Primary Care Provider Management of Congenital Hypothyroidism Identified Through Newborn Screening.

OBJECTIVE: To assess Primary Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) management patterns and feasibility of providing long-term care for patients with CH identified through newborn screening by Primary Care Providers (PCPs) in California and Hawaii. STUDY DESIGN: A survey was mailed to all physicians (N=823) listed as the referral doctor for confirmed patients with CH identified through newborn screening programs in both states between 01/01/2009-12/31/2013. Information was collected on CH management patterns, barriers to providing care, and knowledge on CH treatment. Descriptive statistics and bivariate logistic regression results were reported. RESULTS: 206 PCPs completed the survey. Among these, 78% currently have patients with CH and 91% indicated willingness to provide long-term care to new patients with CH. Among PCPs currently caring for patients with CH, 17% managed CH by themselves with limited assistance from endocrinologists; 63% were involved in managing CH but endocrinologists played a larger role than PCPs; 19% were not involved in CH care. Only 49% of PCPs correctly answered questions regarding recommended follow-up frequencies and 23% knew the correct age for a trial off levothyroxine for suspected transient CH. Top two perceived barriers to providing long-term care included "need guidance or support from endocrinologists" (61%) and "not familiar with CH treatment guidelines" (28%). CONCLUSION: The majority of PCPs surveyed are willing to provide long-term care to patients with CH, but need support from endocrinologists and increased knowledge about current treatment guidelines.

The role of urinary pH in o-phenylphenol-induced cytotoxicity and chromosomal damage in the bladders of F344 rats.

o-Phenylphenol (OPP) is a widely used fungicide and antibacterial agent that at high doses has been shown to cause bladder cancer in male F344 rats. The mechanisms underlying OPP-induced bladder carcinogenicity remain unclear but it has been proposed that a non-enzymatic pH-dependent autoxidation of phenylhydroquinone (PHQ), a primary metabolite of OPP, may be a key step in OPP-induced rat bladder carcinogenesis. To investigate this mechanism and to provide insights into the potential human health relevance of OPP-induced cancer, a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted. In human lymphoblastoid TK-6 cells and rat bladder epithelial NBT-II cells, strong increases in cytotoxicity were seen at a constant concentration of PHQ by increasing the buffer pH as well as by increasing concentrations of PHQ at a constant pH. In in vivo studies, male rats were administered OPP (4,000 and 8,000 ppm) in a diet supplemented with either 1% ammonium chloride or 3% sodium bicarbonate to produce acidic and alkaline urinary pH, respectively. Significant increases in cell proliferation as detected by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation and micronucleus formation were seen in the bladder cells of OPP-treated rats with neutral or alkaline urinary pH but not in animals with the acidified urine. The results from these in vitro and in vivo studies provide support for the autoxidation hypothesis of bioactivation, and provide additional evidence that urinary pH can significantly influence the genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of this important agent.

A comparative study of the aneugenic and polyploidy-inducing effects of fisetin and two model Aurora kinase inhibitors.

Fisetin, a plant flavonol commonly found in fruits, nuts and vegetables, is frequently added to nutritional supplements due to its reported cardioprotective, anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant properties. Earlier reports from our laboratory and others have indicated that fisetin has both aneugenic and clastogenic properties in cultured cells. More recently, fisetin has also been reported to target Aurora B kinase, a Ser/Thr kinase involved in ensuring proper microtubule attachment at the spindle assembly checkpoint, and an enzyme that is overexpressed in several types of cancer. Here we have further characterized the chromosome damage caused by fisetin and compared it with that induced by two known Aurora kinase inhibitors, VX-680 and ZM-447439, in cultured TK6 cells using the micronucleus assay with CREST staining as well as a flow cytometry-based assay that measures multiple types of numerical chromosomal aberrations. The three compounds were highly effective in inducing aneuploidy and polyploidy as evidenced by increases in kinetochore-positive micronuclei, hyperdiploidy, and polyploidy. With fisetin, however, the latter two effects were most significantly observed only after cells were allowed to overcome a cell cycle delay, and occurred at higher concentrations than those induced by the other Aurora kinase inhibitors. Modest increases in kinetochore-negative micronuclei were also seen with the model Aurora kinase inhibitors. These results indicate that fisetin induces multiple types of chromosome abnormalities in human cells, and indicate a need for a thorough investigation of fisetin-augmented dietary supplements.

Parental attitudes toward ethical and social issues surrounding the expansion of newborn screening using new technologies.

AIMS: This study assessed parent knowledge of newborn screening (NBS) and parent attitudes toward NBS for untreatable conditions, NBS for late-onset disorders and informed consent in NBS. METHODS: Seventeen qualitative focus groups were held in Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Washington with mothers of children 10 years old or younger. RESULTS: Most participants did not recall receiving information about NBS, and all wanted this information prenatally. In addition, most felt that the current system of 'informed dissent' was adequate, provided they were told about NBS prior to delivery. All women supported NBS for conditions that occur in infancy without a proven treatment. However, they disagreed about NBS for disorders that manifest in late childhood or adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a general consensus among the focus group participants about issues that cause dissent among public health and health care professionals. Parent attitudes differ from those of many professional communities with regard to timing of NBS education, informed consent, NBS for disorders that lack an effective treatment, and predictive testing of children for late-onset disorders. The results highlight the need to further research parent opinions about expanded NBS using new technologies and to include parents in the development of NBS policies.

Enhancing the in vitro and in vivo detection of aneuploidy by fluorescence in situ hybridization with the use of bromodeoxyuridine as a proliferation marker.

Aneuploidy is associated with spontaneous abortions, birth defects, and many types of human cancers. Currently there are few assays developed for the efficient detection of aneuploidy in vivo. However, with the recent availability of chromosome-specific DNA probes for the rat, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques could be used for the rapid and sensitive detection of aneuploidy in different tissue and cell types. In order to develop a system that can detect alterations in chromosome number in rat cells in vitro, we treated cultured rat lymphocytes with three aneugens-noscapine hydrochloride (0-150 microM) and vincristine and vinblastine sulfate (0-0.06 microM). 5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU; 1 microM) was added to the culture medium to allow proliferating and non-proliferating cells to be distinguished. To test this assay under in vivo conditions, 21-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were subcutaneously implanted with osmotic pumps that delivered BrdU (approximately 12 mg/kg per day) continuously. These rats were administered vinblastine sulfate (0, 0.5 and 1mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection. The rat lymphocytes and hepatocytes incorporating BrdU were detected by immuno-fluorescent labeling, and FISH with a rat chromosome 4 probe was performed on the labeled and unlabeled cells. Highly significant increases in hyperdiploidy were seen in the replicating rat lymphocytes treated with noscapine, vincristine or vinblastine in vitro and in the rat hepatocytes treated with vinblastine in vivo. In contrast, no significant increase in hyperdiploidy was observed in the non-replicating cells. These results demonstrate that this BrdU-enhanced FISH assay with chromosome-specific rat probes can be used to efficiently detect numerical chromosomal aberrations in vitro and in vivo in slowly or moderately replicating rat tissues. The combination of BrdU-labeling and FISH allows the scoring of hyperdiploidy to be focused on the actively replicating cells, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the FISH technique.

Detection of micronuclei, cell proliferation and hyperdiploidy in bladder epithelial cells of rats treated with o-phenylphenol.

o-Phenylphenol (OPP), a widely used fungicide and antibacterial agent, has been considered to be among the top 10 home and garden pesticides used in the USA. Earlier studies have consistently shown that the sodium salt of OPP (SOPP) causes bladder cancer in male Fischer 344 (F344) rats, whereas OPP has produced variable results. This difference has been attributed to the presence of the sodium salt. To determine cellular and genetic alterations in the rat bladder and the influence of the sodium salt, F344 rats were administered 2% OPP, 2% NaCl and 2% NaCl + 2% OPP in their diet for 14 days. Twenty-four hours before being killed the animals were administered 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) by i.p. injection. Bladder cells were isolated, stained with DAPI and scored for the presence of micronuclei and incorporation of BrdU into replicating cells. To determine changes in chromosome number, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a DNA probe for rat chromosome 4. Significant increases in the frequency of micronuclei and BrdU incorporation were seen in bladder cells of rats from all treatment groups. In contrast, the frequency of hyperdiploidy/polyploidy in treated animals was not increased over that seen in controls. A high control frequency of cells with three or more hybridization signals was seen, probably due to the presence of polyploid cells in the bladder. The presence of polyploid cells combined with cytotoxicity and compensatory cell proliferation makes it difficult to determine whether OPP is capable of inducing aneuploidy in the rat urothelium. In summary, these studies show that OPP can cause cellular and chromosomal alterations in rat bladder cells in the absence of the sodium salt. These results also indicate that at high concentrations the sodium salt can enhance chromosomal damage in the rat urothelium.

Characterization and mechanisms of chromosomal alterations induced by benzene in mice and humans.

Elevated frequencies of chromosomal aberrations have been observed in the lymphocytes of benzene-exposed workers. Similar changes occurring in the bone marrow may play an important role in the development of leukemia. The objective of this research has been to characterize chromosomal alterations induced by benzene in mice and humans and to investigate the potential role of inhibition of topoisomerase II in the myelotoxic effects of benzene. The research is presented in three sections corresponding to the specific aims of the project: genotoxicity studies in the mouse, topoisomerase II studies, and initial studies using a new fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) approach to detect chromosome alterations in benzene-exposed workers. The results of the mouse experiments indicate that both chromosome breakage and aneuploidy are induced in the bone marrow of B6C3F1 mice following benzene administration. Chromosome breakage is the predominant effect, and this occurs primarily in the mouse euchromatin. Significant breakage within the mouse heterochromatin was also observed, as was aneuploidy. Breakage in the mouse bone marrow erythrocytes increased as a function of both dose and duration of benzene administration. The aneuploidy resulting from benzene exposure in mice was a relatively infrequent event, with increases of both chromosome loss and hyperdiploidy being observed. In the topoisomerase studies, benzene or its metabolites were shown to inhibit topoisomerase II enzyme activity in an isolated enzyme system, in a human bone marrow-derived leukemia cell line, and in vivo in the bone marrow of treated mice. The decreased activity was probably due to the rapid degradation of the topoisomerase II protein in the treated cells. In the human biomonitoring studies, the feasibility of using FISH with tandem DNA probes to detect chromosome alterations in interphase granulocytes and lymphocytes of benzene-exposed workers was demonstrated. The results from the two worker studies were somewhat inconsistent, however. In the study of Estonian workers, characterized by lower exposures and a smaller sample size, the benzene-exposed workers exhibited elevated frequencies of breakage in the lq12 region as compared with those seen in controls. A suggestive trend toward increased hyperdiploidy was also seen, although the frequencies in the exposed workers were low and within the range of our laboratory's historical control frequencies. In the larger study of more highly exposed Chinese workers, no increase in breakage affecting the 1q12 region was seen among the exposed workers. A trend toward increased hyperdiploidy of chromosome 1 was seen in the exposed workers when the concentration of urinary benzene metabolites was used in conjunction with the frequency of hyperdiploidy observed in the lymphocytes of the individual workers. The results of these studies indicate that benzene exposure is characterized by chromosome breakage, primarily within the euchromatin, and modest increases in aneuploidy. These findings also provide the first direct evidence that benzene is capable of inhibiting the enzymatic activity of topoisomerase II in vivo, providing additional support for the hypothesis that inhibition of topoisomerase II contributes to benzene-induced toxicity and leukemogenesis.

Targeted breakage of paracentromeric heterochromatin induces chromosomal instability.

Current models suggest that genomic instability is crucial in the accumulation of the multiple alterations required for tumorigenesis. However, the nature of the initial damage responsible for the origin of genomic instability remains poorly understood. In this investigation we demonstrate that the nucleotide analog 2,6-diaminopurine (DAP) can be used to induce highly focused damage to the large blocks of paracentromeric heterochromatin on chromosomes 1, 9 and 16. A large fraction of cells exposed to DAP exhibit undercondensation of alpha and classical heterochromatin which persists into metaphase. Subsequent chromosome breakage was observed for one of the target chromosomes by preferential exclusion of chromosome 16 fragments into micronuclei (P < 0.0001). The specificity of DAP-induced chromosomal breakage enabled us to utilize it as a reagent to demonstrate that paracentromeric heterochromatin is a sensitive target for the induction of persistent genomic instability. We observed a 100-fold increase in mutagenesis affecting a chromosome 16 marker (APRT) compared with marker loci on chromosomes 17 (TK) or X (HPRT). We previously reported that APRT- mutants were recovered at a high rate upon selection in DAP in a process involving recombinationally mediated loss of heterozygosity that extends from the telomere to the boundary region of the paracentromeric heterochromatin. Karyotypic analysis of DAP-resistant APRT- mutant clones demonstrated extensive genomic instability, particularly evidence of multiple and sequential events affecting chromosome 16. These data suggest that the heterochromatic breakage observed cytogenetically immediately following DAP exposure is also responsible for the initiation of persistent genomic instability.

Dose-response studies of the induction of hyperdiploidy and polyploidy by diethylstilbestrol and 17beta-estradiol in cultured human lymphocytes using multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and 17beta-estradiol (E2) are known inducers of aneuploidy and polyploidy in vivo and in vitro. Isolated human lymphocytes were treated with the stilbene estrogen DES (0.05-50 microM) and the steroid estrogen E2 (0.05-75 microM) in culture. Multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with DNA probes for the centromere and adjacent heterochromatin regions of chromosomes 1, 9, and 16 was used to detect hyperdiploidy, polyploidy, and chromosomal breakage affecting these chromosomes. Using this FISH technique, significant nonlinear increases in hyperdiploidy were observed with both compounds, whereas no induction of chromosomal breakage affecting the pericentric heterochromatin regions of chromosomes 1, 9, and 16 could be detected. DES induced a maximum of approximately 13% hyperdiploid cells at 30 microM, whereas E2 showed its highest induction at 75 microM with 7% hyperdiploid cells. To distinguish hyperdiploidy from polyploidy, a FISH labeling strategy to detect multiple chromosomes simultaneously was established. Using this approach, we could show that most of the cells showing multiple hybridization regions after treatment with both chemicals were most likely the result of polyploidy rather than true hyperdiploidy. These results indicate that the induction of hyperdiploidy/polyploidy with DES and E2 show sublinear dose-response relationships with likely threshold concentrations in human lymphocytes and that FISH with multiple probes targeting different chromosomes can be used to estimate hyperdiploidy and polyploidy frequencies.

Detection of chromosomal alterations affecting the 1cen-1q12 region in irradiated granulocytes and lymphocytes by multicolour FISH with tandem DNA probes.

A multicolour tandem labelling fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) procedure was used to compare the frequencies of radiation-induced chromosome breakage and hyperdiploidy of chromosome 1 occurring in non-cultured granulocytes and Go lymphocytes with those observed in cultured metaphase and interphase lymphocytes. Whole blood, obtained from healthy male donors, was exposed in vitro to 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 cGy of ionizing radiation from a 137Cs source. Aliquots containing granulocytes and Go lymphocytes from each dose were treated immediately with hypotonic KCI on ice and harvested. Cells were hybridized with alpha- and classical satellite probes to the 1cen-q12 region of chromosome 1 and the frequencies of hyperdiploidy and breakage affecting this region were determined. Elevated dose-related frequencies of breakage were detectable in both lymphocytes and granulocytes immediately following radiation and decreased rapidly over the first 0.25-2 h. In a second series of experiments, the frequencies of hyperdiploidy and breakage for uncultured granulocytes and Go lymphocytes were compared with interphase and metaphase cells following 48-51 h of culture. Similar and significant dose-related increases in breakage were seen for the granulocytes, Go lymphocytes, 48 h cultured interphase and metaphase lymphocytes. A minor increase in hyperdiploidy was seen in the irradiated cultured cells, whereas no hyperdiploid cells were detected in the non-cultured cells. These results indicate that, in general, granulocytes and lymphocytes show similar sensitivity to radiation-induced damage and that cell culture is not required for chromosome breakage to be observed microscopically using this FISH procedure.

A method for the rapid generation of alpha- and classical satellite probes for human chromosome 9 by polymerase chain reaction using genomic DNA and their application to detect chromosomal alterations in interphase cells.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using chromosome-specific DNA probes is a technique which has recently become widely used for the analysis of chromosome alterations in interphase and metaphase cells. In this report, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method is described for simultaneously amplifying and labelling probes targeting the alpha- and classical satellite regions of chromosome 9 using either plasmid or genomic DNA. Chromosome-specific probes were generated using readily obtainable plasmid DNA and genomic DNA from a hybrid cell line containing human chromosome 9 in a hamster cell background. The utility of these probes to detect and quantify structural and numerical aberrations in interphase cells was demonstrated using a new multicolor FISH strategy by comparing the frequencies of hyperdiploidy and chromosome breakage affecting the regions targeted by the probes in interphase and metaphase human lymphocytes irradiated during culture. The irradiated cells exhibited a significantly higher frequency of tetrasomy and breakage effecting the centromeric/pericentric region of chromosome 9 as compared with non-exposed cells. In general, similar frequencies of breakage and hyperdiploidy were observed in the interphase and metaphase preparations. These results show that DNA probes for the repetitive sequences in human chromosomes can be easily generated from genomic DNA and that these probes can be effectively used to detect chromosome breakage and aneuploidy in interphase and metaphase lymphocytes in vitro.

Detection of chromosomal breakage in the 1cen-1q12 region of interphase human lymphocytes using multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization with tandem DNA probes.

A novel multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization approach, using an alpha satellite probe which labels the centromeric region on chromosome 1 and a classical satellite probe which targets an adjacent breakage-prone region (1q12), has been used to detect both hyperdiploidy and chromosome breakage in interphase human cells. With the use of this technique significant increases in chromosomal breakage were observed in interphase and metaphase lymphocytes irradiated in vitro. Metaphase analysis indicated that a significant proportion of these breakage events represented potentially stable aberrations such as translocations and inversions. A comparison of frequencies using a single classical satellite probe and the adjacent alpha and classical satellite probes indicated that this tandem label procedure allowed chromosomal breakage to be detected and distinguished from hyperdiploidy in untreated interphase lymphocytes, indicating the potential of this procedure for human biomonitoring. To determine whether this hybridization approach could detect alterations in humans, peripheral blood lymphocytes were obtained from a group of pesticide applicators and mixers and compared with a nonexposed control group. Significant increases in both hyperdiploidy and chromosomal breakage affecting the labeled region on chromosome 1 were observed in the pesticide-exposed group. These results indicate that this hybridization strategy allows hyperdiploidy and chromosomal breakage to be detected rapidly in interphase human cells and may facilitate the detection of chromosomal alterations in human populations exposed to carcinogenic and genotoxic agents using tissues which have not been previously amenable for cytogenetic analysis.

Detection of hyperdiploidy and chromosome breakage in interphase human lymphocytes following exposure to the benzene metabolite hydroquinone using multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization with DNA probes.

Increased frequencies of structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations have been observed in the lymphocytes of benzene-exposed workers. Similar aberrations occurring in bone-marrow cells may contribute to the increased incidence of leukemia seen in these populations. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with chromosome-specific DNA probes is a relatively new technique which shows promise for the identification of aneuploidy-inducing agents. In these studies, fluorescence in situ hybridization with several chromosome-specific DNA probes was used to investigate the ability of the benzene metabolite hydroquinone to induce hyperdiploidy in interphase human lymphocytes. Using a classical satellite probe specific for human chromosome 9, a significant dose-related increase in the frequency of cells containing 3 or more hybridization regions was observed following the in vitro exposure of lymphocytes to hydroquinone at concentrations from 75 to 150 microM. At the 100-microM concentration of hydroquinone, the frequency of nuclei containing 3 or more hybridization regions was determined using probes for chromosomes 1, 7 and 9. Significantly higher frequencies of affected nuclei were observed using the chromosome 1 and 9 probes when compared to the chromosome 7 probe. To establish whether this difference was due to the nonrandom involvement of these chromosomes in hydroquinone-induced hyperdiploidy or to chromosomal breakage within the chromosomal region targeted by these probes, a multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization approach was developed using probes to two adjacent regions on chromosome 1. Using this tandem-labeling approach, the frequency of nuclei with multiple hybridization regions and the origin of the regions was determined by scoring slides labeled simultaneously with the chromosome 7 alpha satellite probe and the adjacent alpha and classical satellite probes for chromosome 1. The results of these studies confirmed that hydroquinone exposure resulted in a significant increase in hyperdiploid nuclei, but indicated that the different frequency of nuclei containing 3 or more hybridization regions observed using the chromosome 1 and 7 probes, was due to breakage within the chromosomal region targeted by the chromosome 1 classical satellite probe. These results indicate that hydroquinone may contribute significantly to the numerical and structural aberrations observed in benzene-exposed workers. In addition, the multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization approach utilized in these studies promises to be a powerful technique for the detection of chromosomal breakage occurring in interphase human cells.

Insertional inactivation of the tk locus in a human B lymphoblastoid cell line by a retroviral shuttle vector.

Insertional mutagenesis represents an inherent risk in retrovirally mediated gene therapy, but it may be a useful experimental strategy for identification and isolation of novel cellular loci. In this investigation we have established a model system using a heterozygous thymidine kinase (tk) marker locus in a human B lymphoblastoid cell line, and a M-MuLV based shuttle vector. The frequency of TK- mutants in cells carrying 1-2 proviruses per genome is approximately 2 x 10(-5), a 5-fold increase as compared to an uninfected control population. Southern analysis of a set of 13 retrovirus infected TK- mutants revealed a predominance of rearrangements among those mutants which had not undergone loss of heterozygosity. No consistent relationship was found to exist between the occurrence of a rearrangement and tk gene expression as detected by northern analysis. The mechanisms of retroviral shuttle vector insertional mutagenesis were characterized in more detail by focusing on a single TK- mutant, T2. The single proviral insert in T2 was found to lie within tk intron 2, in parallel orientation to the direction of tk transcription. DNA sequence analysis of tk cDNA revealed the presence of an aberrantly spliced product from which exon 4 is excluded. Aberrant splicing could sufficiently account for the low level of functional tk transcript and thus the TK- phenotype in T2, although potential contributions from other mechanisms cannot be excluded.

Omega-agatoxins: novel calcium channel antagonists of two subtypes from funnel web spider (Agelenopsis aperta) venom.

A new series of polypeptide presynaptic antagonists ("omega-agatoxins") was purified from venom of the funnel web spider Agelenopsis aperta. Physiological data indicate that all of these peptides are antagonists of voltage-sensitive calcium channels. Although all three omega-agatoxins (Aga) described here (omega-Aga-IA, omega-Aga-IB, and omega-Aga-IIA) block insect neuromuscular transmission presynaptically, biochemical data permit their subclassification as Type I and Type II toxins. Type I toxins (omega-Aga-IA and -IB) are 7.5 kDa, have closely related amino acid sequences, and exhibit characteristic tryptophan-like UV absorbance spectra. Complete Edman sequencing of omega-Aga-IA reveals it to be a 66-amino acid polypeptide containing 9 cysteines and 5 tryptophan residues. omega-Aga-IIA, a Type II toxin, is 11 kDa, shows limited amino acid sequence similarity to the Type I toxins, and exhibits mixed tryptophan- and tyrosine-like absorbance. Nanomolar concentrations of omega-Aga-IIA inhibit the specific binding of 125I-labeled omega-conotoxin GVIA to chick synaptosomal membranes while omega-Aga-IA and -IB have no effect under identical conditions. The omega-agatoxins thus are defined as two subtypes of neuronal calcium channel toxins with different structural characteristics and calcium channel binding specificities.

Neonatal death and lung injury in rats caused by intrauterine exposure to O,O,S-trimethylphosphorothioate.

O,O,S-Trimethyl phosphorothioate (OOS-TMP) is an impurity present in a number of widely used organophosphorus insecticides and has been recognized as a potent lung toxicant. OOS-TMP was given p.o. to pregnant rats on gestation day (G) 20 at 0.5, 2.5, 10 and 40 mg/kg. Control dams or pair-fed dams (pair-fed to 40 mg/kg) received 2 ml/kg corn oil. Neonates from treated dams died within 72 h after delivery in a dose-related manner: 100% at 40 mg/kg, 86% at 10 mg/kg, 15% at 2.5 mg/kg, 1% at 0.5 mg/kg, with 3% in controls and 2% in neonates from pair-fed dams. Neonates from treated (40 or 10 mg/kg) and control dams were cross-fostered. The cross-fostering did not affect mortality of neonates from either dosed dams or from control dams. Disposition of OOS-TMP was studied by using [3H]-OOS-TMP at 0.5, 2.5 and 10 mg/kg. Concentrations of OOS-TMP equivalent in fetal lung were about one half of those in mothers at all doses. In another set of experiments, dams (five dams for each dose) were dosed on G 20 with OOS-TMP p.o. at 0, 0.5, 2.5, 10, and 40 mg/kg or pair-fed (pair-fed to 40 mg/kg) and the fetuses were delivered by cesarean section (C-section) on G 23. In neonates from dams dosed with 10 and 40 mg/kg, cyanosis occurred within 4 h after C-section. Histopathological examination revealed dose-related proliferation of type II pneumocytes in dams and proliferation of interstitial cells and delayed septal/capillary development in neonates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Differences in H-2 recombinant mice in the beta-naphthoflavone inducibility of the mixed function monooxygenase, P1-450.

The influence of the major histocompatibility complex (H-2 in mouse) on induction of cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase (P1-450) by the prototype polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), beta-naphthoflavone, was investigated in C57BL/10 Sn (B10) recombinant congenic mice. The cytosolic Ah-receptor level, as measured by specific binding with [3H]-2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, was significantly lower in B10.A and B10.A(5R) than in either B10, B10.BR, or B10.A(2R), suggesting that the D region of H-2 influences Ah-receptor levels. The responsiveness to beta-naphthoflavone, as determined by increased catalytic activity toward benzo(a)pyrene and 7-ethoxycoumarin, was considerably lower in B10, B10.A, and B10.A(5R) than in B10.BR and somewhat lower than in B10.A(2R) or B10.A(4R) mice. The lower PAH responsiveness in B10.A and B10.A(5R) correlated with their lower Ah-receptor levels while that in B10 appeared to reflect a K-A region influence on PAH responsiveness that was not due to changed Ah-receptor levels. Thus, we conclude that more than one H-2 locus may influence PAH responsiveness, and by different mechanisms.

H-2, Ah, and aging: the immune response and the inducibility of P-450 mediated monooxygenase activities, xanthine oxidase, and lipid peroxidation in H-2 congenic mice on C57BL/10, C3H, and A strain backgrounds.

The effects of beta-naphthoflavone (beta-NF, 80 mg/kg i.p. for 2 consecutive days) on P-450-dependent and -independent enzymes, lipid peroxidation and xanthine oxidase were investigated in 9 strains of young (3-month-old) male mice. Three H-2 congenic strains on each of three different genetic backgrounds were studied. The backgrounds were C57BL/10 (abbreviated as B10), C3H, and A strain mice. The reported longevities (weeks) as expressed in 10th decile of survivorship are significantly different among the H-2 congenic strains on each of these backgrounds: it ranges from 155 to 170 weeks in B10, from 138 to 150 in C3H and from 114 to 134 in A background mice. The inducibility of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) with beta-NF was highest in B10, intermediate in C3H/He and non-inducible in other C3H mice and in all mice on the A strain background. Within the B10 background, inducibility of AHH varied widely among mice of different H-2 haplotypes: 549 +/- 34 (H-2k), 360 +/- 72 (H-2b) and 349 +/- 47 (H-2r) percent of the mean control values (n = 5; mean +/- S.D.), without change in activities of P-450-independent enzymes. In C3H mice the H-2k haplotype showed inducibility (213 +/- 34%), while other haplotypes, specifically H-2b and H-2j, did not. beta-NF increased the activities of xanthine oxidase in B10 and A background strains, without interbackground differences. Lipid peroxidation was significantly increased in A background strains and in an H-2 dependent manner. The relationship between Ah responsiveness and reported longevities of these nine strains is discussed.

Effect of induction of T-cell-dependent antibody with sheep red blood cells on P-450-dependent and -independent xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes.

The effect of an antigenic challenge with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) on the activities of cytochrome P-450-dependent and -independent xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and on lipid peroxidation in the liver was investigated. The studies were carried out using three mouse strains of C57B1/10 and three strains of C3H backgrounds which are cogenic, differing genetically at the H-2 complex. The basal levels of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (7-Ec) were different among congenic strains. The activity of 7-Ec was lower in C3H background mice than in B10 background mice. Similarly, the difference due to the strain and the H-2 locus was detected in the activities of P-450-independent enzymes such as malathion and diethyl succinate carboxylesterases, glutathione S-transferase, and epoxide hydrolases in microsomal and cytosolic fractions. The degree of immune responsiveness in these mice was determined by a plaque forming cell assay. Within the same background, the H-2b mouse strain was a high responder and the H-2k a low responder to SRBC. However, treatment with SRBC had no significant depressive effect on P-450-dependent enzyme activities except in C3H/He. Activity of AHH was suppressed in C3H/He mice. Treatment with SRBC had no effect on P-450-independent enzyme activities except for malathion carboxylesterase: the activity was increased in C3H/He and C3H.JK, whereas it was decreased in B10. The basal level of lipid peroxidation was lower in C3H/He and C3H.JK. The treatment produced a significant enhancement in lipid peroxidation in C3H/He, B10 and B10.BR (P less than 0.05) with a concomitant increase in xanthine oxidase activity (P less than 0.05). Thus, the present study revealed that a specific antigenic challenge, unlike non-specific immunostimulants (e.g. poly IC, endotoxin), does not necessarily inhibit P-450-dependent xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes even though antigen challenge increased XO activity and lipid peroxidation. The possible roles of an increase in lipid peroxidation and xanthine oxidase activity in immune response to SRBC and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes are discussed.

Influence of H-2 haplotypes on poly IC induction of xanthine oxidase and poly IC induced decreases in P-450 mediated enzyme activities.

Polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (poly IC), a potent interferon inducer, induced xanthine oxidase 24 hours after treatment with 5 mg/kg ip to different degrees among four H-2 congenic mice (P less than 0.05): B10 (H-2b: 236 +/- 27% of the control value) greater than B10.RIII (H-2r: 171 +/- 29%) = B10.F (H-2n: 161 +/- 12%) greater than B10.BR (H-2k: 136 +/- 15%). Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity showed an inverse correlation with inducibility of xanthine oxidase (r = -0.71, P less than 0.01). However, there were no significant changes in activities of heme pool associated enzymes, such as catalase, tryptophan pyrrolase and d-aminolevulinic acid synthase in these mice. H-2 haplotype seems to have an influence on poly IC induction of xanthine oxidase thereby causing a decrease in AHH.