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Archives of Toxicology (v.72, #12)

The dermal acute toxic class method: test procedures and biometric evaluations by W. Diener; D. Kayser; E. Schlede (pp. 751-762).

A dermal acute toxic class (ATC) method is presented with the use of significantly fewer animals in comparison with the classical dermal 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀) test. The principle of the dermal ATC method is based on the oral and the inhalation ATC method. The method was developed for three fixed starting doses. Depending on the dermal LD₅₀, the slope, the classification system and the starting dose on average 40 to 90% fewer animals will be used in comparison to at least 30 animals with the dermal LD₅₀ test. The method was biometrically evaluated by using the Probit model for dose-response relationships. At present, there are eight different international classification systems based on dermal LD₅₀ values. The test procedures and the calculations of the classification probabilities demonstrate that the dermal ATC method is a reliable alternative to the dermal LD₅₀ test with the use of significantly fewer animals. Classification probabilities are presented for all classification systems currently in use, and expected numbers of experimental and of moribund/dead animals are demonstrated for the system of chemicals in the European Union for all three starting doses. The conclusion is justified that, similarly to the inhalation ATC method, there is no need to validate the dermal ATC method with the use of experimental animals.

Keywords: Key words Acute toxic class (ATC) method (dermal); LD50 test; Probit model; Classification probabilities; Animal welfare

Induction of hepatic mrp2 (cmrp/cmoat) gene expression in nonhuman primates treated with rifampicin or tamoxifen by Hans-Martin Kauffmann; Dietrich Keppler; Timothy W. Gant; Dieter Schrenk (pp. 763-768).

The multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mrp2) also called canalicular multidrug resistance protein (cMrp) or canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cMoat) is a transmembrane export pump located at the canalicular domain of hepatocytes. Mrp2 transports a broad spectrum of organic anions including glucuronides, glutathione conjugates, and organic sulphates into bile. Based on previous observations in rat hepatocytes, the inducibility of mrp2 gene expression in primate liver was investigated in rhesus monkeys treated with tamoxifen or rifampicin. It was found that treatment with tamoxifen (25 mg/kg per day; over 7 days) or rifampicin (15 mg/kg per day; over 7 days) leading to an induction of cytochrome P450 3A4, resulted in a strong increase in mrp2 mRNA in the liver of male and female rhesus monkeys. On the protein level, tamoxifen also was a highly effective inducer, while rifampicin showed some inducing effect in a female and was inactive in a male monkey. In sections of paraffin-embedded liver tissue, immunofluorescence staining confirmed the results of Western blot analysis. Induced Mrp2 was localized to the canalicular domain of the hepatocytes. In conclusion, our data show inducibility of mrp2 gene expression in the liver of primates which may represent an adaptive response aimed at the enhanced biliary elimination of the inducing drugs and/or their metabolites.

Keywords: Key words Induction; Monkey liver; Multidrug resistance protein 2; Rifampicin; Tamoxifen

Body weight loss and changes in tryptophan homeostasis by chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin congeners in the most TCDD-susceptible and the most TCDD-resistant rat strain by Mikko Unkila; Raimo Pohjanvirta; Jouko Tuomisto (pp. 769-776).

We compared the effects of 2,3,7,8-tetra (TCDD), 1,2,3,7,8-penta (PeCDD), 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexa (HxCDD) and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HpCDD) on brain serotonin metabolism, plasma tryptophan and liver tryptophan pyrrolase activity in two rat strains, TCDD-sensitive Long-Evans (Turku AB; L-E) and TCDD-resistant Han/Wistar (Kuopio; H/W). Previously it was shown that L-E rats exhibit the expected rank order of potency for CDDs in terms of acute toxicity with TCDD being the most potent, followed by PeCDD, HxCDD and HpCDD. In contrast, to H/W rats HxCDD was the most toxic and TCDD the least toxic of these congeners. In the present study, the CDDs decreased body weight in L-E rats in the following order of potency: TCDD>PeCDD>HxCDD>HpCDD. The same rank order was recorded for elevations in brain tryptophan and plasma free tryptophan concentrations as well as for inhibition of the main hepatic tryptophan metabolizing enzyme, tryptophan pyrrolase. By contrast, in H/W rats HxCDD was the most effective congener in producing loss of body weight, followed by HpCDD, PeCDD and TCDD. This was also true of changes in tryptophan homeostasis. These findings imply that in TCDD-susceptible L-E and TCDD-resistant H/W rats the potency of dioxin congeners in inducing acute toxicity highly correlates with their ability to disrupt tryptophan homeostasis. However, there may not be a direct causal relationship between body weight loss and altered tryptophan homeostasis, because the magnitudes of these two phenomena were not consistently parallel across the dioxin congeners tested.

Keywords: Key words 2; 3; 7; 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; TCDD; 1; 2; 3; 7; 8-Pentachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; 1; 2; 3; 4; 7; 8-Hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; 1; 2; 3; 4; 6; 7; 8-Heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; Tryptophan metabolism

The peroxisome proliferator nafenopin does not suppress hepatocyte apoptosis in guinea-pig liver in vivo nor in human hepatocytes in vitro by Susan C. Hasmall; Neil H. James; Anthony R. Soames; Ruth A. Roberts (pp. 777-783).

In rats and mice, nafenopin is a nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogen, which induces hepatic DNA synthesis and enzyme induction both in vivo and in hepatocyte cultures in vitro. However, humans and guinea-pigs are considered to be non-responsive to the liver growth effects of peroxisome proliferators (PPs). The ability to stimulate cell replication coupled with the ability to suppress apoptosis is thought to underpin the carcinogenicity of nongenotoxic carcinogens such as PPs. Previous studies in this laboratory have shown that in rats in vivo and in vitro nafenopin suppressed spontaneous hepatocyte apoptosis and that induced by the physiological negative growth regulator transforming growth factors β1 (TGFβ1). In addition nafenopin suppressed apoptosis in cultured hepatocytes from guinea-pig and hamster. The effects of PPs on apoptosis in human hepatocyte cultures is not known. To correlate these previous in vitro findings to the known species differences in hepatocarcinogenicity of PPs we have investigated the effects of nafenopin on guinea-pig liver growth in vivo. Also, we have examined the effects of nafenopin on apoptosis in cultures of human hepatocytes, a valuable model for human risk assessment. Nafenopin did not inhibit either spontaneous or TGFβ1 induced apoptosis in human hepatocytes in vitro. Administration of nafenopin to guinea-pigs in vivo produced none of the changes seen previously in responsive species, such as rats and mice. There was no change in liver/body weight ratio, peroxisomal volume of hepatocytes or DNA synthesis as determined by incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine and there was no suppression of apoptosis. The lack of response to nafenopin in guinea-pigs in vivo and human hepatocytes in vitro provides further evidence that these species may be refractory to the liver growth effects of PPs despite the ability of guinea-pigs and humans to respond to PPs by alterations in lipid metabolism. The data presented add to our overall understanding of species differences in response to the PP class of rodent nongenotoxic carcinogens.

Keywords: Key words Nafenopin; Apoptosis; Species differences; Peroxisome proliferation

Suppression of hepatocyte apoptosis and induction of DNA synthesis by the rat and mouse hepatocarcinogen diethylhexylphlathate (DEHP) and the mouse hepatocarcinogen 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB) by Neil H. James; Anthory R. Soames; Ruth A. Roberts (pp. 784-790).

Nongenotoxic rodent hepatocarcinogens do not damage DNA but cause liver tumours in the rat and mouse, associated with the induction of hepatic DNA synthesis. Previously, we have demonstrated that nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens such as phenobarbitone and the peroxisome proliferator (PP), nafenopin, also suppress rat hepatocyte apoptosis. The nongenotoxic chemicals 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB) and the PP, diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), both induce high levels of DNA synthesis in rat liver in vivo, but only DEHP is hepatocarcinogenic in this species. Here, we investigate whether the difference in rat carcinogenicity of these two hepatic mitogens may be due to differences in their ability to suppress hepatocyte apoptosis. In rat hepatocytes in vitro, MEHP (the active metabolite of DEHP) induced DNA synthesis 2.5-fold (P = 0.001) and suppressed 10- and 4-fold, respectively both spontaneous (P = 0.0008) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1)-induced (P = 0.0001) apoptosis. DCB gave a small (1.7-fold) increase in DNA synthesis (P = 0.03) and a small (1.7- to 2-fold) suppression of both spontaneous (P = 0.022) and TGFβ1-induced (P = 0.015) apoptosis. We next analysed the induction of DNA synthesis and the suppression of apoptosis in rat liver in vivo. Both DEHP and DCB were able to induce DNA synthesis although, as seen in vitro, the induction by DCB (4.2-fold; P = 0.023) was less marked than that with DEHP (13.4-fold; P = 0.007). Similarly, DEHP and DCB were both able to suppress rat hepatocyte apoptosis in vivo but the magnitude of the suppression was comparable; apoptosis was reduced to undetectable levels in four out of five animals with DCB and three out of five with DEHP. Since both chemicals suppressed apoptosis and induced DNA synthesis in rat liver but, overall, DCB was less potent, the disparate hepatocarcinogenic potential of these two chemicals could arise from differences in the magnitude of growth perturbation. To test this hypothesis, we repeated the studies in mouse, a species where both DCB and DEHP are hepatocarcinogenic. Both in vitro and in vivo, DCB and DEHP/MEHP were able to suppress apoptosis and induce hepatocyte DNA synthesis in the mouse with comparable potencies. The data support the hypothesis that the carcinogenicity of nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens is associated strongly with the ability to perturb hepatocyte growth regulation. However, the ability to effect such changes is not unique to nongenotoxic carcinogens and is common to some noncarcinogenic chemicals, such as DCB, suggesting that the growth perturbation may need to exceed a threshold for carcinogenesis.

Keywords: Key words Apoptosis; 1; 4-dichlorobenzene (DCB); diethylhexylphlathate (DEHP); DNA synthesis; Species differences

Flow cytometry as a sensitive tool to assess testicular damage in rat by Laura Suter; Gabrielle Meier; Rudolf Bechter; Maria Bobadilla (pp. 791-797).

The aim of this study was to compare results obtained by flow cytometry (FCM) with those obtained from testicular histopathology with regard to testicular damage following acute exposure of adult rats to the known testicular toxicant, methoxyacetic acid (MAA). Special emphasis was given to defining the sensitivity of three-parameter FCM compared with testicular histopathology. Furthermore, the effect on the male reproductive system of a single oral dose of MAA was evaluated with traditional methods, e.g. testicular sperm head counts, and organ weights. Adult, male Han/Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups of ten animals to be treated with a single dose of 0, 65, 325 and 650 mg MAA/kg body wt. (p.o., gavage). The animals were killed 2 days after treatment, and testicular and epididymal weights were recorded. One testis and the corresponding epididymis were used for histopathology. The other testis was used partly to determine sonication- resistant, testicular sperm-head counts (SHC), and partly for enzymatic digestion followed by FCM. The results obtained in this study are in agreement with the literature, and show that, in the adult male rat, 2 days after administering a single oral dose of MAA, specific depletion of spermatocytes is evident. Detectable testicular effects were produced by the high (650 mg/kg body wt.) and mid (325 mg/kg body wt.) doses, whilst the low dose (65 mg/kg body wt.) did not produce any noticeable effect. There was a strong correlation between results obtained by FCM and those obtained by testicular histopathology, and no difference in sensitivity between the two methods was observed. In summary, three-parameter FCM represents a sensitive and reliable method for the detection of testicular injury in the rat. It requires only small amounts of tissue, and the sensitivity was shown to be similar to that of histopathology. Moreover, FCM has the advantages of being quick and objective, which permits large numbers of cells to be analysed. The potential use of this method as a fast screening tool for testicular toxicity in routine toxicology studies should be considered.

Keywords: Key words Flow cytometry; Methoxyacetic acid; MAA; Testicular toxicity

Mechanism of toxic action of fluoride in dental fluorosis: whether trimeric G proteins participate in the disturbance of intracellular transport of secretory ameloblast exposed to fluoride by Saburou Matsuo; Ken-ichi Kiyomiya; Masaru Kurebe (pp. 798-806).

In enamel fluorosis model rats treated with sodium fluoride, secretory ameloblasts of incisor tooth germs exhibited disruption of intracellular trafficking. We examined whether heterotrimeric G proteins participated in the disruption of vesicular trafficking of the secretory ameloblast exposed to fluoride, using immunoblotting and pertussis toxin (IAP)-induced adenosyl diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylation for membrane fractions of the cell. Immunoblotting of crude membranes, post supernatants of the ameloblast, with anti-G_i3/o and anti-G_s antibodies showed that G_i3 or G_o proteins existed in the secretory ameloblast, but G_s protein did not. Immunoblotting of the subcellular membrane fractions indicated that the G_i3 or G_o proteins were located in the Golgi membrane, but were not in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) membrane. Autoradiograph of IAP-induced ADP-ribosylation, however, showed the existence of IAP-sensitive G proteins both in rER and Golgi membranes. Fluoride treatment decreased the G proteins bound to both membranes. These findings indicate that different G proteins, both of which are IAP-sensitive, are present in the rER and Golgi apparatus, and suggest that these G proteins participate in the disturbance of intracellular transport of the secretory ameloblast exposed to fluoride.

Keywords: Key words Heterotrimeric G protein; Vesicle trafficking; Fluoride; Ameloblast; Mottled enamel

Modelling of residual variability in toxicokinetic studies with sparse sampling: the case of tetrahydronaphthalene by Ingolf Meineke; Johanna Eisele; Hans Certa; Ursula M. Gundert-Remy (pp. 807-810).

The present study describes the kinetics of tetrahydronaphthalene in male and female rats (five animals per dose per sex) at three dose levels (15, 50, and 150 mg/kg daily). Plasma concentration measurements were performed in the course of a subacute toxicity study of 28 days duration in an enriched study design. Two blood samples per animal were taken at different time points after application at day 1 and 16 (150 mg/kg daily) and at day 3 and 18 (15 and 50 mg/kg daily), respectively. Tetrahydronaphthalene was assayed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after extraction. The data of plasma concentration time were analysed using non-linear mixed effects modelling as implemented in NONMEM. The structural model with the best fit employed one compartment kinetics with instantaneous drug input. Interindividual variability in both k and V was found to be very small [k, 0.201 h⁻¹, 0.013; V, 16.19 (kg), 1.77; population mean and SE]. No unequivocal evidence of dose dependence could be found. The kinetic parameter with the highest extent of variability was the extent of bioavailability which showed an coefficient of variation (CV) of 96%. Both gender and dose had no influence on the variability. The present approach is concluded to offer more insight into the relationship between dose, concentration and effect and into factors which explain variability in kinetics without additional testing or additional animals. Proposals for a refined sampling schedule are made.

Keywords: Key wordsToxicokinetic; Population approach; Factors explaining variability

Determination of glutathione transferase (GSTT1-1) activities in different tissues based on formation of radioactive metabolites using 35S-glutathione by Ricarda Thier; Evert H. Delbanco; Frederike A. Wiebel; Ernst Hallier; Hermann M. Bolt (pp. 811-815).

A new system has been developed to determine enzyme activities of glutathione transferase θ (GSTT1-1) based on radiometric product detection resulting from the enzymic reaction of methyl chloride with ³⁵S-labelled glutathione. In principle, the method is universally applicable for determination of glutathione transferase activities towards a multiplicity of substrates. The method distinguishes between erythocyte GSTT1-1 activities of human `non-conjugators', `low conjugators' and `high conjugators'. Application to cytosol preparations of livers and kidneys of male and female Fischer 344 and B6C3F1 mice reveals differential GSTT1-1 activities in hepatic and renal tissues. These ought to be considered in species-specific modellings of organ toxicities of chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Keywords: Key words Glutathione transferase GSTT1; Methyl chloride; Tissue specificity; Radiometric assay

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Archives of Toxicology (v.72, #12)