Indomethacin induces small intestinal damage and inhibits amitrole-associated thyroid carcinogenesis in rats initiated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine

Effects of intestinal damage on thyroid carcinogenesis due to amitrole (AT) were examined in F344 male rats initiated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN). In experiment 1, rats were provided with diet containing 0.03% AT for 20 weeks after a single subcutaneous injection of DHPN (2800 mg/kg body weight), and concomitantly received 0.01% indomethacin (IM) in the diet to cause small intestinal damage or 1% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in the drinking water for induction of colitis following a schedule of intermittent 1-week administration and 1-week withdrawal for a total of 10 times. Groups without AT- and/or IM or DSS treatment were also included. Histopathological examination revealed significant reduction in the incidence and multiplicity of follicular cell adenomas and adenocarcinomas in the group concomitantly treated with IM, but no change in the DSS group, as compared with the AT alone group. In experiment 2, rats were similarly fed diet containing AT for 3 weeks with concomitant IM or DSS treatment after a DHPN initiation, and serum thyroid stimulating hormone levels were found to be significantly elevated only in the IM case. The increase in thyroid follicular cell proliferation due to AT was also clearly suppressed in the group concomitantly treated with IM. From these findings, IM-induced intestinal damage may inhibit thyroid carcinogeneisis in rats, although contributions of other factors, such as a direct inhibitory effect of IM to thyroid follicular cell proliferation cannot be ruled out.     

Dose-threshold for thyroid tumor-promoting effects of orally administered kojic acid in rats after initiation with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl) nitrosamine.

In order to evaluate the threshold dose of thyroid tumor-promoting effects of KA, male F344 rats were initiated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl) nitrosamine (DHPN; 2000 mg/kg body wt., single s.c. injection) and, starting 1 week later, received pulverized basal diet containing 0%, 0.002%, 0.008%, 0.03%, 0.125%, 0.5% or 2%KA for 20 weeks. Five rats each in the 0%, 0.125%, 0.5% and 2%KA groups were sacrificed at week 12, and 10 rats each in all groups at week 20. As an additional experiment, three groups without DHPN initiation received basal diet, a diet containing 0.5% or 2%KA for 20 weeks. The serum T4 levels were significantly decreased in the DHPN-initiated groups given 0.125%KA or more at week 12. No significant decreases in serum T3 levels were observed in the groups treated with DHPN + KA and a significant increase was evident in the 2%KA-alone group at week 20. Some rats in the DHPN + 2%KA group at weeks 12 and 20 and the 2%KA-alone group at week 20 showed pronounced elevation of serum TSH. Thyroid weights were significantly increased in the DHPN-initiated groups receiving 0.5% and 2%KA at weeks 12 and 20 and in the 2%KA-alone group at week 20. Histopathologically, the incidences of focal thyroid follicular cell hyperplasias in the DHPN-initiated groups treated with 0.125%, 0.5% and 2%KA at week 20 were 5/10, 10/10 and 8/8 rats, respectively. At week 20, adenomas were observed in 7/10 rats in the DHPN + 0.5%KA group and 8/8 rats in the DHPN + 2%KA group, and carcinomas were observed in 6/8 rats in the DHPN + 2%KA group. In the groups without DHPN initiation, only focal follicular cell hyperplasia was observed in 1/9 rats in the 2%KA-alone group. These results suggest that the no-observed-adverse effect for the thyroid tumor-promoting effect of KA is 0.03% (15.5 mg/kg/day) under the present experimental conditions, and that KA possesses weak tumorigenic activity in rats due to continuous serum TSH stimulation by a non-genotoxic mechanism.     

Dose-threshold for thyroid tumor-promoting effects of xylazine in rats

To clarify the threshold dose of thyroid tumor-promoting effects of xylazine hydrochloride (XZ), male F344 rats received pulverized basal diet containing 0, 250, 500, or 1000 ppm XZ for 26 weeks with or without initiation of 2400 mg/kg N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN). Thyroid weights significantly increased in the groups with or without DHPN initiation that were given 500 ppm XZ or more. The serum thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) levels decreased significantly in the XZ 250 and XZ 1000 ppm groups, respectively, although there were no remarkable changes in the serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Histopathologically, follicular cell hyperplasias and adenomas were induced in the DHPN-alone and DHPN+XZ groups, and the incidences and multiplicities of these lesions in the DHPN groups treated with 500 ppm XZ or more were significantly higher than those in the DHPN alone group. These results suggest that the threshold dose of rat thyroid tumor-promoting effects of XZ is between 250 and 500 ppm under the present experimental condition.     

Time course observation of thyroid proliferative lesions and serum levels of related hormones in rats treated with kojic acid after DHPN initiation.

Time course changes in thyroid proliferative lesions as well as related hormone levels in the blood of male F344 rats given N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN: 2800 mg/kg body weight, single s.c. injection) as an initiation treatment followed by pulverized basal diet containing 0% (Group 2), 2% (Group 3) or 4% (Group 4) kojic acid (KA) were examined at Weeks 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12. As an untreated control group (Group 1), rats were given basal diet for 13 weeks and examined in the same manner. Serum T3/T4 levels in the DHPN + 2% KA and DHPN + 4% KA groups were significantly reduced as compared with the DHPN-alone group at each time point. Serum TSH levels in both DHPN + KA groups were significantly increased at each time point in a treatment period-dependent manner from Weeks 1 to 12, and the extent of elevation was more remarkable in the DHPN + 4% KA group. At Week 2, there were no statistically significant intergroup differences in liver T4-UDP-GT activities on a milligram microsomal protein basis. Histopathologically, no thyroid proliferative lesions were observed in the untreated control group or the DHPN-alone group. However, diffuse follicular cell hypertrophy and decreased colloid in the thyroid were apparent in all rats of the DHPN + KA groups at each time point. In addition, focal follicular cell hyperplasias and adenomas of the thyroid were observed at high incidence in the DHPN + 2% KA group from Week 4 and in the DHPN + 4% KA group from Week 8. Multiplicities of focal follicular cell hyperplasias and adenomas of the thyroid in the DHPN + 2% KA group were significantly greater than those in the DHPN + 4% KA group at Week 8. In the pituitary, an increase in the number of TSH producing cells with expanded cytoplasm was apparent from Weeks 4 to 12 in both DHPN + KA groups. These results strongly suggest that thyroid proliferative lesions were induced by KA administration due to continuous serum TSH stimulation through the negative feedback mechanism of the pituitary-thyroid axis, resulting from depression of serum T3 and T4.     

Prostaglandin synthases influence thyroid follicular cell proliferation but not carcinogenesis in rats initiated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine

To clarify roles of prostaglandin synthases in rat thyroid follicular carcinogenesis, effects of an antithyroid agent, sulfadimethoxine (SDM), and two prostaglandin H synthase (COX) inhibitors, indomethacin and nimesulide, on prostaglandin synthase expression, follicular cell proliferation, and tumor induction in thyroids of rats with or without N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN) initiation were examined. In experiment 1, F344 male rats were allowed free access to drinking water containing SDM (0.1%), SDM + indomethacin (0.0025% in diet), or SDM + nimesulide (0.04% in diet) for 4 weeks. Both COX inhibitors suppressed goitrogenic activity of SDM, but they did not significantly affect microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-2 (mPGES-2) expression levels enhanced by SDM. In experiment 2, all rats received an injection of DHPN (2800 mg/kg body weight), and starting 1 week later, they were treated as in experiment 1 for 4 or 10 weeks. Cell proliferation was suppressed or showed a tendency for suppression by the COX inhibitors in the follicular preneoplastic/neoplastic lesions and surrounding parenchyma, and this was obviously thyroid stimulating hormone independent at least at week 4. However, neither of the COX inhibitors altered the incidence or multiplicity of preneoplastic/neoplastic lesions. Immunohistochemistry revealed significant reduction and elevation of COX-2 and mPGES-2 expression, respectively, in the lesions, but these were also not changed by the COX inhibitors. These results suggest that COX-2 and PGES, and in turn PGE(2), might play important roles in follicular cell proliferation but do not affect tumor induction in this rat thyroid carcinogenesis model. Further studies are needed to clarify the significance of the reduction of COX-2 expression in preneoplastic/neoplastic lesions.     

Studies on the mode of action for thyroid gland tumor promotion in rats by phenobarbital

A study was conducted to determine the mode of action for phenobarbital promotion of thyroid follicular cell neoplasia in rats using an initiation-promotion model established by Hiasa et al. (Y. Hiasa, Y. Kitahori, M. Ohshima, T. Fujita, T. Yuasa, N. Konishi, and A. Miyashiro, 1982a, Carcinogenesis 3, 1187-1190). Seven groups of Charles River Crl: CD(SD)BR rats (20/sex/group) were treated with either saline or 700 mg/kg DHPN [N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine] administered subcutaneously once a week for 5 weeks (Initiation Phase) followed by 15 weeks of treatment with control diet or diets containing 500 ppm of phenobarbital (Promotion Phase). Groups of rats were also treated with L-thyroxine (50 micrograms/kg/day) in the diet to determine its effect on thyroid gland tumor promotion by phenobarbital. The incidence of thyroid follicular adenomas in DHPN male rats treated with phenobarbital was markedly increased [83% (15/18 rats)] as compared to rats receiving DHPN alone [37% (6/16 rats)]. Thyroxine treatment completely blocked the tumor promoting effect of phenobarbital in that the tumor incidence [25% (5/20 rats)] was reduced back to or somewhat less than that observed with DHPN alone. In female rats no tumors were observed with DHPN nor was a promoting effect of phenobarbital observed. These results demonstrate the potential for a microsomal enzyme inducer such as phenobarbital to alter the incidence of thyroid gland neoplasia in the male rat. The inhibitory effect of L-thyroxine on tumor promotion by phenobarbital supports the hypothesis that the promoting effect of phenobarbital is mediated via increased pituitary secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone as a compensatory response to the known effects of phenobarbital on peripheral thyroxine metabolism and excretion.     

Absence of in vivo genotoxic potential and tumor initiation activity of kojic acid in the rat thyroid

To clarify the in vivo genotoxic potential of kojic acid (KA), formation of DNA adducts and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the thyroids of male rats subjected to dietary administration of 2% KA for 2 weeks were assessed by 32P-postlabeling analysis and with a high-performance liquid chromatography system coupled to an electrochemical detector (ECD), respectively. In addition, to investigate possible tumor initiation activity, male F344 rats were given diet containing 0, 0.02, 0.2 or 2% kojic acid for 8 weeks followed by administration of 0.1% sulfadimethoxine (SDM), a thyroid tumor promoter, in the drinking water for 23 weeks with a subsequent 13-week recovery period (two-stage thyroid tumorigenesis model). Rats given four times by s.c. injection of N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN; 700 mg/kg bw) during the initiation period followed by administration of 0.1% SDM and rats given diet containing 2% KA for the initial 8 weeks or for the entire 31 weeks of the experiment, or basal diet alone were provided as controls. DNA adducts were not formed, and the 8-OHdG level was not increased in the thyroids of rats given 2% KA for 2 weeks. In the two-stage thyroid tumorigenesis model, neither adenomas nor carcinomas were induced in the groups given 0, 0.02, 0.2 or 2% KA followed by 0.1% SDM administration, and incidences and multiplicities of focal follicular cell hyperplasias did not demonstrate any significant intergroup differences at the end of administration and recovery periods. In contrast, incidences and multiplicities of focal follicular cell hyperplasias, adenomas and carcinomas were all significantly increased in the DHPN + 0.1% SDM group. Although the incidences and multiplicities of focal follicular cell hyperplasias in the group given 2% KA for 31 weeks were greater than those in the 2% KA + 0.1% SDM group and an adenoma was observed in a rat at the end of the recovery period, no development of carcinomas was evident at either time point. No thyroid proliferative lesions were induced in the group given 2% KA for the initial 8 weeks only. The results of the present studies indicate that KA has neither in vivo genotoxic potential nor tumor initiation activity in the thyroid, and strongly suggest that the earlier observed thyroid tumorigenic activity of KA is attributable to a non-genotoxic mechanism.     

Pronounced synergistic promotion of N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine-initiated thyroid tumorigenesis in rats treated with excess soybean and iodine-deficient diets.

We have reported that excess soybean treatment and iodine deficiency synergistically interact, resulting in remarkable induction of thyroid hyperplasias in rats. In the present study, modifying effects of excess soybean and iodine-deficient diets were investigated in the post-initiation phase of N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine [DHPN]-initiated thyroid tumorigenesis in rats. AIN-93G in which casein was replaced with gluten was used as a basal diet to avoid possible iodine contamination. In Experiment 1, F-344 rats of both sexes were sc injected with DHPN at a dose of 2800 mg/kg body weight and then fed a diet containing 0%, 0.8%, 4%, or 20% defatted soybean for 12 weeks, with proportional replacement of gluten by soybean flour. Although no thyroid proliferative lesions were found in any group, the absolute thyroid weights were significantly (p < 0.01) elevated with the 20% soybean treatment. In Experiment 2, after similar sc injection of DHPN, rats were fed a basal diet or a diet containing 20% soybean under iodine normal or deficient conditions for 12 weeks. Soybean feeding to both sexes under iodine deficient but not normal conditions dramatically enhanced the development of thyroid follicular adenomas (p < 0.01) and adenocarcinomas (p < 0.05), in good agreement with decrease in thyroxine and increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone. Thus co-exposure to excess soybean and iodine deficiency results in synergistic promotion of DHPN-initiated thyroid tumorigenesis in rats, of which mechanisms appear to primarily involve effects on serum hormone levels.     

Lack of modifying effects of atrazine and/or tamoxifen on thyroid carcinogenesis in rats pretreated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN).

The modifying effects of atrazine, and/or tamoxifen, on thyroid carcinogenesis were investigated in a rat two-stage carcinogenesis model following N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN) initiation. Five-week-old male F344 rats were given a single subcutaneous injection of DHPN (2800 mg/kg, body weight) or vehicle alone. Starting 1 week later, the animals were fed a diet supplemented with 0, 5, 50 or 500 ppm of atrazine, 500 ppm atrazine plus 5 ppm tamoxifen, or 5 ppm tamoxifen in the DHPN-treated groups, and 0 or 500 ppm of atrazine in the DHPN-untreated groups for 24 weeks. At autopsy major organs, including the thyroid, pituitary, liver, kidney, testis, epididymis, and brain, were collected and histopathologically examined. Body weights were significantly (P<0.05) decreased by the high doses of atrazine or tamoxifen, the effect being enhanced in combination. Relative thyroid weights were significantly increased (P<0.05) only in the tamoxifen-treated group and pituitary weights were elevated with 500 ppm atrazine plus tamoxifen (P<0.05). Relative liver weights were increased by the high dose of atrazine. However, the atrazine and/or tamoxifen treatments did not induce significant histopathological changes in the major organs, including the thyroid, nor cause significant changes in serum TSH levels. These results suggest that neither atrazine nor tamoxifen may promote thyroid carcinogenesis, alone as well as in combination.     

Lack of modifying effects of atrazine and/or tamoxifen on thyroid carcinogenesis in rats pretreated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN)

The modifying effects of atrazine, and/or tamoxifen, on thyroid carcinogenesis were investigated in a rat two-stage carcinogenesis model following N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN) initiation. Five-week-old male F344 rats were given a single subcutaneous injection of DHPN (2800 mg/kg, body weight) or vehicle alone. Starting 1 week later, the animals were fed a diet supplemented with 0, 5, 50 or 500 ppm of atrazine, 500 ppm atrazine plus 5 ppm tamoxifen, or 5 ppm tamoxifen in the DHPN-treated groups, and 0 or 500 ppm of atrazine in the DHPN-untreated groups for 24 weeks. At autopsy major organs, including the thyroid, pituitary, liver, kidney, testis, epididymis, and brain, were collected and histopathologically examined. Body weights were significantly (P<0.05) decreased by the high doses of atrazine or tamoxifen, the effect being enhanced in combination. Relative thyroid weights were significantly increased (P<0.05) only in the tamoxifen-treated group and pituitary weights were elevated with 500 ppm atrazine plus tamoxifen (P<0.05). Relative liver weights were increased by the high dose of atrazine. However, the atrazine and/or tamoxifen treatments did not induce significant histopathological changes in the major organs, including the thyroid, nor cause significant changes in serum TSH levels. These results suggest that neither atrazine nor tamoxifen may promote thyroid carcinogenesis, alone as well as in combination.     

Large amount of vitamin A has no major effects on thyroidal hormone synthesis in two-stage rat thyroid carcinogenesis model using N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine and thiourea

In our previous investigation, which focused on two-stage carcinogenicity in the thyroid, rats were administered N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN), followed by thiourea (TU) over an experimental period of 19 weeks. Simultaneous treatment with a high level of vitamin A (VA) enhanced the induction of proliferative lesions that originated from the thyroidal follicular epithelium. To examine whether hormone synthesis in the thyroid could be inhibited by simultaneous treatment with a large amount of VA and TU, all of the rats were initially given a single subcutaneous injection of 2,800 mg DHPN/kg followed by a supply of 0% TU + 0% VA (DHPN only, control group), 0.2% TU in their drinking water (DHPN/TU group), 0.1% VA in their diet (DHPN/VA group), or 0.2% TU + 0.1% VA (DHPN/TU + VA group) during an experimental period of 4 weeks. Results obtained indicate that the iodine uptake and organification, namely iodination of tyrosine residue in thyroglobulin, of the thyroid, were significantly decreased in the DHPN/TU group compared to the DHPN control group. The variation in these values was attributable to the inhibitory effect of TU upon thyroid hormone synthesis. Results obtained from the DHPN/TU + VA and DHPN/TU groups were comparable. Therefore, the possibility that modification of hormone synthesis contributes to the enhancing effect of simultaneous treatment with a large amount of VA on thyroidal tumor induction by TU is considered to be very minimal.     

Inhibition of thyroid iodine uptake and organification in rats treated with kojic acid.

In order to elucidate the mechanisms of reduction of serum thyroid hormones caused by continuous administration of kojic acid (KA) and its thyroid tumor-promotion effects, male F344 rats were given pulverized basal diet containing 0.008%, 0.03%, 0.125%, 0.5%, or 2% KA for 4 weeks. As an untreated control group, additional rats were given basal diet alone for the same period. The thyroid 125I uptake was significantly decreased in the groups receiving 0.03% or more. In addition, significant reduction of organic formation of iodine and serum T3 and T4 levels were observed in the 2% KA group along with pronounced elevation of serum (TSH). Both absolute and relative thyroid weights were significantly increased in the groups receiving 0.5% of KA or more. Histopathologically, decreased colloid in the thyroid follicles and follicular cell hypertrophy in the thyroid were apparent at high incidences in the groups given 0.03% or more. In addition, thyroid capsular fibrosis was evident in all rats of the 2% KA group. In quantitative morphometrical analysis, the ratio of the area of follicular epithelial cells to the area of colloids was significantly increased in the groups given 0.03% KA or more. The results suggest that KA alteration of thyroid-related hormone levels in the 2% KA group are due to inhibition of iodide uptake and iodine organification in the thyroid, with tumor-promoting effects on development of thyroid proliferative lesions, probably secondary to prolonged serum TSH stimulation resulting from negative feedback through the pituitary-thyroid axis.     

Suppressive effects of chlorogenic acid on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced glandular stomach carcinogenesis in male F344 rats

The modifying effects of chlorogenic acid (CA) on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced glandular stomach carcinogenesis were investigated in five groups of male F344 rats. Rats in Groups 1 through 3 were given MNU in drinking water at a concentration of 400 ppm for 12 weeks. Animals of Group 1 were then kept on the basal diet alone, and those of Group 2 or 3 were fed a diet containing 500 or 250 ppm CA for a subsequent 22 weeks. Group 4 was exposed to CA alone through the experimental period (36 weeks), and Group 5 was given the basal diet continuously and treated as a control. At the end of the experiment, the incidence of glandular stomach carcinoma of Group 3 was significantly smaller than that of Group 1 (p < 0.03). The incidence of adenomatous hyperplasia of Group 2 was also significantly lower than that of Group 1 (p < 0.02). In addition, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index of the epithelial cells from the non-neoplastic mucosa in rats of Group 2 or 3 was significantly smaller than that of Group 1 (p < 0.0001). These results suggest that CA has a chemopreventive effect on MNU-induced rat glandular stomach carcinogenesis by exposure during the post-initiation phase, and CA may be a promising agent for prevention of human stomach cancer.     

Lifetime toxicity/carcinogenicity study of FD & C Red No. 3 (erythrosine) in rats

FD & C Red No. 3 was fed to Charles River CD rats as a dietary admixture in two long-term toxicity/carcinogenicity studies. The studies consisted of an in utero and an F1 phase. In the former, the compound was administered to five groups of the F0 generation rats (60 of each sex/group) at levels of 0.0, 0.0, 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0% ('original study') and 0.0 or 4.0% ('high-dose study'). The concurrent control groups received the basal diet. After random selection of the F1 animals, the long-term phase was initiated using the same dietary levels and 70 rats of each sex/group, including the three control groups. Rats were exposed for a maximum of 30 months. No compound-related effects were noted in the in utero phase. Mean body weights of the female F1 rats on 4.0% FD & C Red No. 3 (3029 mg/kg/body weight/day) were significantly lower than those of controls (P less than 0.01) throughout the study. Food consumption increased in all treated groups in a dose-related manner. There were no significant effects on the haematology, serum chemistry and urinalysis and no compound-related effects on survival. In male rats receiving 4.0% FD & C Red No. 3 (2464 mg/kg/day) thyroid weights were increased, with a mean weight of 92 mg compared to 44 mg for controls, and statistically significant increases in the incidence of thyroid follicular cell hypertrophy, hyperplasia and adenomas were recorded. A numerically increased incidence of thyroid follicular adenomas in female rats given 0.5, 1.0 or 4.0% FD & C Red No. 3 was not statistically significant. The no-observed-adverse-effect levels established in these studies were 0.5% (251 mg/kg/day) for male rats and 1.0% (641 mg/kg/day) for females.     

Modifying effects of chitin, chitosan and their related compounds on 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) in a rat medium-term hepatocarcinogenesis model, and their post-initiation effects in a female rat 2-stage multi-organ carcinogenesis model

The modifying effects of chitin, chitosan, chitin-oligo sugar, chitosan-oligo sugar and chlorophyllin-chitosan on 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) was investigated in a rat medium-term hepatocarcinogenesis model. Male F344 rats were injected with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and starting 2 weeks later, received 0.03% MeIQx alone, MeIQx plus each chemical (0.4%), or each chemical alone (0.1%) in diet for 6 weeks. Three weeks after the DEN injection, animals were subjected to 2/3 partial hepatectomy. The numbers and areas of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) positive foci given MeIQx plus test chemicals were similar to the MeIQx alone values. In a second experiment, post-initiation effects of chitin and chitosan on major organs were examined in female F344 rats after initiation with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and 2,2′-dihydroxy-di-n-propylnitrosamine (DHPN). In rats fed a diet containing 1.0% chitin for 36 weeks, the development of palpable mammary tumors tended to be delayed and the final incidence and multiplicity of adenocarcinomas, were significantly lowered. However, in the colon, the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in the chitin and chitosan groups was significantly increased. These results indicate that chitin, chitosan and related compounds do not exert unequivocal chemopreventive effects on heterocyclic amine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, and that effects in other organs may be tissue specific with possible inhibitory action in the mammary gland being offset by promotion of colon lesion development.     

Studies on the carcinogenicity of potassium iodide in F344 rats.

A chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity study, in which male and female F344/DuCrj rats were given potassium iodide (KI) in the drinking water at concentrations of 0, 10, 100 or 1000 ppm for 104 weeks, and a two-stage carcinogenicity study of application at 0 or 1000 ppm for 83 weeks following a single injection of N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN), were conducted. In the former, squamous cell carcinomas were induced in the salivary glands of the 1000 ppm group, but no tumors were observed in the thyroid. In the two-stage carcinogenicity study, thyroidal weights and the incidence of thyroid tumors derived from the follicular epithelium were significantly increased in the DHPN+KI as compared with the DHPN alone group. The results of our studies suggest that excess KI has a thyroid tumor-promoting effect, but KI per se does not induce thyroid tumors in rats. In the salivary gland, KI was suggested to have carcinogenic potential via an epigenetic mechanism, only active at a high dose.     

Suppressive effect of irsogladine maleate on N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-initiated and glyoxal-promoted gastric carcinogenesis in rats

The modifying effect of irsogladine maleate (IRG) on N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-initiated and glyoxal-promoted gastric carcinogenesis was examined in male Wistar rats. Six-week-old rats were divided into ten groups. Groups 1 through 6 were given MNNG (100 mg/l in drinking water) for 25 weeks from the start of the experiment, whereas groups 7 through 10 received distilled water in the initiation phase as the vehicle treatment. Groups 1 and 8 were kept on the basal diet and distilled water throughout the experiment (55 weeks). Groups 2-8 were given 0.5% glyoxal in the drinking water for 30 weeks from 26th week of the experiment. Group 3 was fed the diet mixed with 100 ppm IRG for 25 weeks from the start of experiment. Groups 4 and 8 were fed the diet mixed with 100 ppm IRG for 30 weeks from 26th week of experiment. Groups 5 and 9 or 6 were given 100 or 25 ppm IRG containing diet, respectively throughout the experiment. Group 10 was given the basal diet and distilled water as the vehicle treated control. Tumors of upper digestive tracts (stomach and duodenum) were developed in groups: 1 (12/17 rats, 71%), 2 (11/12 rats, 92%), 3 (9/16 rats, 56%), 4 (5/12 rats, 42%), 5 (6/15 rats, 40%) and 6 (7/12 rats, 58%). High dose of IRG in initiation and/or promotion phase significantly reduced the incidence of tumors of the upper digestive tracts. The average numbers of the digestive tracts neoplasms in groups 3,5 and 6 given glyoxal and IRG were less than those in group 2 which received only glyoxal. These results suggest that IRG could be a preventive agent against the occurrence of neoplasms of the upper digestive tract.     

Lack of renal tumour-initiating activity of a single dose of potassium bromate, a genotoxic renal carcinogen in male F344/NCr rats.

The renal tumour-initiating activity of potassium bromate (KBrO3), a known genotoxic rat renal carcinogen, was investigated in male F344/NCr rats. 6-wk-old rats were given KBrO3 intragastrically as a single dose of 300 mg/kg body weight, which was confirmed by our preliminary toxicity study as a maximum tolerated single dose for this strain of rat. Starting 2 wk after KBrO3 treatment, groups of 39 rats received either a basal diet or a diet containing 4000 ppm barbital sodium (BBNa) as a promoting regimen and were killed at 30, 52, or 104 wk. Control rats received either dietary BBNa (4000 ppm) or the basal diet alone from wk 2 to 52 or 104 wk. Nephropathy was observed in all rats treated with KBrO3 followed by BBNa at 30 wk and in rats receiving BBNa alone, but not in rats exposed to KBrO3 alone. Dysplastic renal tubular cell foci (DTF), putative preneoplastic renal tubular cell lesions were found associated with nephropathy in rats exposed to KBrO3 followed by BBNa from 47 wk. The incidences and multiplicities of DTF and renal tubular cell tumours observed from 31 to 104 wk revealed no initiating effect of KBrO3 treatment. These results indicate that the KBrO3 dose of 300 mg/kg did not initiate renal carcinogenesis.     

Ethanol-extracted propolis enhances BBN-initiated urinary bladder carcinogenesis via non-mutagenic mechanisms in rats

Ethanol-extracted propolis (EEP) is used for medical, dietetic and cosmetic purposes. In this study, the effects of EEP on urinary bladder carcinogenesis, its underlying mechanism and in vivo genotoxicity were investigated. In experiment 1, rats were treated with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) for 2 or 4 weeks followed by dietary administration of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 or 1% EEP for 4 or 32 weeks, respectively. At week 6, the mRNA levels of top2a, cyclin D1 and survivin were significantly elevated in the 0.5 and 1% EEP groups. At week 36, the incidence and multiplicity of urothelial carcinomas and total tumors were markedly elevated in all EEP groups. In experiment 2, rats were fed basal diet or the 1% EEP diet for 13 weeks without carcinogen initiation. Increases in urinary precipitate, cell proliferation and incidence of simple hyperplasia were observed in the 1% EEP group. In experiment 3, dietary administration of 2.5% EEP to gpt delta rats for 13 weeks did not induce any obvious mutagenicity in the urinary bladder urothelium. Taken together, EEP enhanced BBN-initiated rat urinary bladder carcinogenesis in a non-genotoxic manner through increasing formation of urinary precipitate, enhancing cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis during the early stages of carcinogenesis.     

UDP-GT involvement in the enhancement of cell proliferation in thyroid follicular cell proliferative lesions in rats treated with thiourea and vitamin A

The mechanisms underlying enhanced cell proliferation in thyroid proliferative lesions of rats simultaneously treated with large amounts of vitamin A (VA) and thiourea (TU) were investigated. Male F344 animals were initiated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (2800 mg/kg body weight, single s.c. injection). Starting 1 week later, groups received water containing 0.2% TU (TU group), diet containing 0.1% VA (VA group), both 0.2% TU and 0.1% VA (TU + VA group) or tap water/basal diet without supplement (control group) for 10 weeks. The serum levels of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were decreased and the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were elevated in the TU and TU + VA groups, with the degree of change being significantly greater in the combined treatment group. The induction of P450 isoenzymes by TU was not enhanced by VA supplementation, but uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (UDP-GT) activity in the liver was significantly increased in the TU + VA group compared to the TU group. Thyroid weights were increased in both the TU and TU + VA groups, this being more pronounced with VA supplementation. Thyroid follicular cell hyperplasias and neoplasias were induced to similar extents in both TU treated groups, but their cell proliferation appeared to be increased by the VA supplementation. The results of the present study suggest that enhanced cell proliferation is due to increased TSH stimulation, resulting from the decrease in serum T3/T4 levels brought about by induction of liver UDP-GT activity with the combined action of TU + VA as well as inhibition by TU of thyroid hormone synthesis in the thyroid. Received: 23 January 1997 / Accepted: 11 June 1997