indicate that HTHQ may have very weak or weak promotion potential for tongue and forestomach carcinogenesis, but that both minimum and maximum thresholds for active dose levels may exist.     

Carcinogenicity of antioxidants BHA, caffeic acid, sesamol, 4- methoxyphenol and catechol at low doses, either alone or in combination, and modulation of their effects in a rat medium-term multi- organ carcinogenesis model

The carcinogenicity of low dietary levels of the antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), caffeic acid, sesamol, 4-methoxyphenol (4-MP) and catechol, known to target the forestomach or glandular stomach, were examined alone or in combination in a 2-year long-term experiment and their modifying effects assessed in a medium-term multiorgan model. In the carcinogenicity study, groups of 30-31 male F344 rats were treated with 0.4% BHA, 0.4% caffeic acid, 0.4% sesamol, 0.4% 4-MP and 0.16% catechol either alone or in combination for up to 104 weeks and then killed. In the medium-term multi-organ model, groups of 10 to 15 male F344 rats were given diethylnitrosamine (DEN), N-methylnitrosourea (MNU), 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), N-butyl-N-(4- hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) and 2,2'-dihydroxy-di-n- propylnitrosamine (DHPN) for a total multiple initiation period of 4 weeks (DMBDD treatment). BHA, caffeic acid, sesamol and 4-MP, each at doses of 0.4% or 0.08%, and catechol at doses of 0.16% or 0.032% were administered in the diet either alone or in combination after completion of the initiation regimen. All surviving animals were killed at the end of week 28, and major organs were examined histopathologically. In the carcinogenicity study, slightly increased incidences of forestomach papillomas were found in the sesamol- (15.8%), caffeic acid- (14.8%), catechol- (3%) and 4-MP- (11.5%) treated groups as compared with basal diet (0%), and a significant increase was observed with the five antioxidants in combination (42.9%, P < 0.001). In a medium-term multiorgan carcinogenesis model, incidences of forestomach papillomas and/or carcinomas were increased in each high dose group, but additive or synergistic effects were not found in the combination group. In the low dose case, the incidence of forestomach papillomas was significantly increased only in the combination group. With regard to other organs, the incidence of colon tumors was significantly decreased only in the high dose combination group. The results indicate that even at low dose levels phenolic compounds can exert additive/synergistic effect on carcinogenesis.      

A Ferulic Acid Derivative, Ethyl 3-(4'-Geranyloxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoate, as a New Candidate Chemopreventive Agent for Colon Carcinogenesis in the Rat

The inhibitory influence of ferulic acid (FA), a rice germ component, and its geranylated derivative 3-(4'-geranyloxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoate (EGMP) on the post-initiation stage of azoxy-methane (AOM)-induced colon carcinogenesis was studied in male F344 rats given two s.c. injections of AOM (15 mg/kg body weight) during week 1. Diets containing EGMP or FA at doses of 0.1 or 0.2% were then fed for 3 weeks from week 2 to 5, when the animals were sacrificed. The numbers of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and aberrant crypts (AC) per rat in the group given 0.2% FA were significantly decreased (P<0.001) as compared to the AOM alone group. Furthermore, the numbers of ACF and AC per rat fed the 0.2% and 0.1% EGMP were significantly reduced (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively). Colonic epithelial cells in S-phase, as measured by bromodeoxy-uridine (BrdU) labeling, in rats fed EGMP were significantly decreased in the 0.2 and 0.1% EGMP groups as compared to the AOM alone group (P<0.05). BrdU labeling indices in rats fed FA and EGMP assessed by a test using a coefficient for linear contrast were also significantly decreased as compared to the AOM alone value (P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). The results indicate that FA and EGMP have inhibitory effects on ACF and AC development, EGMP being more potent, possibly due to stronger suppressive effects on cell proliferation. No toxic effects were observed in rats given either compound in terms of body and organ weights, and liver or kidney histology. The findings thus suggest that EGMP and FA, especially the former, might have potential as chemopreventive agents against colon tumor development.     

Mammary Carcinomas Induced in Human c-Ha-ras Proto-oncogene Transgenic Rats Are Estrogen-independent, but Responsive to d-Limonene Treatment

We have previously shown that transgenic rats carrying three copies of the human c-Ha- ras proto- oncogene (Hras128) are highly susceptible to N -methyl- N -nitrosourea (MNU) mammary carcino- genesis. All transgenic rats treated with 50 mg/kgMNU, i.v. at 50 days of age, were found to rapidly develop multiple, large mammary carcinomas within as short a period as 8 weeks. In the present study, the effects of ovariectomy and treatment with d -limonene, known to inhibit mammary carcinogenesis in non-transgenic female rats, were investigated in Hras128 animals treated withMNU to clarify the role of the human c-Ha- ras proto-oncogene and to characterize the induced mammary carcinomas. Although ovariectomy completely inhibited development of mammary carcinomas in their wild-type counterparts, it did not affect either the incidence or the multiplicity of the mammary carcinomas in the Hras128 rats. On the other hand, treatment with d -limonene, an inhibitor of ras protein isoprenylation, inhibited the breast tumor development. These results indicate that aberrant c-Ha- ras gene expression is involved in ovarian hormone-independent growth and c-Ha- ras protein isoprenylation plays an important role in mammary carcinogenesis     

Alteration of natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity in rats treated with selenium, diethylnitrosamine and ethylnitrosourea

Weanling, female Sprague--Dawley rats were divided into 14 separate groups. Three of these groups were administered 0.5, 2.0 or 5.0 ppm selenium (Se) in the drinking water for 10 weeks. Three groups received intraperitoneal injections of 1, 5 or 10 mg/kg diethylnitrosamine (DEN) twice weekly for 10 weeks. The remaining animals received 0.150% or 0.316% ethylurea (EU) in the feed and 1 or 10 ppm nitrite as sodium nitrite in the drinking water either alone or in combination. Separate groups of rats treated with cyclophosphamide (CY) were included as positive immuno-suppressed controls. Following the 10-week chemical exposure period, splenic natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity was assessed by a 4-h chromium release assay using YAC-1 tumor cells as targets. The NK cell cytotoxic response was enhanced in both the low and medium dose selenium-exposed groups. In contrast, rats exposed to 0.316% EU + 10 ppm NO2 had significantly depressed NK cell activity. CY treatment also resulted in a significant reduction of splenic NK cell cytotoxicity.     

Lack of Modifying Effects of Environmental Estrogenic Compounds on the Development of Thyroid Proliferative Lesions in Male Rats Pretreated with N-Bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN)

The modifying effects of various environmental estrogenic compounds on thyroid carcinogenesis were investigated in a rodent two-stage carcinogenesis model. The compounds examined were a soy isoflavone mixture (SI) and genistein (GEN) as phytoestrogens, nonylphenol (NP) as a xenoestrogen, 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5 H )-furanone (MX) as a thyroid carcinogen and sulfadimethoxine (SDM) as a known thyroid tumor promoter. Five-week-old male F344 rats were given a single subcutaneous injection of N -bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN; 2800 mg/kg, body weight) or the vehicle alone. Starting one week thereafter, GEN (250 or 25 ppm in diet), SI (400 ppm in diet), NP (250 or 25 ppm in diet), MX (30 ppm, in drinking water) or SDM (1000 ppm in drinking water) was administered for 12 weeks. Major organs including the thyroid, pituitary, liver, kidney, testis, brain and pancreas were weighed and histopathological observation was performed. Thyroid weights were significantly increased ( P < 0.001) only in the SDM treatment groups, especially with DHPN pretreatment. Kidney weights were slightly increased in the NP or MX treatment groups, albeit without statistical significance. Histopathologically, thyroid proliferative lesions were only observed in the SDM alone or DHPN+SDM group with significant focal hyperplasias, adenomas and adenocarcinomas limited to the combined treatment case. There were no organ weight changes or histopathological lesions in the major organs including the thyroid in the GEN, SI, NP, and MX treatment groups regardless of DHPN pretreatment. Our results thus indicate that the weakly estrogenic compounds GEN, SI and NP and the environmental rat thyroid carcinogen MX do not exert any modifying effects on thyroid carcinogenesis in rats under the present experimental conditions.     

Promoting Effect of the Peroxisome Proliferator, Clofibrate, but Not Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, on Urinary Bladder Carcinogenesis in F344 Rats Initiated by N-Butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine

The modifying potential of clofibrate and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) on second stage, N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN)-initiated urinary bladder carcinogenesis was investigated in male F344 rats, using a uracil-accelerated transitional cell proliferation model. Six-week-old animals received 0.05% BBN in their drinking water for 4 weeks and then clofibrate (1.0, 0.5, and 0.25%) and DEHP (1.2, 0.6, and 0.3%) were given during experimental weeks 5–8 and weeks 12–20. Uracil was administered during weeks 9–11 at a dietary level of 3.0%. Control rats were treated with BBN and uracil without peroxisome proliferator. Surviving animals were killed at the end of week 20 of the experiment, when the densities of putative preneoplastic, papillary or nodular (PN) hyperplasias (numbers per 10 cm of basement membrane) were significantly increased in all clofibrate-treated, but not the DEHP groups. The incidences of PN hyperplasia were similar in both treated animals and controls. In a second experiment, rats fed diets containing 1.0% clofibrate or 1.2% DEHP were assessed for levels of DNA synthesis in urinary bladder epithelium by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine immunohistochemistry. Numbers of labeled nuclei remained within normal levels, and no proliferative changes were evident. Thus, the present experiments indicated that while clofibrate, but not DEHP, exerts weak enhancing effects on BBN-initiated urinary bladder carcinogenesis in rats this is not associated with increased levels of DNA synthesis in the affected epithelium.     

Renal carcinogenicity of concurrently administered fish meal and sodium nitrite in F344 rats.

The effects of long-term concurrent administration of powdered fish meal and sodium nitrite were examined in F344 rats. A total of 600, 6-week-old rats were divided into 6 male and 6 female groups, each consisting of 50 animals. Rats in groups 1-3 and 7-9 were respectively fed diets supplemented with 64%, 32% and 8% (basal diet) fish meal, and simultaneously given 0.12% sodium nitrite in their drinking water. Groups 4-6 and 10-12 were respectively given 64%, 32% and 8% fish meal and tap water. At the 104th week, all surviving animals were killed and examined histopathologically. Treatment with fish meal dose-dependently increased the incidences and multiplicities of atypical tubules, adenomas and renal cell carcinomas in sodium nitrite-treated males. Females were less susceptible than males for renal tumor induction. In males given the 64% fish meal diet alone, the incidence and multiplicity of atypical tubules were also significantly increased as compared with the 8% fish meal alone case. Nephropathy was apparent in fish meal-treated groups in a clear dose-dependent manner, irrespective of the sodium nitrite treatment, and was more prominent in males than in females. Dimethylnitrosamine was found in the stomach contents after 4-week treatment with 64% fish meal plus 0.12% sodium nitrite, at a level twice that in the 8% fish meal plus 0.12% sodium nitrite group. The results clearly indicate that concurrent administration of fish meal and sodium nitrite induces renal epithelial tumors. Further studies are required to elucidate how nephropathy and nitrosamines produced in stomach contents may contribute to the observed renal tumor induction.     

Enhanced lipid peroxidation in rat gastric mucosa caused by NaCl.

The effects of NaCl on lipid peroxidation levels in gastric mucosa and urine were investigated in male Wistar rats. The animals were fed NaCl-supplemented diet at concentrations of 4.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.5, 0.25 and 0% (control) for 5 weeks. Further groups were maintained on the 4.0 or 0% NaCl diets and simultaneously administered 20 p.p.m. indomethacin dissolved in the drinking water. When the rats were killed, a dose-related increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) was found in both gastric mucosa and urine, the urinary MDA levels clearly correlating with those for stomach tissue. Cell proliferation of fundic mucosa was also significantly increased in rats fed 4.0 or 2.0% NaCl-supplemented diet. Indomethacin suppressed the 4% NaCl-associated MDA increase in both gastric mucosa and urine as well as the elevation in cell proliferation. The results clearly show that administration of NaCl, a gastric tumor promoter, is associated with enhanced lipid peroxidation in the gastric mucosa.